Indiana coronavirus deaths top 660 in just over 5 weeks
Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (green) heavily infected with the SARS-COV-2 virus particles (purple), isolated from a patient sample. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH)
INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana’s coronavirus death toll has grown by 31 as state health officials said Wednesday that the statewide total has reached 661 in just over five weeks.
Most of the newly recorded COVID-19 deaths occurred between Friday and Tuesday, but they dated as far back as April 2, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
Those deaths involve COVID-19 infections confirmed by tests. The state health commissioner has said Indiana’s total number of deaths could rise significantly later this week as the official count starts including deaths that doctors blame on COVID-19 without test results. The state’s first recorded coronavirus death occurred March 15.
The state agency said 394 more Indiana residents have been diagnosed with coronavirus infection, bringing the state’s total to nearly 12,500. But the agency said Wednesday’s new test results were lower than expected because of a technology issue and shouldn’t be regarded as a decline in new infections.