COVID Spread Ratings keep going up in more and more Indiana counties, according to the Indiana Department of Health.  First, Delaware County remains at a Blue Level 0.5 COVID spread rating and the positivity rate is going down. That’s the good news.

The bad news:  The state now has 22 counties with a Yellow Level 1.0 or 1.5 COVID Spread Rating.  Two more are at an Orange Level 2.0 rating, and Newton County is at an Orange Level 2.5 rating.  A Red Level 3 rating is the worst on the COVID spread rating scale.

In and near the IPR listening area, Madison, Blackford, Miami, Wabash, Howard, and Tipton counties have Yellow Level 1.0 ratings. Wells County has a Yellow Level 1.5 rating.

The Indiana Department of Health reports 612 new COVID-19 cases with six new deaths and a four-point-one percent, seven-day positivity rate. That number is up from three-point-nine percent on Wednesday.

Delaware County reported eight new cases, no new deaths, and a two-point-four percent, seven-day positivity rate.