Coronavirus updates: CDC now 'strongly recommends' masks on airplanes, buses

The goal is to "help safely reopen America’s economy," the CDC said.

ByMorgan Winsor, Ivan Pereira, and Marc Nathanson
Video byJessie DiMartino
Last Updated: October 21, 2020, 4:58 AM EDT

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1.1 million people worldwide.

Over 40 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 8.1 million diagnosed cases and at least 219,674 deaths.

California has the most cases of any U.S. state, with more than 875,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins data. California is followed by Texas and Florida, with over 854,000 cases and over 755,000 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 developed today. All times Eastern.
Oct 19, 2020, 6:08 AM EDT

Top Palestinian official taken to Israeli hospital for COVID-19

Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat, who is battling COVID-19, was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Israel on Sunday, according to the Palestinian Liberation Organization.

Erekat, who lives in the town of Jericho in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, disclosed earlier this month that he had contracted COVID-19. The 65-year-old has a history of health problems and received a lung transplant in the United States in 2017.

"Following his contraction of COVID-19, and due to the chronic health problems he faces in the respiratory system, Dr. Erekat's condition now requires medical attention in a hospital," the Palestinian Liberation Organization said in a statement Sunday.

Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat meets with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (not pictured) in Amman, Jordan, on Sept. 6, 2020.
Muhammad Hamed/Reuters

Erekat's brother told Agence France-Presse that "his situation is not good."

Erekat, who serves as the secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, is one of the most senior advisors to the Palestinian president. He is a longtime proponent of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, there have been more than 42,490 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with at least 381 deaths in the West Bank.

ABC News' Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.

Oct 19, 2020, 5:16 AM EDT

Nationwide mask mandate and other new restrictions take force in Switzerland

A nationwide mask-wearing mandate and other new restrictions took force in Switzerland on Monday, amid a growing number of COVID-19 infections.

People must now wear face masks in publicly accessible indoor spaces and at all public transport access points across the Central European country, including airports, bus and tram stops, railway stations, restaurants, shops and theaters. Masks have already been required on all public transport since July.

Moreover, spontaneous gatherings of more than 15 people in public areas are no longer permitted. Masks are now required for all private events with more than 15 people. People may only consume food and drink while sitting down, and the contact details of all those taking part must be recorded.

PHOTO: A man holds a placard reading in German "The Federal Council (Swiss government) has caused more suffering than it prevented," during a protest in front of the House of Parliament in Bern, Switzerland, on Oct. 18, 2020.
A man holds a placard reading in German "The Federal Council (Swiss government) has caused more suffering than it prevented," during a protest against the new coronavirus-related restrictions in front of the House of Parliament in Bern, Switzerland, on Oct. 18, 2020. The Swiss Federal Council announced on Oct. 18 new measures to curb further spread of the novel coronavirus, including a nationwide mask-wearing mandate for indoor public spaces.
Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

In addition, patrons in all restaurants and entertainment venues also may only consume food and drink while sitting.

The federal government is again recommending people to work from home, as it did in March.

The Swiss Federal Council announced the new measures on Sunday.

Switzerland has confirmed more than 74,000 cases of COVID-19 and at least 1,823 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the latest data from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health.

ABC News' Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.

Oct 19, 2020, 4:22 AM EDT

US reports more than 48,000 new cases

There were 48,210 new cases of COVID-19 identified in the United States on Sunday, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

The latest daily tally is down by nearly 10,000 from the previous day and also falls under the country’s record set on July 16, when there were 77,255 new cases in a 24-hour-reporting period.

An additional 389 coronavirus-related fatalities were also recorded Sunday, almost half the previous day's death toll and down from a peak of 2,666 new fatalities reported on April 17.

PHOTO: Cameron County early voting clerk Mary Helen Barrera puts on her personal protective equipment before heading out to the curbside voting area before the early voting polling location opens in Brownsville, Texas, on Oct. 15, 2020.
Cameron County early voting clerk Mary Helen Barrera puts on her personal protective equipment before heading out to the curbside voting area before the early voting polling location opens in Brownsville, Texas, on Oct. 15, 2020. Election workers have adopted recommended measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 at polling locations during early voting in the Lone Star State.
Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald via AP

A total of 8,154,935 people in the United States have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and at least 217,700 of them have died, according to Johns Hopkins. The cases include people from all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and other U.S. territories as well as repatriated citizens.

By May 20, all U.S. states had begun lifting stay-at-home orders and other restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The day-to-day increase in the country's cases then hovered around 20,000 for a couple of weeks before shooting back up and crossing 70,000 for the first time in mid-July. The daily tally of new cases has gradually come down since then but has started to climb again in recent weeks.

The number of new COVID-19 cases recorded in the United States continued to increase by double digits in week-over-week comparisons, while the number of new deaths from the disease ticked upward slightly, according to an internal memo from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that was obtained by ABC News on Friday night.

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