Indiana Coronavirus Deaths Near 1,000 As State's Stay At Home Order Due To Expire Friday

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The total number of deaths from COVID-19 in Indiana neared 1,000 people on Wednesday, and that number does not include 101 patients who doctors believe died because they had symptoms but were never tested.

Since the first reported COVID-19 death on March 15, the official death toll from COVID-19 stands at 964, with 93 of those fatalities coming in a five-county region in northwest Indiana.  Lake County accounted for 81 of the lives lost, the second highest toll in the state.  Lake reports a total of 1,786 people with the COVID-19 disease, which is caused by the novel coronavirus.

In the Indianapolis area, 305 people have died among nearly 5,300 cases. 

Gov. Eric Holcomb's stay at home order expires on Friday. This week, the state began to allow elective medial procedures. It remains unclear which, if any, restrictions could be eased next week. Holcomb has said that any changes will be gradual and based on science and the data. Businesses, he said Wednesday, don't have to open "if you're not ready" when he gives the order to being reopening the economy.