COVID-19 Community Spread Increasing in the Region

In Northwest Indiana, Lake, Porter, Newton and Pulaski counties are all at medium risk on the latest CDC COVID-19 community level map, and Jasper County is now at the high risk level. Only LaPorte and Starke counties remain in the low category. In all, nineteen counties across Indiana are categorized as high risk. In Illinois, Cook County health officials are warning residents to take extra precautions as a new COVID variant spreads. The county’s health department says the latest BA.4 and BA.5 variants are responsible for most infections in the Midwest. Experts say it’s the most contagious compared to previous strains. Cook County is back to being a high risk community as of last week. Officials say only four Chicago-area counties are at medium risk of passing on the virus. Here is a link to the CDC map.