Indiana officials add 16 coronavirus deaths to state's toll

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana health officials on Tuesday reported 16 more coronavirus-related deaths across the state as the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations continued a recent climb.

Indiana's newly recorded deaths raise the state's pandemic death toll to 3,241, including confirmed and presumed coronavirus cases, in the five months since Indiana's first fatality was reported in mid-March, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. Most of the new deaths occurred between Saturday and Monday.

Officials announced 841 new coronavirus cases, keeping the state's seven-day average of newly confirmed infections steady over the past week at 864 cases as of Monday. That average has fallen since reaching 967 about two weeks ago. Indiana officials have reported more than 88,000 coronavirus infections since the pandemic hit the state.

State statistics show that Indiana hospitals were treating 987 patients with the COVID-19 respiratory disease on Monday. That total is up nearly 150 patients from a week ago.