Indiana’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed the 2,000 mark.

The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 2,159 positive COVID-19 test results as of this morning’s daily update and 49 deaths from the disease across the state. So far there have been 13,373 tests completed for the disease by the health department.

Bartholomew County has 13 reported cases.

Decatur County has 47 confirmed cases. 15 cases are reported in Jennings and in Shelby Counties, 8 in Jackson County and 3 in Brown County. Johnson County has 101 confirmed cases.

Marion County leads the state with 964 confirmed cases.

Note: This story has been updated

Columbus Regional Health is reporting that three staff members and a doctor have tested positive for COVID-19.

Kelsey DeClue, spokeswoman for the hospital, says health care workers who are symptomatic are automatically tested for the disease.

The four are all showing minor to moderate symptoms of the illness. They are not allowed to return to work until they have fully recovered, and are using personal time or sick time while they are isolated.

She says that anyone who may have worked with or come into direct contact with the employees or physician in the 14 days prior to their last day of work has been notified.

DeClue said it is not possible to determine how the four contracted the disease, but officials have ruled out one possibility. She says the workers were wearing the required protective gear while interacting with any patients testing positive for COVID-19, so that has been ruled out.

A Columbus firefighter has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been in isolation until symptoms clear up.

The firefighter was off-duty when symptoms first appeared and began to self-quarantine while medical testing began. A week ago, the firefighter notified the Columbus Fire Department of the possibility of the illness and the test result came back positive on Monday, says Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the fire department.

The firefighter lives outside of Bartholomew County and has experienced only mild symptoms.  No other firefighters have shown symptoms of the virus and the firefighter’s assigned station is undergoing additional cleaning to ensure the safety of other personnel and the public.

The firefighter is expected to return to duty once given medical clearance.

Fire Chief Andy Lay said that any firefighter who reports or shows signs or symptoms related to COVID 19, is being removed from service and asked to follow the current screening guidelines established by local health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Wilson said that since the start of the coronavirus epidemic in the area, firefighters have been regularly cleaning and sanitizing the stations, fire engines and equipment. All emergency equipment and apparatus are being cleaned and sanitized after each call for service.

All department personnel are required to assess their body temperature before reporting for duty. In the event that a high temperature reading is detected, that firefighter will be advised to receive further medical screening.

The department has also instituted a no visitors policy which includes family members of firefighters.

Wilson said the Columbus Fire Department is asking for the community’s support to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. He said it is imperative for all residents to practice social distancing, to limit unnecessary travel and interactions within the community.

A statewide Silver Alert has been declared for a missing Jennings County man.

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the disappearance of 52-year-old Brian K. Kirby . Kirby is 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs 180 pounds and has red hair with blue eyes. He was last seen wearing an orange knitted toboggan, a grey sweat shirt with “Tennessee” in white letters and blue jeans.

Kirby is missing from North Vernon and was last seen on Saturday at 11 p.m. He is believed to be in danger and may require medical assistance.

If you have any information on Brian K. Kirby, contact the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department at 812-346-4911 or 911.

The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 1,786 positive COVID-19 test results as of this morning’s daily update and 35 deaths from the disease across the state. So far there have been 11,658 tests completed for the disease by the health department.

Bartholomew County has 13 reported cases. The county is still waiting for results from 180 tests and 209 tests have been negative.

Decatur County has 42 confirmed cases. 14 cases are reported in Jennings County, 13 in Shelby County, 8 in Jackson County and 3 in Brown County. Johnson County has 81 confirmed cases.

Marion County leads the state with 804 confirmed cases.

A domestic dispute in Hope Sunday afternoon turned into an hours-long standoff with police.

Hope police are reporting that they were called to a home on Walnut Street at about 3:30 on Sunday afternoon after reports of a fight or domestic dispute. A woman said she had been battered by 32 year old Gregory Carter Jr. Police discovered that Carter was wanted on four outstanding warrants.

But Carter retreated back into the home and locked police out. After he could not be persuaded by police to come outside, the Bartholomew County SWAT team was called in.

Tear gas was used to get Carter out of the house and he surrendered almost four hours after the incident started. He was taken first to Columbus Regional Hospital to be checked out and then to jail on preliminary charges of battery in the presence of a minor, resisting law enforcement and residential entry, as well as the outstanding warrants.

Congressman Greg Pence drove 10 and a half hours last week to make it back to Congress to vote on the COVID-19 stimulus package Friday afternoon.

And that included stopping to fix a flat tire.

Although plans were to allow the measure to pass with a simple voice vote, a Kentucky congressman threatened to derail the proceedings, leading to representatives being called back to Washington D.C. shortly after making it back to their home districts.

Pence, a Columbus Republican, said that in the end he was not satisfied with the cost of the bill, but supported it because it had to be done.

He said the bill does hit on his priorities which included taking care of workers, the middle class and small business owners.

Pence said some of the highlights for him are the portions of the bill that protect health care workers and hospitals.

Columbus police say that three juveniles are in custody, accused of spray painting vehicles, buildings and monuments around the city, as well as stealing from vehicles.

The incidents happened over Friday night and Saturday morning, according to Columbus police. More than 50 incidents of vandalism and theft were reported to officers. Those including defacing the Large Arch sculpture on the Bartholomew County Public Library plaza, funeral homes, schools and churches along with homes, fences, vehicles and sidewalks.

Some of the graffiti used racial and sexual slurs and drawings of genitalia.

The damage was primarily in the downtown area and on the northwest side of the city.

The public provided tips that identified the juveniles and two 16-year-olds were arrested Saturday afternoon. The third teen was arrested Sunday. They were taken to the Bartholomew County Youth Services Center.

State figures top 1,500 cases of COVID-19

As of 10 a.m., Sunday, the Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 1,514 positive COVID-19 test results this morning and 32 deaths from the disease across the state. So far there have been 9,830 tests completed for the disease by the health department.

Bartholomew County has 10 reported cases.

Decatur County has 40 confirmed cases. 13 cases are reported in Jennings County, 12 in Shelby County, 7 in Jackson County and 3 in Brown County. Johnson County has 71 confirmed cases.

Marion County leads the state with 676 confirmed cases.

Nationwide, there are more than 103,000 cases of COVID-19.

Health Department: Decatur County seeing highest per capita

The Decatur County Department of Health noted on Saturday, that Decatur County has the highest per capita of confirmed cases in the state of Indiana. As of Sunday’s 10 a.m. totals from the state, Decatur County had 40 confirmed cases.

The county had its first death from COVID-19 on Friday.

“This simply means Decatur County has more cases than some of the larger cities based on cases per population. Decatur County residents have requested to know where the places of exposure are. Unfortunately, this information would not be relevant within a few hours of reporting. It is important that people assume that EVERYWHERE is a place of potential exposure and follow the Stay at Home order.”