Indiana coronavirus death toll grows past 1,600 people

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana’s coronavirus death toll has grown past 1,600 people as state health officials on Wednesday added 41 fatalities involving confirmed or probable infections to the tally.

The Indiana State Department of Health recorded 38 newly confirmed COVID-19 deaths, most of which occurred Monday or Tuesday, along with three additional deaths considered coronavirus-related by doctors but without confirmation of the illness from test results.

One of the newly confirmed deaths dated back to April 22, which gives that date 48 deaths and makes it the state’s deadliest single day during the pandemic.

The latest state statistics list 1,482 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, along with 137 deaths with probable infections. Indiana’s earliest recorded coronavirus death was less than two months ago on March 15.

More than two dozen additional testing sites opened around the state Wednesday as part of the state’s expanded coronavirus testing program, the health department said. Those sites are part of the state’s nearly $18 million contract with OptumServe Health Services, which opened its first 20 testing locations last week.

The tests are available to those with symptoms of the respiratory illness, those in close contact with someone infected and people with high-risk health conditions.

Test registration can be done online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling (888) 634-1116.