Indiana COVID-19 hospitalizations highest since mid-February

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana's COVID-19 hospitalizations have reached their highest level since mid-February following a weekslong general upward trend that began in late March.

The Indiana Department of Health's latest COVID-19 tracking update showed that Indiana's hospitals were treating 955 people for coronavirus illnesses as of Monday. That's the highest level since they had 966 COVID-19 patients on Feb. 17.

Indiana's COVID-19 hospitalizations had dropped below 600 for several days in middle to late March, reaching a recent low of 548 patients on March 21. But those hospitalizations have since increased about 74%, according to the state's coronavirus dashboard.

Indiana's daily average of coronavirus-related deaths, meanwhile, has remained below 10 since mid-March after peaking at more than 100 a day in December. As of Monday, Indiana's daily average of coronavirus-related deaths stood at four.

The state health department reported Tuesday that another 13 Hoosiers had died from COVID-19, pushing Indiana's pandemic death toll to 13,293 confirmed or presumed coronavirus-related deaths.

The department said Hoosiers can receive either the Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccine through Thursday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and, starting Wednesday, at the former Roosevelt High School in Gary, where a daily mass vaccination clinic will continue through June 2.

'œProviding options at these sites can help people who might be on the fence make that life-saving choice to get vaccinated and help us all put this pandemic behind us,'ť state health commissioner Dr. Kris Box said in a statement.