By The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s coronavirus-related hospitalizations continued their recent decline over the weekend, pointing to possible improvement even as the state’s daily rate of COVID-19 deaths has gone up slightly to a new high.

Indiana’s coronavirus hospitalizations and new confirmed infections have slowed in recent weeks following steep increases that began in September and raised worries among health officials about hospitals becoming overwhelmed.

The Indiana Department of Health’s daily update on Monday added 34 deaths involving confirmed or presumed COVID-19 infections to the state’s toll. Newly recorded deaths from recent days have increased the state’s seven-day rolling average of COVID-19 deaths to 79 per day after that average was in the low 40s in mid-November and below 10 a day during July.

Indiana hospitals had 2,967 coronavirus patients as of Sunday. The state’s hospitalizations fell below the 3,000 patients mark on Friday for the first time since Nov. 16. The COVID-19 hospitalizations have declined about 15% since peaking Nov. 30 but remain nearly four times higher than in September.

The newly recorded deaths raised Indiana’s toll to 7,404, including victims with both confirmed and presumed infections. With 89 coronavirus deaths, Dec. 11 has become the state’s deadliest single day.