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(INDIANAPOLIS) — Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett says the NCAA tournament was a “clear

success” for the city from both a business and public health standpoint. But the health

department will stay on the lookout for any COVID infections linked to the tourney.

Marion County Health Department director Virginia Caine says there’s no risk to customers of

Indy’s iconic Saint Elmo Steakhouse, despite the COVID-19 death of a bartender there and

illnesses in eight other employees. Caine is more vague about the death of University of Alabama

student and Crimson Tide superfan Mark “Fluffopotamus” Ratliff, citing privacy laws. Ratliff died

Friday, reportedly of COVID-19, four days after attending Bama’s Sweet 16 loss to UCLA. Caine

says “a handful” of fans have been contacted about possible COVID exposure, and says the

Marion County and Indiana health departments are working with Alabama’s Department of Public

Health.

Marion County cases and positivity rates have been slowly rising over the last month, but Caine

says while she’ll be watching those numbers closely over the next two weeks, she doesn’t believe

they’re connected to the tournament. She notes cases have been going up throughout the state,

and faster in other counties than in Indy. Caine predicts another surge, but says based on the

slow pace of the current increase, she expects it to be milder than the steep climb after

Thanksgiving.

Marion County is one of at least seven which still has a local mask order, despite the expiration of

a statewide order after eight months. Caine says while positivity rates are still good, the number of

cases needs to drop and the number of vaccinated residents needs to rise before the county

relaxes health measures.

Indy will award a million dollars in grants next month to community organizations in a position to

do targeted vaccine outreach to increase the number of people getting the shot. Caine says

proposals could include telling people where vaccination sites are or helping them get there, or

explaining the vaccine’s benefits.