COVID-19 Deaths In Northwest Indiana Climb To 128, With Nearly 2,900 Cases

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The number of COVID-19 deaths in a three-county region of Northwest Indiana now stands at 128, with a total of 2,885 people infected with the novel coronavirus, state health officials reported on Thursday.

Lake County accounts for 111 of those deaths and 2,288 COVID-19 cases.  In Porter County, it's 294 cases and seven deaths; LaPorte reports 303 cases and 10 deaths. Lake County has the worst outbreak of COVID-19 cases outside of the Indianpolis area. Across Marion County (Indianapolis), the numbers are 6,914 cases and 398 deaths.  Statewide, every county reports cases of COVID-19,  and a total of 22,503 Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 1,295 have died.  That fatality figure does not include another 119 people who are likely to have suffered from COVID-19 but were not tested.

Indiana began reopening its non essential businesses and retail shops this week, with the exception of Lake County, Marion County and Cass County--which all have high levels of infection. Lake County is scheduled to join the rest of the state with the next stage of the reopening plan next week.

Here are details of Indiana's plan:

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The state still has an ample supply of ventilators for the most severe COVID-19 patients--with 80 percent of its inventory available.  The percentage of available ICU beds statewide is 42 percent.