Columbus firefighters battled a home fire Sunday in the 2600 block of Wedgewood Drive.

The homeowners reported flames coming from the attic at about 11:48 a.m. Sunday morning and firefighters discovered a heavy fire at the rear of the home, consuming a stack of firewood and climbing the exterior wall to the attic. Firefighters knocked down the exterior flames and then removed siding to get at the fire in the attic. Firefighters also removed part of the ceiling inside to check for any hidden fires.

Damages are estimated at $55 thousand dollars with both smoke and water damage in the living area. The cause of the fire is still under investigation but firefighters say the family’s trash Toter and the firewood both were in the area of ignition.

The family has arranged for temporary housing.

Indiana now has 11,210 total cases of COVID-19 being reported, an increase of 577 cases since yesterday, and has had 562 deaths as of this afternoon’s update, an increase of 17 deaths from Saturday’s numbers.

The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting that Bartholomew County has 136 confirmed cases an increase of 5 cases since yesterday. There have been 6 deaths so far from the coronavirus in Bartholomew County, unchanged since last week. There have been 977 Bartholomew County residents tested with 691 negative results and 107 tests still pending.

In other area counties, Decatur has 168 cases and has had 18 deaths, an increase of 1 death since Friday. Jennings 64 cases and the county has had its first death, Jackson 90 cases and no deaths, Brown 14 cases and 1 death, Johnson 411 cases and 32 deaths, and Shelby 105 cases and 4 deaths, an increase of 1 death.

Indiana now has 10,154 total cases of COVID-19 being reported, an increase of 642 cases since yesterday, and has had 519 deaths as of this afternoon’s update, an increase of 42 deaths from Thursday’s numbers.

The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting that Bartholomew County has 130 confirmed cases, up by 14 cases from yesterday’s report. There have been 6 deaths so far from the coronavirus in Bartholomew County, an increase of one. There have been 935 Bartholomew County residents tested with 650 negative results and 113 tests still pending.

In other area counties, Decatur has 165 cases and has had 17 deaths, an increase of 3. Jennings 63 cases and no deaths, Jackson 77 cases and no deaths, Brown 14 cases and 1 death, Johnson 371 cases and 30 deaths, and Shelby 97 cases and 4 deaths, an increase of 1 death.

The first death from COVID-19 in Indiana came on March 16th. For the entire 2019-20 flu season, from the first flu death in early October, until now, there have been 121 deaths from influenza in Indiana. In 2017, the worst year of the past 10 years for motor vehicle crash fatalities, Indiana had 911 deaths in crashes, or about 75 a month.

Columbus police say a man was driven from a home at gunpoint after he barged in and attacked a resident last night.

A family was at home in the 3000 block of 32nd Street at about 9 p.m. last night when a man came through the door and attacked the husband, pinning him to the floor. The resident got away, grabbed a handgun from the bedroom and ordered the attacker to leave.

Police arrived and saw 30-year-old Tyler J. Wells leaving the home. He attempted to fight with officers as they arrested him and he appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance, police report.

After being checked out at Columbus Regional Hospital, he was taken to jail on preliminary charges of residential entry, resisting law enforcement and public intoxication.

Columbus firefighters believe a bird’s nest might have sparked a fire that did $70,000 in damage to a home last night on the east side of Columbus.

Columbus firefighters were called to the 5200 block of Norway Court at about 9:26 p.m. last night after residents noticed a fire had ignited on their front porch. When firefighters arrived, members of the family including , Stephen and Linda Alis,  an adult daughter and a grandson, had escaped and a heavy fire was burning around the front door and garage. Although those flames were knocked down, firefighters discovered the blaze had spread to the attic, which was also extinguished.

Family members told firefighters that a small bird’s nest had recently been built in the porch light area. The family has been displaced by the fire and they are being assisted by The Salvation Army.

Gov. Eric Holcomb is looking at relaxing of his stay-at-home order for some portions of the state as soon as early May.

The governor, at his daily briefing on COVID-19 Thursday, talked about the possibility of reopening Indiana. He said he has been consulting with a consortium of governors from across the Midwest on how reopening might look.

On Thursday the governor’s office sent out a questionnaire to various business and community organizations in the state, asking for their plans to protect workers and customers when they reopen.

The governor said that he wanted their replies by next Wednesday to start making decisions.

Columbus Regional Health is still planning on an upcoming surge of patients with COVID-19.

Although that had been forecast for the last week of April or early May, CRH spokeswoman Kelsey DeClue said the surge could be coming next week. Some areas of the state are hitting their surge already, but forecasts for our area still show it hasn’t hit here yet.

DeClue said the potential surge further stresses the need for maintaining protective measures.

Hospital officials said that they are prepared to care for COVID-19 patients in the existing Intensive Care Unit but they are also making plans to use other patient care areas if needed. To that end, the hospital has been transforming those areas into netative air flow spaces, which takes air from in a room and exhausts it outside. Typically, that sort of arrangement has been used for patients with tuberculosis.

The hospital has converted the ICU, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, and Outpatient Surgery areas and are ready for patient placement when needed. The hospital is prepared to take 12 patients in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit and there are 19 patient rooms in the outpatient surgery unit that could be used.

Another nine patients who are COVID-19 positive but who don’t require an ICU-level of care could be treated in the Oupatient Cath Lab, which has also been converted to negative air flow.

From a patient’s perspective, the rooms will still look the same, hospital officials said.

Adam Spartz, Command Center and Inpatient Operations Director for the hospital, said “We all hope we don’t have to utilize any of these spaces, however, we are prepared as healthcare providers to deliver on the expectations we and the community have for CRH.”

Indiana now has 9,542 total cases of COVID-19 being reported, an increase of 611 cases since yesterday, and has had 477 deaths as of this afternoon’s update, an increase of 41 deaths from Wednesday’s numbers.

The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting that Bartholomew County has 116 confirmed cases, up by three cases from yesterday’s report. There have been five deaths so far from the coronavirus in Bartholomew County, an increase of one.

In other area counties, Decatur County has 160 cases and has had 14 deaths, an increase of 1. Jennings 63 cases and no deaths, Jackson 77 cases and no deaths, Brown 14 cases and 1 death, Johnson 358 cases and 30 deaths, an increase of five deaths, and 86 positive test results in Shelby County and 4 deaths, an increase of 1 death.

Thrive Alliance offering assistance phone line

Thrive Alliance reminds everyone that its resource center call line is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

With access to a comprehensive network of resources, the counselors in our resource center can connect those seeking information and assistance to Thrive Alliance services or to other community resources. This includes regularly updated resources available in our communities helping assist with needs directly related to the impact of COVID-19, such as food and other necessities.

The resource center can also be reached via the thrive-alliance.org website which includes a chat feature for anyone who prefers that option.

The resource center call line is (866) 644-6407.

Columbus Regional Health will be using a downtown landmark as a place for healthcare workers to stay while they work with COVID-19 patients or after they have been exposed to the illness.

Kelsey DeClue, spokeswoman for CRH, explains:

Calling it the “CRH Heroes House,”the hospital has made arrangements with Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana to use the former post office building at 7th and Washington Streets to house the workers, who may not want to go home to their families due to their exposure on the frontlines of the pandemic.

The building has been used previously as housing for LHP workers and is in the midst of being converted into the Fresh Start Recovery Center, a substance abuse recovery house for women and their children. The recovery center was supposed to open last month, but plans were put on hold due to the pandemic.

Plans are for the recovery home opening to be rescheduled after the current crisis.

The building can house up to 17 healthcare workers in individual rooms, each with a private bathroom. Community restaurants are stepping in to provide daily meals for the healthcare workers.

DeClue said that CRH currently has 23 healthcare workers who have been infected with the coronavirus. The hospital has been able to avoid any staffing shortages during the crisis, DeClue said.

DeClue said the hospital has eight COVID-19 patients with two in critical condition.

Columbus Regional Health is partnering with the Mayo Clinic and national blood research institute Versiti for a trial therapy option for COVID-19 patients. The Expanded Access to Convalescent Plasma Program provides plasma that has been gathered from those who have already recovered from the disease to current patients.

Plasma is the liquid portion of blood and it contains antibodies produced to fight off infection. The hope is that antibodies in the recovered patients’ blood may help those fighting the disease now.

According to the hospital it first used this protocol on Tuesday with a critically ill patient. The patient remains in critical condition.

Dr. Raymond Lee Kiser at CRH said the therapy is still considered experimental and it has promise in helping critically ill patients recover from COVID-19.

CRH is looking for donors to take part in the program.  Potential donors who are eligible for the program will be able to donate at a Versiti Blood Bank location in Indianapolis, and their plasma will be used to treat patients in Bartholomew County and surrounding areas.

In order to donate, a person must be at least 18 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds and meet the following additional requirements:

• Have had a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 by physician and laboratory testing
• Must be symptom free for 28 days before being eligible to donate
• If symptom free for 14-27 days, a negative test must be verified

Anyone with questions about the donation process or the Expanded Access Convalescent Plasma Program can contact the COVID-19 Triage Resource Center at 812-379-4449 or visit: crh.org/plasma.