COVID-19 metrics are improving in several area counties, but they will remain at the red advisory level until those numbers can stay improved for two consecutive weeks.

Based on their current numbers, Jackson, Jennings and Brown counties are now showing serious spread of the disease on the Indiana State Department of Health statistics from yesterday. However all three counties will remain at the red level on the state’s color-coded map, indicating a severe spread of the disease, until that two-week benchmark is met. Johnson and Shelby counties both remain red with current metrics and the advisory level. Bartholomew and Decatur counties are under the orange, or serious spread level.

Statewide, there were 3,733 new positive cases announced yesterday, and 62 deaths statewide. That pushes Indiana to 601, 937 positive cases since the pandemic started and 9,218 deaths since the first last March.

Indiana’s coronavirus restrictions will remain in place as Gov. Eric Holcomb is extending the state’s emergency order for another seven days. Holcomb says Indiana’s coronavirus numbers have been falling for weeks and the state’s seven-day positive rate dropped to 10.8 percent, but he wants to be cautious.