Indiana officials reported 748 new cases of coronavirus Friday, lifting the state's total number of cases for the pandemic so far above 50,000.
According to the latest figures released by the Indiana State Department of Health, a total of 50,300 residents have now contracted COVID-19 since the pandemic began. As of Friday, nine additional deaths had been reported with the death toll statewide at 2,555.
An additional 193 deaths are being classified as “probable” COVID-19-related deaths.
The more than 700 new cases mark the highest single-day report since May 6 in Indiana.
The increase in cases also comes with an increase in tests.
In the last 24 hours, 8,326 tests were returned by labs across the state, bringing the state’s total number of tests to 550,562. That's up from the more than 6,000 tests conducted a day earlier.
Ventilator usage continues to be low, as 84% of ventilators and 37% of intensive care unit beds statewide remain available.
The state moved to phase 4.5 over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, delaying plans to move to phase five and fully reopen. 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 two weeks due to an increase in hospitalizations over the last week and a "slight" uptick in the state's positivity rate.
He also cited the surge in cases reported in several states across the U.S.
