Half of Indiana’s counties are now in the highest-risk level of COVID-19 spread as the latest infection surge across the state has pushed hospitalizations from the illness up 25% in the past week.

The Indiana Department of Health has launched a new resource for Hoosiers with questions about COVID-19 treatments. The hotline will help connect people to monoclonal antibody treatment centers.

The Indiana Department of Health has announced boosters are available for all Hoosiers 18 and older regardless of occupation, age or underlying health condition.

Indiana is considering lowering its threshold for when public health agencies address elevated blood lead levels in children — based on a nearly decade-old recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency recently changed that threshold again — and it’s unclear if the state will follow suit.

Indiana Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver said the state has already been preparing to get children under 12 vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Indiana Department of Health said it will update the dashboards at www.coronavirus.in.gov and www.ourshot.in.gov daily by 5 p.m.

Nearly all Indiana counties remain in the higher risk categories for COVID-19 spread on the state Health Department’s risk ratings.

As of Friday, 83 mosquito pools positive for West Nile virus were detected in Allen, Clark, Daviess, Elkhart, Floyd, Gibson, Hamilton, Jennings, Lake, Marion, Martin, Pike, Scott, Steuben, St. Joseph, Vanderburgh and Vigo counties.

The weekly roundup of COVID-19 news: Indiana’s COVID-19 cases dip slightly following Labor Day weekend. Gov. Eric Holcomb says the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate is a "bridge too far." And the Indiana Department of Health hires a company to help expand testing as demand continues to rise.

The state's contract with Kentucky-based Gravity Diagnostics will run through June of next year, with an option to extend it further if needed.