COLUMBUS, Ind. — COVID-19 deaths in Bartholomew County and the surrounding area have increased past 750 as the highly contagious omicron variants continues to spread and local officials report growing hostility directed against health care workers.
As of Monday, a total of 764 people in and around Columbus had died from the virus, including 126 deaths since Thanksgiving and 69 since New Year’s Day, according to the Indiana Department of Health.
That figure includes 228 Bartholomew County residents whose lives have been cut short by the virus, as well as deaths in Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings and Shelby counties.
The grim milestone comes nearly 14 months into a vaccination campaign that has been hampered by misinformation and political and legal battles, even as the vaccines have proven safe and effective at staving off serious illness and death.
It also comes after the United States surpassed 900,000 deaths from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University. Not long after, Indiana eclipsed 21,000 deaths — roughly the equivalent of the entire population of Seymour.
Local health officials have noted that one in three of Bartholomew County’s deaths have come since the vaccines were made available to all adults in Indiana. Eligibility has since been broadened to anyone ages 5 and up.
For the complete story, see Friday’s Republic.
