COVID-19 updates: 345 children currently hospitalized with coronavirus in Texas

That number was up from 282 on Thursday.

The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.

More than 643,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.5 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 61.7% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sep 04, 2021, 6:58 PM EDT

3 Florida school districts challenge health department rule over masks

Three Florida school districts have filed a legal challenge against the state health department, seeking to invalidate an emergency rule that allows parents to opt out of mask mandates.

The petition, filed Friday, argues that the emergency rule -- issued after Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the health department to protect parents' choice when it comes to masking their children -- exceeds its authority and is invalid.

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, left, speaks with a student at the New River Middle School, Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Lynne Sladky/AP

The school districts in Alachua, Broward and Orange counties, which all require students and staff to wear masks, requested that an administrative judge hear the case.

Florida's education commissioner has withheld the salaries of school board members in Alachua and Broward counties over their mask mandates -- and has threatened similar action in Orange County.

Last week, a Tallahassee judge ruled in favor of a group of parents who sued the state over its ban on mask mandates. That ruling is being appealed.

-ABC News' Will McDuffie

Sep 04, 2021, 2:08 PM EDT

TSA sees Labor Day weekend travel uptick

Over 2.1 million people were screened at U.S. airport security check points Friday -- the highest checkpoint volume since Aug. 15, Transportation Security Administration spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said. 

Americans have flocked to airports to travel for the Labor Day weekend despite the threat of the delta variant and surging COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. 

The U.S.’ daily case average remains around 153,000 cases a day, up by approximately 964% in the last two months. 

PHOTO: Travelers make their way through the Miami International Airport before starting the Labor Day weekend in Miami, Sept. 03, 2021.
Travelers make their way through the Miami International Airport before starting the Labor Day weekend in Miami, Sept. 3, 2021.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Overnight Friday, the U.S. recorded its second single-highest day of COVID cases this week with more than 170,000 new cases reported.

Every state in the country is currently experiencing high community transmission. The South still leads the country with the highest case rates. Tennessee, and South Carolina currently have the country's highest case rate, followed by Mississippi, Florida, Georgia and Wyoming, all with case rates above 600 per 100,000 people.

-ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway and Arielle Mitropoulos

Sep 04, 2021, 1:37 PM EDT

COVID-19 restrictions in place for Philadelphia’s Made In America Festival

This year’s Made In America festival over Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia will go on with COVID-19 restrictions.

Despite surging delta variant cases and flooding from the Schuylkill River that inundated the Ben Franklin Parkway with water, the festival will continue, officials said. 

Fans walk in front of City Hall as they arrive at the Made In America festival in Philadelphia, Sept. 4, 2021.
Lisa Lake/Getty Images

"I think it's good for the city to have this kind of event, so we can celebrate a little bit even in the midst of potential tragedy. Jay-Z, Beyonce, the Biebs (Justin Bieber) is coming," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said Friday. “It'll be fun for a change...be nice to have some fun, wouldn't it?"

Roc Nation, which is producing the two-day festival, said all attendees will need to wear masks. Attendees will also have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test or printed proof of full COVID-19 vaccination to get in. 

"The negative COVID-19 test result must be obtained within 48 hours of attending the Made In America festival," said Roc Nation on the festival’s website. 

Philadelphia officials also updated the city’s mask mandate in August to require masks at all non-seated outdoor events with over 1,000 attendees.

Sep 04, 2021, 12:37 PM EDT

Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.’s wife Jacqueline released from hospital after COVID-19 treatment

Jacqueline L. Jackson, the wife of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr, has been released from the hospital after receiving treatment for COVID-19, her family said Friday. 

"Our mother is leaving the Northwestern Memorial Hospital and coming home," the family said in a statement. "Our family is grateful to God and the medical team that treated her and that is allowing her body to continue to heal from the COVID-19 virus."

Jacqueline Brown, wife of Jesse Jackson, attends the Phoenix Dinner for the 48th Annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in Washington, Sept. 15, 2018.
Earl Gibson Iii/Getty Images, FILE

She had been in the ICU after testing positive for the virus. Jacqueline, 77, was not vaccinated. 

Her husband Rev. Jesse Jackson, 79, remains at The Shirley Ryan Ability Lab where he’s receiving intensive occupational and physical therapy. He has Parkinson's disease and was vaccinated, ABC Chicago station WLS reported.

"We urge all who have not yet been vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus to do so immediately,” the family said in a statement. 

The family had announced the couple was hospitalized with COVID-19 on Aug. 21.

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