Indiana sees 30 more COVID-19 deaths, rolling average rises

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — State health officials reported Tuesday that 30 more Hoosiers have died from COVID-19 as Indiana’s seven-day rolling average of new cases of the respiratory disease continued growing at record levels.

The newly recorded deaths raise Indiana’s death toll to 3,711, including confirmed and presumed coronavirus cases, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. That’s an increase of 99 deaths from coronavirus-related illnesses in the past week.

The state agency’s coronavirus dashboard shows that two of Indiana’s 30 newly reported COVID-19 deaths occurred on Sept. 26, raising that day’s total to 21 deaths. That’s the largest single-day tally of COVID-19 deaths since 23 deaths occurred on June 18.

The department also reported 990 new COVID-19 infections, pushing Indiana’s seven-day average to 1,131 through Monday — a record for the state. That rolling average has grown nearly 26% since Sept. 28. Nearly 127,000 Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, state statistics show that Indiana hospitals were treating 1,138 COVID-19 patients on Monday — the largest number since late May and the 11th straight day that hospitalizations have topped 900.

The increases come as health experts say it could be weeks before the state sees any possible impact from Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb’s decision to lift most of Indiana’s restrictions on businesses and crowd sizes as of Sept. 26 while continuing the statewide mask mandate.

Democratic governor candidate Woody Myers, a physician and former state health commissioner, has said that Holcomb’s easing those precautions “was a huge mistake.”

State health officials are scheduled to hold their weekly coronavirus briefing on Wednesday.