Indiana Coronavirus Deaths Rising, Lake County Second-Worst In State For COVID-19

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A total of 31 Hoosiers across three counties in Northwest Indiana have now died of COVID-19, according to data from state health officials. Lake County, the second-worst for cases and deaths in the state, reports 26 deaths out of 796 people infected with the novel coronavirus.

In Porter County, three people have died out of 120 cases. In LaPorte, three are dead out of 34 cases. Indianapolis is by far the area with the worst outbreak, with 123 deaths and 3,012 positive COVID-19 patients. Lake County stands alone as the second-worst, with over 300 more cases than No. 3 Hamilton County. Statewide, a total of 350 Hoosiers have died in the past month. State officials say in a typical six- or seven-month flu season, about 150 people die of complications from influenza.

For the most severe cases of COVID-19, the state has 44 percent of intensive care unit beds available and 73 percent of its ventilators available.  COVID-19 has hit the African American community hard in Indiana, with 18 percent of the cases inflicting blacks.  African Americans make up only 10 percent of the state's population.