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Indiana coronavirus updates: State death toll tops 500

The Indiana State Department of Health on Friday reported 42 new deaths related to the novel coronavirus and 642 new cases. Indiana's death toll now sits at 519, with 10,154 total cases.

The state saw its highest number of new cases reported in a 24-hour period. The newly reported deaths occurred between April 3 and April 16, according to the state's dashboard.

With 18 new deaths reported, Marion County's death toll reached 182, the most of any county in the state. Marion County also reported 207 new cases, for a total of 3,518.

Hamilton County now reports 31 total coronavirus-related Indianapolis News deaths, an uptick of two, and Johnson County remains at 30 deaths. Lake County reports 42 total deaths, the second most in the state.

Where is the coronavirus in Indiana?See cases with these maps

White individuals account for 50.1% of positive cases and 65.8% of deaths, while African Americans account for 17.6% of cases and 18.9% of deaths.

According to Friday's report, 46.6% of ICU beds and more than 75% of ventilators remain available. The state also reported 3,718 new tests, bringing the state total to 54,785.

State releases hospitalization data
State Health Commissioner Kristina Box presented data from the Indiana Network for Patient Care-Research during Gov. Eric Holcomb's daily coronavirus press conference Friday.


Box said the state was able to analyze hospitalization data for 7,955 of the more than 10,000 of patients who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since March 1.

Of those analyzed, 2,763 visited the emergency room, but were not hospitalized, while 2,026 -- or 26% -- were hospitalized. Of the hospitalized patients, 1,384 of  have since been discharged. The average hospital stay was 9.4 days. Box said 12% of the known hospitalized patients have died.

A quarter of those hospitalized, or 501 patients, were were admitted to the intensive care unit, where the average stay was 10.4 days.
Holcomb will extend stay at home order through May 1
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Friday that he will be extending Indiana's stay at home until May 1 as of on Monday. The current order has been in place since April 6.

The previous orders were in two-week increments. This order will last just 11 days, and will allow for the state to make preparations for opening certain portions of the economy. Holcomb announced on Thursday that he is eyeing early May as a potential time to relax certain business restrictions.

Holcomb addresses plans for slowly re-opening economy
In his daily press briefing Friday, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said Press Release Distribution Service In Indianapolis he will be extending Indiana's stay at home order through May 1, and will be working with businesses through the end of the month in order to determine how to safely ease restrictions.

"There is a lot of work that needs to be done before May 1," he said. "This is going to allow us to make sure we're all on the same page. We're going through every sector," he said. "We didn't want to act like we have all the answers right now."

For more information, read our takeaways.

Dog parks close, more restrictions added
Four Indianapolis dog parks will be closed as Indy Parks continues to make changes to encourage social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The temporary closures of Broad Ripple Bark Park, Gordon Gilmer Canine Companion Zone, Paul Ruster Dog Park and Smock Dog Park come after the department had already closed basketball courts, golf courses and more.

As part of the new restrictions, vehicles will not be allowed inside Eagle Creek Park, Indy Parks said in a Friday news release. Pedestrians and cyclists may still use the park.

Trails remain open, but the department asks you to keep proper distance from others.

Some BMV branches open for commercial drivers
If you need to get a new commercial driver's license or change your existing one, you may now be able to go to an otherwise closed branch of the BMV.

Nine Bureau of Motor Vehicles branches are being opened by appointment only for commercial drivers, the BMV announced in a Friday news release.

While the branches remain closed to the general public during Gov. Eric Holcomb’s stay-at-home order, drivers looking to obtain a new commercial learner’s permit, obtain a new commercial driver’s license or change the endorsement of their commercial license may set up an appointment.

BMV and coronavirus:What you need to know

“These branches remain open only to complete transactions critical to support the need to continually increase the number of newly licensed commercial truck drivers supporting the Hoosier state, for both business and agriculture,” the release said.

Appointments will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The nine open branches are in Schererville, New Haven, West Lafayette, western Indianapolis, Seymour, Evansville, Beech Grove, Carmel and South Bend.

For more information on the specific requirements that must be met to schedule an appointment, go to: https://www.in.gov/bmv/4509.htm.

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