INDIANAPOLIS — Monday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic.
Marion County drive-thru testing sites closed Election Day
The Marion County Public Health Department will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020 for Election Day. This includes the three COVID-19 drive-thru testing sites operated by MCPHD. They will not be open on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Regular business and scheduled COVID-19 drive thru testing hours resume on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Ravens player tests positive
The Baltimore Ravens announced a player has tested positive for COVID-19. The Ravens are scheduled to play the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday.
In a statement on Twitter, the Ravens said they were informed Monday morning that a player had tested positive. That player immediately began to self-quarantine.
The team said they have started contact tracing and will work with the NFL and team doctors for further guidance.
ISDH daily update
The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 3,080 new positive cases and 26 more deaths from COVID-19. There have been a total of 185,185 cases and 4,150 deaths across the state since the start of the outbreak.
Monday's reported deaths date back to Oct. 15. An additional 240 deaths are presumed to be due to the virus, but patients did not have a positive COVID-19 test result on file.
The seven-day positivity rate between Oct. 20 and Oct. 26 is 8.2 percent for all tests and 15.9 percent for unique individuals. The seven-day average positivity rate continues to trend upward.
Hospitalizations are also high. On Sunday, there were 1,759 Hoosiers being treated in hospitals for COVID-19 — the highest number since April 13, when there were 1,799 Hoosiers in hospitals receiving treatment for the virus.
Colts-Packers game tickets limited to 12,500
Single-game tickers are now on sale to the Colts-Packers game on Nov. 22.
Tickets to the Packers game will be limited to 12,500 fans. Tickets will be sold in “pods” to help keep social-distancing between fans. Season ticket members – including individual ticket holders selected by seniority, suite holders, and team partners – will get priority when buying tickets.
The attendance number for the game was determined with the Marion County Public Health Department. Other health and safety procedures, which include gameday requirements for fans and stadium employees, can be found at Colts.com/gameday.
Fans interested in tickets can go to Colts.com/Tickets or Ticketmaster.com.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 9.2 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. as of 2:30 a.m. ET Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 230,000 deaths and 3.63 million people recovered.
Worldwide, there have been more than 46.5 million confirmed cases with more than 1.2 million deaths and 31 million recoveries.
The real number of people infected by the virus around the world is believed to be much higher — perhaps 10 times higher in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — given testing limitations and the many mild cases that have gone unreported or unrecognized.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.
Fauci: US to deal with 'a whole lot of hurt' with surging coronavirus cases
The government’s top infectious diseases expert is cautioning that the U.S. will have to deal with “a whole lot of hurt” in the weeks ahead due to surging coronavirus cases.
Dr. Anthony Fauci’s comments in a Washington Post interview take issue with President Donald Trump’s frequent assertion that the nation is “rounding the turn” on the virus.
Fauci says the U.S. “could not possibly be positioned more poorly” to stem rising cases as more people gather indoors during the colder fall and winter months. He says the U.S. will need to make an “abrupt change” in public health precautions.
Speaking of the risks, Fauci says he believes Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden “is taking it seriously from a public health perspective,” while Trump is “looking at it from a different perspective.” Fauci, who’s on the White House coronavirus task force, says that perspective is “the economy and reopening the country.”
In response, White House spokesman Judd Deere says Trump always puts people’s well-being first and Deere charges that Fauci has decided “to play politics” right before Tuesday’s election.
Deere says Fauci “has a duty to express concerns or push for a change in strategy” but instead is “choosing to criticize the president in the media and make his political leanings known.”
Fauci has said that in his decades of public service, he’s never publicly endorsed any political candidate.
Victory Field hosting drive-thru food distribution event Monday
Victory Field is hosting a drive-thru food distribution event to bring awareness to food insecurities in central Indiana during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The food distribution is scheduled Monday, Nov. 2 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
People must enter Victory Field’s parking lot off West Street. After receiving their boxed goods, vehicles will exit the lot onto Maryland Street.
Monumental Marathon goes virtual amid COVID-19 pandemic
The CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon is going virtual this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and is asking runners to participate by completing the “Marathon in a Month."
Runners or walkers will have from Nov. 1-30 to complete 26.2 miles at their leisure by customizing the distance they run at any given time. Participants will log their results in their Beyond Monumental account.
Marathon in a Month participants will receive a performance fleece and commemorative finisher medal.
Click here to register for the virtual Marathon in a Month for $55 or virtual full marathon for $85.