State reports rise in COVID-19 cases as testing hits another high mark

The Indiana State Department of Health on Thursday said the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the state has risen to 29,936, following the emergence of 662 more cases.

That’s the highest number of new cases in the state’s daily report since May 6, when 837 cases were reported.

The state reported 569 new cases on Wednesday, 450 on Tuesday, 477 on Monday, 498 on Sunday, 625 on Saturday and 602 on Friday.

The department said Thursday that the cumulative death toll in the state rose to 1,764, up from 1,716 the previous day — an increase of 48. That’s the 15th time in May that the daily death increase has exceeded 30.

More than 91% of deaths involve those who are age 60 or older. More than 75% of those who have died are older than 70. Only 3% of the deaths have involved someone younger than 50.

According to the report, 732 deaths — or 41% of the state’s total — have involved long-term care facilities.

The state said 202,995 people have been tested so far, up from 195,738 in Wednesday’s report — an increase of 7,257. That’s the first time daily testing has exceeded 7,000.

Daily testing has topped 5,000 for eight straight days and in 14 of the last 17 days.

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

Health officials say Indiana has far more coronavirus cases — possibly 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 Thursday reported 8,815 cumulative cases—up from 8,656 the previous day, an increase of 156 cases.

The county’s cumulative death toll rose to 518, up from 505 in Wednesday’s report.

The state said 44,606 people have been tested in the county.

As for surrounding counties, Hendricks had 1,087; Hamilton 1,071 positive cases; Johnson 1,049; Madison 573; Hancock 310; Shelby 303; Boone 276; and Morgan 251.

Pike County has five cases, but every other Indiana county has at least eight.

Elsewhere in the state, these counties have at least 200 cases: Lake 3,087; Cass 1,572; Allen 1,139; St. Joseph 1,082; Elkhart 844; Bartholomew 452; Clark 446; Porter 425; LaPorte 373; Jackson 345; Tippecanoe 342; Howard 336; Delaware 319; Floyd 309; Vanderburgh 229; Decatur 220; and White 201

The department said 39.4% of the state’s intensive care unit beds were still available. About 15.6% are being used by COVID-19 patients.

The department also said 80.8% of the state’s ventilators were available, with 5.7% being used for COVID-19 patients.

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

As of Thursday morning, more than 1.55 million cases had been reported in the United States, with 93,606 deaths, according to a running tally maintained by health researchers at Johns Hopkins University & Medicine. More than 294,300 people have recovered.

More than 5 million cases have been reported globally, with 329,300 deaths. More than 1.9 million people have recovered.