Indiana Eclipses 5,000 New COVID-19 Cases For First Time Since Jan. 9

The Indiana Department of Health reported more than 5,000 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, crossing yet another milestone in its late summer surge. 

This is the first time cases have been this high since Jan. 9.

As of Aug. 25, Indiana has reported 60,613 new cases this month – more than the totals of May, June and July combined. 

As recently as June, daily cases reached a pandemic-low average – just 282 cases per day. July’s daily average climbed to more than 600 per day. So far in August, Indiana has averaged more than 2,500 new cases per day. 

Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of community spread, all Indiana counties are experiencing substantial or high transmission.

READ MORE: Indiana’s Breakthrough Cases Are On The Rise, But Vaccines Still Work

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Hospitalizations have also surged. Indiana reported a pandemic-low hospital census on July 3, but hospitalizations have more than quintupled since then to 2,048. This is the first time hospitalizations have been this high since Jan. 24.

Pediatric hospitalizations have also continued to climb: according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in the last five days, Indiana reported more than 50 new pediatric COVID-19 hospital admissions. The state reported 37 for the entire month of June.

IDOH reports the vast majority of sampled cases are the more infectious delta variant – at more than 97 percent. 

Breakthrough cases – COVID-19 infections in people who are fully vaccinated – are rising, but remain far outpaced by unvaccinated cases. Hospitalizations and deaths in vaccinated Hoosiers do still remain low.

Contact Lauren at lchapman@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @laurenechapman_.