INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Monday'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 Hoosiers 5 and older 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 reported 5,996 more Hoosiers tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 1,055,571 as of midnight Monday.
The state had no additional deaths from COVID-19 reported on Sunday, but the overall death toll climbed to 16,535 over the weekend, which represents an increase of 17 death from the state's most recent update on Friday. Another 570 people have died with COVID-19 symptoms in Indiana, but they had no positive test on record, so the state considers their COVID-19 deaths “probable.”
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 47.07 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 5:30 a.m. Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 763,090 deaths recorded in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 253.39 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 5.1 million deaths and more than 7.47 billion vaccine doses administered worldwide.
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 illness like pneumonia, or death.
4 of 10 Hoosiers still not vaccinated for COVID-19
State health officials say four out of 10 Hoosier adults are still not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as Indiana's sluggish vaccination rate coincides with recent increases in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.
The Indiana Department of Health said Friday that 59.8% of Indiana residents 18 and older are now fully vaccinated.
Indiana's hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have been on the decline since mid-September. Over the past week, that downward trend started to climb slightly upward.
Indiana's moving average of daily cases, meanwhile, has climbed from about 1,700 to more than 2,200 over the past week.
Austria orders nationwide lockdown for the unvaccinated
The Austrian government has ordered a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated people to combat rising coronavirus infections and deaths. The lockdown starts Sunday at midnight.
The move prohibits unvaccinated people 12 and older from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as work, grocery shopping, going for a walk — or getting vaccinated. Authorities are concerned that hospital staff will no longer be able to handle the growing influx of COVID-19 patients.
The lockdown affects about 2 million people in the Alpine country of 8.9 million and will initially last for 10 days. Police patrols will be stepped up and people outside could have their vaccination status checked.