Indiana reports 9 more virus deaths, 292 additional cases

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Nine more Indiana residents have died from COVID-19, while nearly 300 additional Hoosiers have been diagnosed with the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, state health officials said Monday.

A total of 1,976 Hoosiers are confirmed to have died from COVID-19, including one previously deemed as probable that was later lab-confirmed, the Indiana State Department of Health said.

Another 166 people have died from probable infections of COVID-19 and those deaths increase Indiana's confirmed or presumed COVID-19 deaths to 2,142 since the state's first deaths was recorded on March 15.

The 292 newly reported Indiana cases of the virus bring to 34,830 the total number of Indiana residents known to have it, the department said.

To date, 265,896 tests for the virus have been reported to the department, up from 261,546 on Sunday.

Hoosiers who have symptoms of COVID-19 and those who have been exposed and need a test to return to work are encouraged to visit a state-sponsored testing site for free testing. Also encouraged to get tested are individuals without symptoms who are at high risk because they are over age 65, have diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure or another underlying condition, as well as those who are pregnant, live with a high-risk individual or are a member of a minority population that is at greater risk for severe illness.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.