WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
4,028 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Indiana on Monday, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. There were 164 newly reported deaths. Locally, Monroe County saw 54 new confirmed cases yesterday, and reported 4 new COVID-related deaths. Lawrence County reported 47 positive cases and one new COVID death. Brown County reported 7 new cases.
The City of Bloomington has confirmed that four additional city workers tested positive for COVID-19 during the week of Christmas. One employee in the Public Works Department who works in animal care and control, one city hall employee, one city utilities worker, and a parks and recreations employee who works at a Banneker Center. All four city employees are currently on leave.
A member of the Bloomington community who is experiencing homelessness tested positive for COVID-19, as well. The Bloomington Homeless Coalition confirmed in a press release late Monday evening that the community member was released from the hospital last night after the positive test. According to the press release, the community member who tested positive was denied access to the isolation shelter. Beacon, the organization that runs the isolation shelter in Bloomington, has not made an official statement. However, Beacon’s executive director Forrest Gilmore responded to the press release on Facebook this morning. Gilmore says they are looking into a workable solution, but that the story presented in the press release is not the full story. Gilmore says he will not be sharing more info on the situation publicly, since doing so would “violate client confidentiality and the dignity our clients deserve by holding their information privately.” Gilmore asks that the community be more understanding, saying that “some decisions involve important information you don’t have.”
