Indiana reports 6,045 new COVID-19 cases, 75 more deaths

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana health officials reported a fourth straight day with more than 6,000 new COVID-19 cases Saturday.

The state had 6,045 new cases of the coronavius, bringing to 558,560 the number of Hoosiers now known to have contracted it, the Indiana State Department of Health reported.

The state also added 75 more COVID-19 deaths, raising Indiana's death toll to 8,967, including both confirmed and presumed infections, the Indiana State Department of Health said. Deaths are reported based on when data are received by the state and occurred over multiple days.

To date, 2,738,914 unique individuals have been tested in Indiana, up from 2,724,389 on Friday, the department said.

Health officials announced this past week that coronavirus vaccinations were available to Indiana residents 80 and older starting Friday. Until now, health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities were the only eligible recipients for the shots.

More than 75,000 Hoosiers age 80 or older had scheduled appointments to receive free vaccines as of 4 p.m. Saturday, the department said.

Hoosiers can register at https://ourshot.in.gov, by calling 211 or by contacting one of Indiana's Area Agencies on Aging for help.

In the coming weeks, the plan is to further expand availability of the vaccine to those 70 and older and then to those 60 and older.