Indiana officials reported 541 new cases of coronavirus Friday, along with 19 additional deaths as the state prepares to enter what it calls "phase 4.5" of its reopening plan.
According to the latest figures released by the Indiana State Department of Health, a total of 46,915 residents have now contracted COVID-19 since the pandemic began. As of Friday, the death toll statewide stood at 2,488.
An additional 193 deaths are being classified as “probable” COVID-19-related deaths.
In the last 24 hours, 7,318 tests were returned by labs across the state, bringing the state’s total number of tests to 504,153.
Ventilator usage continues to be low, as more than 83% of ventilators and more than 41% of intensive care unit beds statewide remain available.
The state is set to move to phase 4.5 on July 4 after delaying plans to move to phase five for the holiday weekend. The governor’s initial reopening plan called for the total removal of the current 250-person limit on social gatherings and allowing restaurants, bars, nightclubs and recreation venues to operate at full capacity beginning Saturday, but Gov. Eric Holcomb said things will instead stay largely unchanged for the next two weeks due to an increase in hospitalizations over the last week and a "slight" uptick in the state's positivity rate.
