INDIANAPOLIS — Sunday'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 Indiana State Department of Health. This story will be updated over the course of the day with more news on the COVID-19 pandemic.
State reports 1,233 new cases, 24 additional deaths
The Indiana State Department of Health on reported 1,233 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday.
To date, 3,049,828 unique individuals have been tested in Indiana.
The ISDH reported 24 additional deaths from the virus among Hoosiers that occurred between Jan. 3, 2021 and Saturday. The total number of Indiana residents confirmed to have died from COVID is 11,742. Another 427 probable deaths have been reported in patients who died with COVID-19 symptoms but had no positive test for the virus recorded.
Indiana vaccinations top 800K
As of Sunday, 810,046 Hoosiers had received a first dose of vaccine, and 332,805 are fully vaccinated, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
Hoosiers age 65 and older, along with healthcare workers, long-term care residents and first responders who are regularly called to the scene of an emergency to render medical assistance, are currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
To schedule, visit https://ourshot.in.gov or call 211 if you do not have access to a computer or require assistance.
Average US virus cases dip below 100K for 1st time in months
Average daily new coronavirus cases in the United States have dipped below 100,000 in recent days for the first time in months. But experts cautioned Sunday that infections remain high and precautions to slow the spread must remain in place.
The seven-day rolling average of new infections was well above 200,000 for much of December and went to roughly 250,000 in January, according to data kept by Johns Hopkins University, as the pandemic came roaring back after it had been tamed in some places over the summer.
That average dropped below 100,000 on Friday for the first time since Nov. 4. It stayed below 100,000 on Saturday.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 27.57 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 484,200 deaths in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 108.5 million confirmed cases with more than 2.39 million deaths and more than 60.9 million recoveries.
The real 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 illness like pneumonia, or death.
Germany tightens border checks to keep out virus variants
Germany has implemented tighter border controls on its frontiers with the Czech Republic and Austria’s Tyrol province in an effort to stem the spread of more contagious coronavirus variants. The new restrictions that took effect Sunday limit entry from those areas to German citizens and residents, truck drivers, transport and health service staff and a few others, who have to register online and show a negative coronavirus test.
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said the new checks may cause some delays at the border and German police “will not just wave traffic through.” Infection rates in Germany have been declining steadily for weeks but officials are concerned about the possible impact of variants first discovered in Britain and South Africa.