Indiana health officials reported 6,543 new coronavirus infections and 99 additional COVID-19 deaths Thursday as the state continued to see a slight decrease in coronavirus-related hospitalizations following a series of spikes throughout December.
The newly confirmed deaths, which occurred over several days, raised Indiana’s toll to 8,263, including both confirmed and presumed infections, the Indiana State Department of Health said.
The number of Indiana residents known to have had the coronavirus is now up to 511,485.
Monroe County reported 63 new positive cases and one additional death Thursday, bringing the county's total number of positive cases to 8,002 and the death toll to 94.
The local seven-day positivity rate has been slowly decreasing since the beginning of the month. It is now 6.8%, more than three points lower than what it was when the Monroe County Community School Corp. moved to Phase Red before holiday break.
MCCSC will operate in Phase Yellow next week, when students return to school.
READ MORE: Local Hospitals At 'Critical Juncture' In Treating COVID-19 Patients
The state agency also reported that 2,842 Hoosiers were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Wednesday at Indiana’s hospitals — 99 fewer patients than were hospitalized as of Tuesday, and a 17% decrease from the state’s hospitalization peak earlier this month.
Of those being treated, 633 people are in intensive care, according to the state agency’s daily statistic update.
To date, 2,636,695 unique individuals have been tested in Indiana, up from 2,622,879 on Wednesday, the department said. A total of 5,681,710 tests, including repeat tests for unique individuals, have been reported to the state Department of Health since Feb. 26.
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