A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1.1 million people worldwide.
Over 40.7 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 8.2 million diagnosed cases and at least 220,955 deaths.
California has the most cases of any U.S. state, with more than 883,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins data. California is followed by Texas and Florida, with over 862,000 cases and over 760,000 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.
Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern.
Oct 20, 2020, 4:29 PM EDT
Belgium sees 88% jump in deaths
Belgium has seen a 69% increase in COVID-19 cases and an 88% jump in fatalities in the last week, according to the Health Ministry.
The nation has reported a total of 10,443 fatalities, including 221 deaths in the last week. With a population of around 11 million, Belgium has one of the highest per capita fatality rates in the world.
An Covid-19 informational poster is posted at the CHR Centre Hospitalier Regional de la Citadelle hospital, in Liege, Belgium Oct. 20, 2020.
Yves Herman/Reuters
Belgium's test-positivity rate stands at 15%.
ABC News' Aicha El Hammar and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.
Oct 20, 2020, 4:01 PM EDT
COVID-19 patients in hospitals 5 times more likely to die than those hospitalized with flu, CDC says
Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are five times more likely to die compared to patients hospitalized with the flu, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study. They were also more likely to need more time in the hospital to recuperate, and to develop medical complications like blood clots.
Among patients with COVID-19, the risk for certain complications, including respiratory and kidney problems, was higher for Black and Hispanic patients compared to white patients.
The study, however, was only among hospitals from within the Veterans Health Administration, so it may not be directly applicable across other hospital settings.
ABC News' Sony Salzman contributed to this report.
Oct 20, 2020, 2:56 PM EDT
Ohio reports record high number of new hospitalizations
Ohio reported 216 new hospitalizations in the last 24 hours -- a record high for the state, Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday.
Ohio now has a total of 17,388 patients with COVID-19 in hospitals, according to state data.
"In the past day, 2,015 new cases have been reported in Ohio, and our numbers continue to rise at a rate that should concern all of us," the governor tweeted.
Sophomore Andrew Robinson takes a Covid-19 test on campus in Kent State in Ohio, Oct. 2, 2020.
Lisa Scalfaro/Record-Courier via USA Today Network
Ohio has over 185,000 people diagnosed with COVID-19. At least 5,083 have died.
Oct 20, 2020, 2:42 PM EDT
Cuomo discourages New Yorkers from unnecessary travel to NJ, PA, CT
In New York, where the statewide positivity rate is 1.3%, neighboring states Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania now meet the criteria for New York's growing list of states on its travel advisory, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday.
Because "there is no practical way to quarantine New York from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut," the states won't be added to the list, Cuomo said in a statement. However, the governor said he's discouraging nonessential travel between the states.
A person walks past an "Emergency Entrance" sign at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, which has treated hundreds of COVID-19 patients since March, on Sept. 22, 2020.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images, FILE
People wearing face masks are seen at Grand Central Terminal in New York, the United States, on Oct. 16, 2020.
Chiune Nouvelle/Sipa via Shutterstock
New York's travel advisory requires people coming to the Empire State to quarantine for two weeks if they're arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a one-week average or an area with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a one-week rolling average.
These are the states and territories currently on New York's list: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.
ABC News' J. Gabriel Ware contributed to this report.
