Indiana reports 84 more COVID-19 deaths, 6K more cases

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana health officials reported 6,088 new coronavirus infections and 84 additional COVID-19 deaths Friday as the state continued to see a slight decrease in coronavirus-related hospitalizations following a spike.

The newly confirmed deaths, which occurred over several days, raised Indiana's toll to 7,265, including both confirmed and presumed infections, the Indiana State Department of Health said.

The number of Indiana residents known to have had the coronavirus is now up to 453,139.

The state agency also reported that 3,065 Hoosiers were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Thursday at Indiana's hospitals - 82 fewer patients than were hospitalized as of Wednesday and the fewest hospitalized in 29 days.

Of those being treated, 674 people are in intensive care, the fewest in five weeks, according to the state agency's daily statistic update.

Indiana's front-line health care workers began receiving the state's first shots of Pfizer's vaccine against COVID-19 this week, but uncertainties remain about future numbers of incoming doses and who should be inoculated next.

While front-line health care personnel - including those in hospitals, long-term care facilities and emergency medical service providers - are first-up to get the shots in Indiana, the state's chief medical officer, Dr. Lindsay Weaver, asked other residents on Wednesday to 'œplease be patient - your turn is coming as more vaccine arise.'ť

To date, 2,492,370 unique individuals have been tested in Indiana, up from 2,477,734 on Thursday, the department said. A total of 5,157,016 tests, including repeat tests for unique individuals, have been reported to the state Department of Health since Feb. 26.