Indiana is the only state in the region with no plans for when teachers will become widely eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, but the state's health commissioner says a specific group of special educators should get their shots now.

Marion County officials gave an update Thursday on COVID-19 numbers, public health orders and vaccination efforts.

Only 42 percent of Hoosiers have what is considered a good paying job according to a new report released Wednesday by the Brookings Institution.

Indiana announced Wednesday it would not be extending vaccine registration to the next age group -- 60 and older -- this week. But health officials outlined what the phase after that looks like.

Preliminary totals from the Indiana Department of Health show nearly 77,000 died in the state last year -- an increase of almost 11,000 from 2019.

The Indiana Department of Health reported 296 additional confirmed deaths over the last week, along with 1,507 historical deaths from a year-end audit. That brings the states total to 11,401 confirmed deaths.

Noble County is mostly rural and sits in the northeast corner of Indiana. When local officials looked for vaccination sites, they sought a place that was centrally located and accessible.

The source of infection is not yet known and zoo staff are working with the Allen County Department of Health and the State Board of Animal Health to identify potential sources, according to officials.

The package provides schools with a direct line to roughly four times the amount of money than the original CARES Act. Many plan to use the funding to address learning loss and other ongoing needs exacerbated by the pandemic.

Legislation approved by the Senate Monday would give more power to local city or county leaders to overturn the actions of local health officials.