MUNCIE, Ind. — The Delaware County Health Department remains in the dark on testing for the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) — receiving nothing from local health care providers and referring questions about testing at Ball Memorial Hospital to the hospital, which is referring questions to the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH).

It was one week ago Thursday that John Peterson, a member of the Delaware County Board of Health, said "testing is the key here … We can't learn anything about it until we test for it. That is the bottom line. Until we test, we're not going to be able to follow the disease. Until we test it's all fluff."

The health board immediately formed an ad hoc committee including Peterson to pursue adequate and optimal testing in Delaware County, in terms of numbers of test, cost and accessibility.

►CORONAVIRUS: Muncie, Delaware County enact disaster emergency declaration

Yet on Thursday of this week, LPN Susan Morris, the health department's nursing director, said, "At this time the Delaware County Health Department has no number for the amount of tests being done."

"(Health care) providers are able to contact specific labs and ISDH regarding testing," she went on via email. "They are not reporting the number of tests being done to the local health department. Please contact IU Health BMH regarding the number of tests they are doing. Testing has been in short supply and we certainly hope providers will have testing more readily available in the coming days."

►SUPPORT LOCAL COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS DEVELOPMENTS: The paywall on this story has been lifted in the interest of public safety and community knowledge. We ask you consider supporting local journalism with a subscription so we can continue our important work.

Asked on Thursday whether it has conducted any tests and if so how many and whether any were positive, IU Health BMH's spokesman Neil Gifford said, "We share all information on patients being tested/treated for COVID-19 with the Indiana State Department of Health. Please contact them for any information that can be disclosed."

ISDH reported that there have been 56 positive cases in Indiana as of midnight Wednesday, with two deaths.

Statewide, the total number tested has reached 380, which ISDH says, on its dashboard updated daily at 10 a.m., "is provisional and reflects only those reported to ISDH. Numbers should not be characterized as a comprehensive total."

Of those 380 tests how many, if any, have been conducted in Blackford, Delaware, Henry, Jay and Randolph counties, where no cases have been confirmed?

"I’m sorry, but we do not have that breakdown at this time," ISDH spokesperson Megan Wade-Taxter told The Star Press Thursday afternoon.

At a news conference on Thursday afternoon, ISDH Commissioner Kristina Box said we should expect to see the number of Hoosiers tested "growing quickly beyond just the state department of health's ability to test."

She cited an increase in private lab testing as well as Eli Lilly and Company's announcement on Wednesday that it is partnering with ISDH to accelerate testing in Indiana for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Box said ISDH is still urging health care providers "to used good clinical judgment" in deciding whether or not to order a test, "keeping in mind we have a limited amount of viral swabs, viral transport media and PPE (personal protective equipment) needed to actually obtain these swabs."

The state continues to focus testing on highest-risk patients, such as those who have been hospitalized, health care workers, dialysis patients and residents of long-term care facilities — in other words, the most vulnerable populations, Box said.

It's important for people with mild symptoms — most of whom don't need to be tested —to stay home in isolation so providers can continue to treat those who are critically ill.

What the average Hoosier can do to help out is practice social distancing, hand washing and stay home if you're sick, she said.

►RELATED: Delaware County Health Board called for COVID-19 testing a week ago

Contact Seth Slabaugh at (765) 213-5834 or seths@muncie.gannett.com