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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A study led by Fairbanks School of Public Health at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) has determined that about 186,000 Hoosiers had been infected with COVID-19 by late April. 

The study's results are about 11 times greater than the approximately 17,000 positive cases identified at the time, said Nir Menachemi, chair of health policy and management at Fairbanks School of Public Health.

The study's 4,611 participants were meant to reflect Indiana's general population, Menachemi said. Researchers identified 1.7% of participants tested positive for COVID-19, and 1.1% of participants had antibodies that suggest they were previously infected.

"Only about one out of every 11 true infections were identified by tests that were focused on symptomatic or high-risk people," Menachemi said. "Having reliable estimates of the number of people who have been infected also allows us to calculate much sought after but otherwise unknown rates, like the infection fatality rates."

Based on the study's findings, Menachemi estimated Indiana's true COVID-19 fatality rate at 0.58%.

Of those who tested positive during the course of the study, 44.8% showed no symptoms, he said.

"This was already suspected by experts but never precisely determined until now," Menachemi said.

The state's COVID-19 cases hit 25,472 on Wednesday with 409 new cases identified. Fifteen additional deaths related to the respiratory illness were announced Wednesday, putting Indiana's death toll at 1,482.

Those who lived with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 were 12 times more likely to contract the disease, according to IUPUI's study.

This "suggests that our social distancing policies played a critical role in curbing the spread of the virus and containing it to within households as opposed to within the community," Menachemi said. 

"The good news is that, by slowing the spread of the virus, we now have bought some time to determine the best way forward," he added.

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