ISDH: More than 530 new COVID-19 cases, 27 more deaths; testing sites now accept children
WATCH: The governor’s Friday coronavirus briefing is available on the WISH-TV Facebook Live page.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – On Friday, the Indiana State Department of Health announced 533 new COVID-19 cases and 27 additional deaths.
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In total, there are 36,578 cases of COVID-19 and 2,078 deaths related to the virus in Indiana.
According to the department, there have been 291,638 tests administered in the state.
ISDH has been providing daily updates here.
Officials in Indiana are not yet providing information on recoveries. Dr. Box has said that information will be available as soon as medical codes are created that will offer COVID-19 recovery information, which the state does not currently have.
According to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, there have been more than 6,675,00 confirmed cases worldwide, with more than 2,895,000 recoveries and more than 391,000 deaths.
Testing update for Indiana
Dr. Kristina Box, commissioner of the Indiana State Department of Health, said Friday that statewide testing sites are now able to test children under the age of 12.
She said she has seen some reports about cases increasing in some areas of the state as the state has moved to Stage 3 and soon will be moving to Stage 4, particularly in Allen County. Box said the increase in cases is expected as the state continue to gradually reopen.
She said the state is moving in the right direction, but she is encouraging people to continue to practice social distancing, wear masks, use hand sanitizer and practice proper hygiene.
Regenstrief Institute has looked at 35,167 distinct patients with COVID-19. Of those patients, 26% visited the emergency department. 5,999 (or 17%) were hospitalized, which has dropped slightly from a week ago. Overall 4% of positive patients have been admitted to an intensive care unit. About 73% of the patients have been discharged, 9% likely are still hospitalized, and 18.3% of the hospitalized patients are known to have died.
Regenstrief estimates 67% have recovered, which is an increase from 63% from last week.
Special testing event in downtown Indianapolis
Box shared details on a special testing event this weekend in downtown Indianapolis.
ISDH, in partnership with the Marion County Public Health Department, will be offering free testing in the parking lot of Ohio and Capitol streets near the Indiana Statehouse from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The testing may be extended to Sunday, if warranted.
Box said we are now in the time frame to be able to see an increase in COVID-19 cases due to the consistent gatherings for protests for the eighth day in a row.