Health officials expecting up-tick in Covid-19 cases after holiday weekend

Health officials expecting up-tick in Covid-19 cases after holiday weekend

Officials are bracing themselves for a potential spike in covid-19 cases.

This labor day weekend marks the first big holiday since purdue students came back on campus.

The university brought in around 40- thousand more people to greater lafayette.

News 18's micah upshaw joins us live to tell us what health leaders are saying.

Sam -- if there is a spike in covid-19 cases after this holiday, health officials expect students will contribute to those numbers.

The university did hold classes today to hopefully encourage students to not travel home this holiday weekend.

But health leaders still have concerns.

:28 c: labor day weekend, in and of itself, sure, i mean th any kind of celebration time, so to speak, it makes me a little concerned.

M: iu health dr. chris mansfield says health leaders have concerns about all the "first times" in this community.

For example, the first time school districts began in-person classes this fall.

The first time college students came back to campus.

And the first time big holidays have taken place since covid-19 arose.

C: we saw a slight uptick around memorial day and really track it on honestly an hourly or on a daily basis and say, you know, 'hey, how is this positivity rate over the last seven days going, how are we doing day by day?'

M: dr. mansfield says each month brings more knowledge as hospitals work to treat patients battling the virus.

That's why he's confident if tippecanoe county does see a spike in cases after labor day that the hospital will be able to handle it.

C: we've done a pretty darn good job locally staying ahead of the curb and almost staying cutting-edge.

Using steroids when appropriate, proning patients, meaning turning them over and having them breathe differently to open up lung capacity, but doing different techniques.

M: dr. mansfield says the number of covid- positive purdue students needing hospital care has stayed very low.

He's confident that the university's protect purdue plan and health care center will continue to work well for students.

Even after a holiday weekend.

C: we're doing everything that we can to protect those students and community members around them.

I don't know how may exited over the weekend and maybe went back to their home towns but my hope is if they did they were safe while doing so.

There are currently 275 positive covid-19 cases at the purdue.

But police chief john cox did confirm that they did not receive any large gathering complaints this weekend.

Reporting live in west lafayette, micah upshaw, news 18.

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