INDIANAPOLIS — The percentage of people 60+ dying from COVID-19 in Indiana is increasing, while the rates are unchanged for younger Hoosiers.
As of Friday, 18,630 Hoosiers had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 1,062 had died from COVID-19, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
Using state demographic data, 35% of known cases are for people 60-plus, accounting for 6,521 cases. The other 12,109 cases are for people younger than 60.
When it comes to deaths, however, people 60-plus account for the vast majority of deaths at 965, 90.9%. For people younger than 60, the state has recorded 97 deaths, 9.1%.
Based on those numbers, the mortality rate for the 60-plus age bracket continues to be multiples higher.
So far, of known COVID-19 patients, 14.8% of Hoosiers 60-plus have died, compared to 0.8% of younger people.
That mortality rate for older Hoosiers is increasing. Back on April 20, the last time KPC Media Group calculated these figures, the 60-plus death ratio was 11.9%.
The death rate for younger Hoosiers is unchanged since the last check, remaining at 0.8%.
Outbreaks in nursing homes have been a major problem for Indiana recently as health officials try to cut off transmission of the virus among those high-risk patients living in close quarters.
To date, 1,467 cases of COVID-19 have been attributed to long-term care facilities, accounting for about 7.9% overall.
Long-term care facilities have also logged 260 deaths in total. That's 24.5% of the total.
Assuming that all long-term care facility deaths were of people over 60 years old, the 260 deaths would account for 26.9% of the 60-plus deaths so far in the state, showing that still about three-quarters of deaths are from people living outside nursing homes.
As Indiana moved toward reopening its economy and allowing more people back to work and into public spaces, state officials have warned that older people and other people with conditions that make them more susceptible to COVID-19 may need to take more precautions than the rest of the populace.
"That high-risk population, those people we know over the age of 60 and have multiple co-morbidities … are people we may want to continue to have work from home or do more extreme social distancing," Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box said in a recent state press conference.
On Friday, as Gov. Eric Holcomb outlined his five-step "Back on Track Indiana" plan to incrementally reopen the state, he made special note that older Hoosiers will need to take more precautions.
Even as the rest of the state moves into a reopening starting Monday, older Hoosiers should not consider it a green-light.
"Hoosiers 65 and over and those with high-risk health conditions who are most susceptible should remain at home as much as possible in Stage 2," Holcomb said.
While younger people are at less risk of developing serious symptoms or dying of COVID-19, health officials still advise those people to practice good hygiene, social distancing and other measures that can help reduce transmission if they do pick it up.
Because the virus is highly communicable, even if a person doesn't develop serious symptoms or any symptoms at all, they can pass the virus to someone who is more likely to have major complications or die.
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