Indiana Adds 48 Virus Deaths As Hospitalizations Also Grow

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — State health officials on Tuesday added 48 coronavirus-related deaths to Indiana’s toll, which has growing faster over the past month along with new COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.

Indiana’s total death toll has grown to 4,008, including confirmed and presumed coronavirus infections, since the state’s first death was reported in mid-March, according to the state health department. That total is an increase of 502 deaths from what the state agency reported a month ago, with the updated total of 31 coronavirus deaths on Friday making it the most in a single day since May.

Several of Indiana’s coronavirus statistics have seen steep jumps since last month when Gov. Eric Holcomb lifted nearly all of Indiana’s coronavirus restrictions on businesses and crowd sizes.

Holcomb has resisted calls to reimpose tougher restrictions in addition to the statewide mask mandate, but last week chastised those who don’t wear masks while out in public places.

The state health department’s daily update showed Indiana hospitals with 1,425 coronavirus patients as of Monday. Those hospitalizations are at the highest level since early May and are up almost 90 percent in the past month, as are the number of COVID-19 patients being treated in intensive care units.

Indiana’s seven-day rolling average of newly confirmed COVID-19 infections was reported at 1,802 as of Monday. That is the highest level the state has seen during the pandemic and has more than doubled since late September.