INDIANAPOLIS — Saturday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic, including the latest news on COVID-19 vaccinations and testing in Indiana. Registrations for the vaccine are now open for select groups through the Indiana State Department of Health. This story will be updated over the course of the day with more news on the COVID-19 pandemic.
ISDH update
The Indiana State Department of Health reports 952 new positive cases and no new deaths from COVID-19. Indiana has recorded a total of 690,910 positive cases and 12,667 confirmed deaths.
More than 1.2 million Hoosiers are now fully vaccinated. As of 5 a.m. Sunday, 1,241,513 individuals were fully vaccinated — 18,435 of those were newly reported.
More than 1.7 million Hoosiers have received at least their first shot of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, while more than 1.1 million have received both. More than 89,000 Hoosiers have received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
St. Elmo's closes early on Saturday after 9 employees tested positive
St. Elmo Steak House in downtown Indianapolis closed early Saturday after nine employees tested positive for COVID-19.
"Out of an abundance of caution, St. Elmo’s has made the decision to close the establishment and conduct a thorough, deep cleaning of the restaurant," Craig Huse, president of Huse Culinary said in a statement. "While we regret not being able to serve our visitors, the safety and well-being of our employees and our guests is our top priority."
St. Elmo's is located downtown at 127 Illinois St.
Alabama fan who attended NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis dies after returning home
Health officials in Indiana are investigating whether anyone was exposed to COVID-19 by Alabama residents following the death of a Crimson Tide fan who was in Indianapolis for the NCAA Tournament last weekend.
Luke Ratliff, a 23-year-old Alabama student, died after a brief illness, his father, Bryan Ratliff, told The Tuscaloosa News.
The newspaper, citing multiple sources it did not identify, reported Ratliff died of complications related to COVID-19.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 30.6 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 5:30 a.m. ET Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 554,700 deaths in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 130.84 million confirmed cases with more than 2.84 million deaths.
The actual number of people infected by the virus around the world is believed to be much higher — perhaps 10 times higher in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — given testing limitations and the many mild cases that have gone unreported or unrecognized.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illnesses like pneumonia, or death.