State reports smaller increase in COVID-19 cases amid reduced testing

The Indiana State Department of Health on Monday said the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the state has risen to 34,830, following an increase of 256 more cases.

That’s the smallest increase in cases reported by the department since March 28, when 251 new cases were reported. The latest number came during a one-day decline in testing.

The state reported an increase of 363 cases on Sunday, 653 on Saturday, 490 on Friday, 595 on Thursday, 359 on Wednesday, and 363 on Tuesday.

The department said Monday that the cumulative death toll in the state rose to 1,976, up from 1,967 the previous day—an increase of nine.

Nearly 92% of the total deaths involve those who are age 60 or older. More than 75% of those who have died are older than 70. Only 2.9% of the deaths have involved someone younger than 50.

According to the report, 945 deaths—or 47.8% of the state’s total—involved long-term care patients, as of Monday. The state said 150 facilities have experienced at least one COVID-19 death.

The state said 265,896 people have been tested so far, up from 261,546 in Sunday’s report—an increase of 4,350. That’s the smallest increase in testing since May 13.

The state said 13.1% of those tested so far have been positive for COVID-19.

The ISDH said the test numbers reflect only those tests reported to the department and the numbers should not be characterized as a comprehensive total.

Health officials say Indiana has far more coronavirus cases—probably tens of thousands more—than those indicated by the number of official tests. A study announced May 13 estimated at least 186,000 Hoosiers have or had COVID-19 through the end of April.

New positive cases, deaths and tests have occurred over a range of dates but were reported to the department in the previous day.

The department reported the state’s first case on March 6 and first death from COVID-19 on March 16.

Marion County on Monday reported 9,900 cumulative cases—up from 9,853 the previous day, an increase of 47 cases.

The county’s cumulative death toll was 581, up from 576 in Sunday’s report.

The state said 54,432 people have been tested in the county.

As for surrounding counties, Hamilton had 1,162 positive cases; Johnson 1,115; Hendricks 1,171; Boone 315; Hancock 340; Madison 593; Morgan 280; and Shelby 373.

Pike County has six cases, but every other Indiana county has at least nine.

The department said 40.9% of the state’s intensive care unit beds were still available. About 14.5% are being used by COVID-19 patients.

The department also said 83.7% of the state’s ventilators were available, with 4.8% being used for COVID-19 patients.

The health department is providing case updates daily at noon based on results received through 11:59 p.m. the previous day.

As of Monday morning, more than 1.79 million cases had been reported in the United States, with 104,450 deaths, according to a running tally maintained by health researchers at Johns Hopkins University & Medicine. More than 444,758 people have recovered.

More than 6.2 million cases have been reported globally, with 372,752 deaths. More than 2.66 million people have recovered.