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Last Updated: September 28, 2020, 11:55 AM EDT

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 987,000 people worldwide.

Over 32.4 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The criteria for diagnosis -- through clinical means or a lab test -- has varied from country-to-country. Still, the actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks.

Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the virus has rapidly spread to every continent except Antarctica.

The United States is the worst-affected country, with more than 7 million diagnosed cases and at least 203,704 deaths.

California has the most cases of any U.S. state, with more than 803,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins data. California is followed by Texas and Florida, with over 751,000 cases and over 695,000 cases, respectively.

Nearly 190 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 are being tracked by the World Health Organization, at least nine of which are in crucial phase three trials.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern.
Sep 25, 2020, 11:18 AM EDT

Analysis shows cases rising in at least 32 US states

An ABC News analysis of COVID-19 trends across all 50 U.S. states as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico found there were increases in newly confirmed cases over the past two weeks in 32 states, the nation's capital and the U.S. island territory in the Caribbean.

The analysis also found increases in the daily positivity rate of COVID-19 tests in 21 states, increases in COVID-19 hospitalizations in 17 states and increases in daily COVID-19 death tolls in 9 states.

The trends were all analyzed from data collected and published by the COVID Tracking Project over the past two weeks, using the linear regression trend line of the seven-day moving average.

Three states -- Montana, South Dakota and Utah -- saw a record rise in daily number of new cases, while one state -- North Dakota -- hit a record number of new deaths in a single day. Two states -- South Dakota and Wisconsin -- reported a record number of current COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Over the past week, the seven-day average of new cases has continued to hover around 40,000 in the United States. Since Sept. 12, that average has increased by 16.3%.

ABC News' Benjamin Bell, Brian Hartman, Soorin Kim and Arielle Mitropolous contributed to this report.

Sep 25, 2020, 10:20 AM EDT

Virginia governor and wife test positive for COVID-19

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and his wife, Pamela, have both tested positive for COVID-19, according to a press release from his office.

The couple was notified Wednesday evening that a member of the governor's official residence staff, who works closely within their living quarters, had developed COVID-19 symptoms and subsequently tested positive for the disease. Both the governor and the first lady received nasal swab tests Thursday afternoon, and the results came back positive.

Northam has no symptoms while his wife is currently experiencing mild symptoms. They are both "in good spirits," according to the press release.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam during a press briefing in Richmond, Va., Sept. 15, 2020.
Bob Brown/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP, FILE

"As I’ve been reminding Virginians throughout this crisis, COVID-19 is very real and very contagious," the governor said in a statement Friday. "The safety and health of our staff and close contacts is of utmost importance to Pam and me, and we are working closely with the Department of Health to ensure that everyone is well taken care of. We are grateful for your thoughts and support, but the best thing you can do for us -- and most importantly, for your fellow Virginians -- is to take this seriously."

The couple will isolate for the next 10 days and evaluate their symptoms. Northam will continue fulfilling his duties as Virginia's governor from their official residence in Richmond, according to the press release.

Sep 25, 2020, 9:32 AM EDT

Renowned Indian singer dies after being on life support for 'severe COVID-19 pneumonia'

Renowned Indian singer SP Balasubrahmanyam died Friday, weeks after he had been hospitalized for COVID-19 symptoms. He was 74.

Balasubrahmanyam, an iconic playback singer of Indian cinema who reportedly held a Guinness World Record for his more than 40,000 songs, was admitted at MGM Healthcare in Chennai, southeastern India, on Aug. 5. He was placed on life support nine days later for "severe COVID-19 pneumonia," according to a statement from the hospital's assistant director of medical services, Dr. Anuradha Baskaran.

"In a further setback this morning, despite maximal life support measures and the best efforts of the clinical team, his condition deteriorated further and he suffered a cardio-respiratory arrest," Baskaran said. "We express our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, well-wishers and admirers at their loss during this time of anguish and sorrow."

PHOTO: In this file photo taken on March 24, 2011, Indian President Pradibha Singh Patil (left) presents an award to famed playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam during the the 2011 Padma Awards at the presidential house in New Delhi.
In this file photo taken on March 24, 2011, Indian President Pradibha Singh Patil (left) presents an award to famed playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam during the the 2011 Padma Awards at the presidential house in New Delhi. Balasubrahmanyam died on Sept. 25, 2020, weeks after being placed on life support for "severe COVID-19 pneumonia," according to a statement from the hospital that treated him. He was 74.
AFP via Getty Images

Sep 25, 2020, 7:30 AM EDT

Poland reports another record daily rise in cases

Poland reported a record rise in COVID-19 cases for the second straight day on Friday.

The Polish Ministry of Health confirmed another 1,587 new cases of the disease in the past 24 hours, the country's highest daily caseload since the start of the pandemic. An additional 23 coronavirus-related deaths were also reported in the past day.

Children wearing face masks listen to the school director's speech during the first day of a new academic year in Warsaw, Poland, on Sept. 1, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Kacper Pempel/Reuters

A majority of the newly confirmed infections were in the central part of the country.

In total, Polish Ministry of Health has identified 84,396 confirmed cases with 2,392 deaths.

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