The 2,880 new infections reported by the Indiana State Department of Health topped the 2,521 new infections the agency reported Saturday that had been Indiana's daily high of newly reported cases.

Indiana's average number of new COVID-19 cases has more than doubled since Gov. Eric Holcomb moved the state to Stage 5 four weeks ago and withdrew almost all restrictions.

Indiana is one of several states seeing a new wave of COVID-19 cases with some counties getting hit harder than others, and the rising numbers are creating additional challenges for schools struggling to stay open.

Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Wednesday the state will devote significant resources to nursing homes across Indiana in the next few weeks.

Forty of Indiana's 92 counties were placed in orange or red levels under the agencys color-coded weekly tracking map update, while 22 counties were at those levels last week.

Fountain County Clerk Paula Copenhaver said she will "not be part of the government overreach" and contends social distancing and hand sanitizer are enough.

State health officials on Tuesday added 48 coronavirus-related deaths to Indiana's toll, which has growing faster over the past month along with new COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.

The Indiana State Department of Health released its interim draft on Tuesday and -- similar to other states -- will follow a phased approach. The department says the first recipients of a COVID-19 vaccine will be healthcare workers.

Despite the encouraging sign, the labor force -- defined as the number of people working, or looking for work -- shrunk significantly.

Now that summer is over and temperatures are dipping across the Midwest, people are headed indoors, some experts fear the already striking rise in cases is the beginning of another wave of COVID-19.