Coronavirus updates: Johnson & Johnson pauses vaccine trial

The company is currently in Phase 3 of its trial.

ByMorgan Winsor, Erin Schumaker, and Ivan Pereira
Video byJessie DiMartino
Last Updated: October 13, 2020, 6:07 AM EDT

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1 million people worldwide.

Over 37.6 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 7.7 million diagnosed cases and at least 214,771 deaths.

California has the most cases of any U.S. state, with more than 855,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins data. California is followed by Texas and Florida, with over 818,000 cases and over 736,000 cases, respectively.

More than 190 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 are being tracked by the World Health Organization, at least 10 of which are in crucial phase three studies. Of those 10 potential vaccines in late-stage trials, there are currently five that will be available in the United States if approved.

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Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern.
Oct 12, 2020, 8:57 AM EDT

France is in a 'strong second wave,' prime minister warns

French Prime Minister Jean Castex warned Monday that tougher restrictions could be imposed as the country battles a "strong second wave" of COVID-19.

"The French thought it was over," Castex said during an interview on French news broadcaster France Info. "There can be no more relaxation."

At least nine major cities, including Paris and Marseille, have been placed under the maximum COVID-19 alert level as intensive care wards fill up again with patients. Castex said a "general lockdown" of the entire country "must be avoided by all means" but added that nothing should be ruled out, including local lockdowns.

A cafe owner brings drinks on a terrace in Lyon, France, on Oct. 9, 2020, after the city was placed on the maximum COVID-19 alert level amid rising cases.
Jeff Pachoud/AFP via Getty Images

Castex's warning comes as France hit a new record of daily COVID-19 cases over the weekend, with 26,896 confirmed in a 24-hour period.

France's public health agency confirmed 16,101 new cases and 46 deaths on Sunday. The cumulative totals now stand at 734,974 confirmed cases and 32,730 deaths, making France one of Europe's hardest-hit countries in the coronavirus pandemic.

ABC News' Ibtissem Guenfoud contributed to this report.

Oct 12, 2020, 7:29 AM EDT

UK prime minister to announce new measures for England amid rising infections

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce tighter restrictions for England under a new three-tier system of COVID-19 alert levels.

Areas of England will be placed into "medium," "high" and "very high" alert levels with restrictions of varying severity. It's unclear which areas will be covered by which alert levels and what the respective interventions are. Johnson is expected to provide details on the new measures when he addresses lawmakers at the House of Commons on Monday afternoon

PHOTO: A street sign advises members of the public to "maintain social distance" in Liverpool, northwest England, on Oct. 12, 2020.
A street sign advises members of the public to "maintain social distance" in Liverpool, northwest England, on Oct. 12, 2020, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce a new three-tier system of COVID-19 alert levels with restrictions of varying severity to help stem a second wave of infections.
Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images

The country's medical chiefs warned of a resurgence in COVID-19 during a press conference Monday morning, pointing to graphs that showed rising infections and hospitalizations in swathes of England as winter approaches.

Liverpool has one of the highest levels of COVID-19 infection in England, with more than 600 cases per 100,000 population. The area is expected to be placed under the most stringent level of restrictions.

Stephen Powis, medical director of the National Health Service in England, told reporters Monday that three temporary COVID-19 hospitals in Manchester, Sunderland and Harrogate have been asked to prepare to reopen and accept new patients if necessary.

Oct 12, 2020, 6:56 AM EDT

Russia registers over 13,000 new cases for 2nd straight day

Russia confirmed 13,592 new cases of COVID-19 and 125 deaths over the past 24 hours.

It's the second straight day that Russia has tallied over 13,000 new cases. The country's record of 13,634 new cases was set the previous day.

The national tally now stands at 1,312,310 confirmed cases with 22,727 deaths, according to Russia’s coronavirus response headquarters.

PHOTO: Police officers wearing face masks to protect against the novel coroanvirus walk past a photo of Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower (left) and St. Basil's Cathedral at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia, on Oct. 9, 2020.
Police officers wearing face masks to protect against the novel coroanvirus walk past a photo of Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower (left) and St. Basil's Cathedral at Sheremetyevo Alexander S. Pushkin International Airport, outside Moscow, Russia, on Oct. 9, 2020.
Pavel Golovkin/AP

More than 32% of the newly confirmed cases -- 4,395 -- and 27% of the newly reported deaths -- 34 -- were registered in Moscow, the epicenter of the country's COVID-19 outbreak. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said this week will be "largely decisive" in the fight against the city's outbreak.

Russian authorities have said there's no immediate plan to impose a second nationwide lockdown, even as the country's outbreak grows after most coronavirus-related restrictions were lifted over the summer.

Officials in Moscow, however, have recommended that the elderly self-isolate at home and also encouraged businesses to have at least one-third of their employees work from home. School holidays in the capital this month were extended from one to two weeks.

ABC News' Alina Lobzina contributed to this report.

Oct 12, 2020, 6:16 AM EDT

India becomes 2nd country in the world to surpass 7 million cases

India confirmed another 66,732 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, driving the country's tally to more than 7.1 million.

An additional 816 coronavirus-related fatalities were also recorded. The country's cumulative totals now stand at 7,120,538 confirmed cases and 109,150 deaths, according to the latest data from the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

A health worker wearing personal protective equipment waits to collect swab samples from residents during a COVID-19 screening at a civic clinic in Dharavi slums in Mumbai, India, on Oct. 12, 2020.
Indranil Mukherjee/AFP via Getty Images

India is only the second country in the world to surpass 7 million total cases, after the United States. The spread of the virus in India appears to have slowed down since mid-September, when the country registered a record 97,894 new cases in a single day. So far this month, India is averaging more than 70,000 cases per day.

India is still on track to become the pandemic's worst-hit nation within weeks, overtaking the United States, where more than 7.7 million people have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

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