Indiana has added 1,000 new confirmed COVID-19 deaths to its total in a little more than three weeks, pushing the state past another grim milestone: 18,000 dead. The state also reported its most recent 100,000 new cases.

Gov. Eric Holcomb has already laid out the technical side to ending the public health emergency. There are only three legislative changes he needs lawmakers to make to ensure Indiana won’t lose hundreds of millions in federal funding tied to the pandemic.

Families with loved ones in facilities for the developmentally disabled are especially eager to spend the holidays together. But as the pandemic continues, they face new uncertainty and continuing lockdowns even as the rest of the country tries to get back to normal.

Universities across Indiana held ceremonies celebrating winter graduates this month, and some from Vincennes University reflected on their experiences after they crossed the stage ahead of the end of year holidays.

Is Indiana ready for omicron? One epidemiologist said the public health system is ready for the latest COVID-19 variant – but still needs Hoosiers’ help by getting vaccinated.

IU Health’s 16 hospitals across the state are at 120 percent capacity, with more than 2,000 patients. The U.S. Navy has been called in to help at IU Methodist in Indianapolis.

The struggle to find workers may have reached all the way to the North Pole as shopping mall Santas say they’re seeing increased demand this year as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is keeping some of Santa’s helpers on the labor market sidelines.

Gov. Eric Holcomb is encouraging Hoosiers to get vaccinated amid reports COVID-19’s highly contagious omicron variant has been detected in Indiana.

Over the weekend, health officials in Indiana confirmed the first case of the omicron variant in the state. The arrival of the highly infectious variant – now identified in at least 45 states – comes when hospitals across Indiana are already facing critical shortages.

Epidemiologists are preaching caution ahead of end-of-year winter holidays. This comes as the state reports high COVID-19 transmission, overwhelmed hospitals and its first case of omicron.