Indiana reports increase in COVID-19 cases as testing hits daily high

The Indiana State Department of Health on Saturday said the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the state has risen to 34,211 following the emergence of 653 more cases.

That’s the biggest increase in cases in the department’s daily report since May 21, when cases increased by 662.

The state reported 490 new cases on Friday, 595 on Thursday, 359 on Wednesday, 363 on Tuesday, 339 on Monday and 475 on Sunday.

The department said Saturday that the cumulative death toll in the state rose to 1,958, up from 1,946 the previous day—an increase of 12.

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, 876 deaths—or 47.8% of the state’s total—involved long-term care patients, as of May 25. More than 142 facilities have experienced at least one COVID-19 death.

The state said 256,395 people have been tested so far, up from 248,713 in Friday’s report—an increase of 7,682. That’s the biggest increase in testing ever reported in the health department’s daily report.

The state said 13.3% 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 Saturday reported 9,761 cumulative cases—up from 9,616 the previous day, an increase of 145 cases.

The county’s cumulative death toll was 576, up from 571 in Friday’s report.

The state said 52,849 people have been tested in the county.

As for surrounding counties, Hamilton had 1,154 positive cases; Johnson 1,097; Hendricks 1,166; Boone 309; Hancock 331; Madison 586; Morgan 278; and Shelby 371.

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

The department said 39.2% of the state’s intensive care unit beds were still available. About 15.2% are being used by COVID-19 patients.

The department also said 83.3% of the state’s ventilators were available, with 4.9% 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 Saturday morning, more than 1.75 million cases had been reported in the United States, with 103,153 deaths, according to a running tally maintained by health researchers at Johns Hopkins University & Medicine. More than 406,440 people have recovered.

More than 5.98 million cases have been reported globally, with 366,654 deaths. More than 2.52 million people have recovered.