Indiana coronavirus: IN reports 1,429 new COVID-19 cases, 13 deaths

INDIANAPOLIS (WLS) -- Indiana reported 1,429 new COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths Saturday.

The Indiana State Department of Health confirmed a total of 124,059 positive coronavirus cases in the state, including 3,442 deaths.

In the last 24 hours, officials have conducted 26,111 tests, with a seven-day positivity rate of 4.4%.

Indiana schools are slowly making a dent in more than $200 million of federal aid meant to help local districts manage financial hardships spurred by the coronavirus.

Since May, nearly $22 million of Indiana's share of federal CARES Act aid has been issued to school districts around the state, according to the Indiana Department of Education. State officials say millions more are expected to be given out in the coming months.

The financial help is intended to buy remote learning technology, equipment for sanitizing school buildings, protective equipment, staff training and emotional support for students.

RELATED: Crown Point looks to install facial recognition cameras to help in COVID-19 contact tracing

State Superintendent Jennifer McCormick cautions the federal aid isn't as much as it seems, adding that no one is going to "get rich" with the extra money.

High school football returns to Hammond on Saturday. City of Hammond school district voted to reinstate in early August, after originally voting to cancel the season because of pandemic.

Indiana's health commissioner is encouraging more Hoosiers to get tested for the coronavirus, saying that the state's COVID-19 testing capacity is now "greater than it's ever been."

Health commissioner Dr. Kristina Box says Indiana has more than 250 testing locations, but some sites have seen a drop in the number of people coming to get tested.

Box said Wednesday at Gov. Eric Holcomb's weekly coronavirus briefing that "all the testing availability in the world doesn't do any good if people aren't willing to get tested."

The Indianapolis Business Journal reports that more than 2 million tests have been conducted in Indiana on 1.37 million individuals.

RELATED: Here's where to find coronavirus testing in Northwest Indiana

A northwestern Indiana city wants to install a facial recognition video network camera system downtown that it hopes will help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports Friday that Crown Point media director Adam Graper said the analytical cameras are detailed and can identify when people aren't social distancing through a heat map, which shows the concentration of individuals, as well as help coronavirus contact tracing efforts.

Crown Point is waiting on proposals for the project. Graper said during a Board of Works meeting that the city has reevaluated how it uses technology to interact with the community.

Fifth-ranked Notre Dame is embracing an "all in" mentality for the rest of its coronavirus-interrupted Atlantic Coast Conference season.

Coach Brian Kelly needs only to point to sophomore linebacker Jack Kiser as the perfect example of a player being ready if his number is called.

Kiser, who was awarded the game ball for his play in a 52-0 victory over South Florida, and his teammates returned to practice Wednesday, eight days after an outbreak that forced postponement of last Saturday's ACC game at Wake Forest.

Note: The video in the player above is from a previous report.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.