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The United States faces a wave of COVID-19 this summer as the most contagious delta variant spreads.
More than 618,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and more than 4.3 million people have died worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 58.8% of Americans aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Latest developments
Oregon demands masks indoors as cases hit record high
In Oregon, masks will be mandatory in indoor public places from Friday, Governor Kate Brown announced.
More than 2,300 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the state on Tuesday – the highest since the start of the pandemic, the governor said.
Hospitalizations in Oregon are also at an all time high, and intensive care units are about 90% full, Brown said.
Almost 73% of adults in Oregon are vaccinated, but the delta variant “changed everything,” Brown said on Twitter.
“I know Oregonians are tired of wearing masks. I sure am too. But every time someone wears a mask it’s one more unvaccinated child we are protecting. That mask could keep your best friend. or your loved one outside the hospital, ”she tweeted. .
California school staff must be vaccinated or undergo weekly tests, governor says
All California school staff must get vaccinated or tested every week, becoming the first state in the country to make it a warrant, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Wednesday.
© Allen J Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Shutterstock
Freshman Daniel Cano, 5, and his mother, Sonia Cano, listen to doctors talk about safety precautions / social distancing and COVID-19 handwashing protocols in an LA Unified at school Euclid Avenue Primary on July 26, 2021, in Los Angeles.
“It’s the right thing to do,” the governor said, adding that he believed it “would dramatically increase vaccination rates” statewide.
© Watchara Phomicinda / AP
California Governor Gavin Newsom spends time in a first-grade class at Juanita B. Jones Elementary School in San Bernardino, Calif., August 6, 2021.
Amtrak employees must get vaccinated or tested weekly
All Amtrak employees must be fully immunized by Nov. 1 or be tested weekly, Amtrak said in an internal memo.
United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Frontier Airlines have all made similar changes to their vaccination policies.
-Mina Kaji from ABC News
WHO announces trial to test 3 candidate drugs as potential treatments for COVID
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday announced Solidarity PLUS, a new trial involving thousands of researchers in 52 countries to test three drugs as potential treatments for COVID: artesunate, a treatment for severe malaria; imatinib, a medicine for certain cancers; and infliximab, a treatment for immune system disorders such as Crohn’s disease.
In October, the WHO published the results of the solidarity trial, which tested four drugs as potential treatments for COVID-19: remdesevir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir and interferon. The trial, which involved nearly 13,000 patients in 30 countries, showed that the four drugs had little or no effect on hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The final results of the Solidarity Trial are expected next month.
-Christine Théodorou from ABC News
CDC strengthens recommendation for vaccines during pregnancy
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday strengthened its recommendation for vaccines during pregnancy.
© Charles Krupa / AP, DOSSIER
A pregnant woman wearing a face mask and gloves holds her belly as she lines up in Waltham, Massachusetts on May 7, 2020.
The CDC’s update is based on new evidence that the vaccine officially poses no safety concerns for pregnant people vaccinated in late pregnancy, or their babies, and no increased risk of miscarriage. The CDC also found no increased risk of miscarriage in people who were vaccinated during the first trimester.
Pregnant people were not initially included in clinical studies for the vaccines, so the CDC couldn’t say for sure that the vaccines were safe and effective – although this has long been recommended by authorities. Last week, two of the leading national women’s health organizations, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), spoke out in favor of immunizing pregnant women.
According to CDC data, only 23% of pregnant women received a dose of a vaccine during pregnancy as of July 31.
-Cheyenne Haslett from ABC News
Hospitalizations at the highest for 6 months
The daily average of cases in the United States has jumped to more than 110,000, a jump of 25.5% last week, according to federal data.
© Mario Tama / Getty Images
Clinicians work to intubate a COVID-19 patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital on August 10, 2021, in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
The United States has reported more than 770,000 cases in the past week, marking the highest weekly total in months.
Every state in the country is now reporting high community transmission (a 100 seven-day new case rate) or substantial (a seven-day new case rate between 50 and 99.99), according to federal data.
Hospitalizations in the United States reached their highest level in six months. About 9,300 patients are admitted each day, the highest number of patients seeking care since April.
© Kathleen Flynn / Reuters
Medical staff treat a patient for COVID-19 at Ochsner Medical Center in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, August 10, 2021.
Per capita COVID-19-related pediatric admissions are also at their peak of the pandemic.
-Arielle Mitropoulos from ABC News
City of Philadelphia employees must get vaccinated or wear double masks
In Philadelphia, all city employees are required to be vaccinated or will be required to wear a double mask when working in confined spaces beginning September 1, Mayor Jim Kenney said.
The mayor also announced a new mask mandate on Wednesday that will take effect Thursday for indoor locations where vaccines are not required. The mandate also applies to outdoor events without seating for more than 1,000 people.
While the COVID-19 cases in Philadelphia are not as severe as in many other cities, Philadelphia Acting Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole said more than 100 COVID-19 patients are now in the cities. hospitals in the city, the highest number since early June.
Hurricane evacuations could be complicated by COVID: Biden
For Americans in hurricane-prone states, “an essential part of preparing for the hurricane season is getting vaccinated now,” President Joe Biden said Tuesday.
“If you have to evacuate, if you have to stay in a shelter, you don’t want to add COVID-19 to the list of dangers you’re going to face,” Biden warned in a briefing. with FEMA and Homeland Security officials. “Get vaccinated now so you’re prepared for anything that may happen this month. And it’s likely that severe hurricanes will happen this month.”
Florida and Louisiana, two of the most hurricane-prone states, lead the country in cases. Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas are also among the states with the highest number of cases.
© Kathleen Flynn / Reuters
Healthcare professionals put on PPE before entering a room where a patient is being treated for COVID-19 at Ochsner Medical Center in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana on August 10, 2021.
There is a 65% chance that the hurricane season in the Atlantic will be above normal this year.
-Sarah Kolinovsky of ABC News
TSA sees lowest number of checkpoints in nearly 2 months
As COVID-19 rises, the Transportation Security Administration screened 1,727,075 travelers across the United States on Tuesday – the lowest number since June 15.
© Hannah Beier / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Travelers line up during a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening at the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) in Philadelphia on August 6, 2021.
-Sam Sweeney of ABC News
Texas County to pursue state mask warrant ban
The largest county in Texas is on the verge of filing a lawsuit challenging the governor’s mask warrant ban.
Harris County Commissioner’s Court, which encompasses the city of Houston, has asked the county attorney to take legal action against Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order that bans local state governments from requiring masks ABC’s Houston KTRK station reported.
“First responders and school leaders speak out and stand up as Delta ravages our community. We support them, ”Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo wrote on Twitter. “Protecting the community in an emergency is a duty, not an option for government leaders. “
“It is the job of local authorities to protect our students, our vulnerable, our neighbors,” said Harris County District Attorney Christian D. Menefee. “Corn [Abbott] banned us from doing this during a pandemic. Tonight the commissioner tribunal authorized my office to take legal action against the governor’s excesses. Enough is enough.”
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