Indiana health officials urging caution for Labor Day weekend

(photo supplied / Dr. Kristina Box)

Indiana health officials are warning residents to take coronavirus precautions seriously over the Labor Day weekend even as new statewide COVID-19 risk ratings show most counties with minimal or moderate virus spread.

Indiana University officials on Thursday asked all 40 fraternity and sorority houses at its Bloomington campus to shut down, saying their high rates of coronavirus infections made them unsafe.

The new 92-county map available on the Indiana State Department of Health’s website gives a red rating of high spread to only Martin County in rural southwestern Indiana. Seven other counties have orange ratings of moderate to high spread.

Locally, Kosciusko County was rated a 1.5 on Thursday, meaning coronavirus spread has been low. Surrounding counties such as Marshall, Fulton, Miami and Wabash Counties have scores of 0.5, meaning spread is currently minimal.