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Coronavirus updates: Trump says 'not much' he'd change about COVID response

Thirty-one states are considered in the red zone for new cases in the last week.

ByMorgan Winsor, Emily Shapiro, and Ivan Pereira
Video byJessie DiMartino
Last Updated: October 21, 2020, 8:09 AM EDT

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.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern.
Oct 20, 2020, 6:33 PM EDT

Harvard Law School to continue online-only in spring

Harvard Law School alerted its students Tuesday that classes will remain online-only for the spring 2021 semester.

Dean John Manning cited rising COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and around the world as one of the reasons it won't be bringing its students back to campus.

"Cases have recently been on the rise in Massachusetts, as more communities in and around Boston and the eastern half of the Commonwealth have been deemed high risk," Manning said in the letter.

The dean said the school is working on accommodations for students, including "new courses in time-zone friendly teaching blocks" and "new on-campus housing options" for certain students.

"While we recognize that the public health situation may change between now and the new year, and we of course very much hope that scientific developments will allow greater in-person activity very soon, we also recognize that students, staff, and faculty must have sufficient time to make appropriate plans for the remainder of the school year," he wrote.

ABC News' Lauren Lantry contributed to this report.

Oct 20, 2020, 6:07 PM EDT

New Orleans Saints announce plan to bring back fans

The New Orleans Saints and Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced Tuesday a phased plan to bring fans back to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which has a maximum capacity of 74,295 seats.

Season ticket holders will have access to 3,000 seats for this weekend's game against the Carolina Panthers.

If health data in the city shows no major increases in cases, the team will allow 6,000 fans for the Nov. 15 game against the San Francisco 49ers and the Nov. 22 game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Seating capacity would then increase to 15,000 for the Dec. 20 game against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Christmas Day game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Fans are "encouraged" to wear face masks, according to a statement from the team.

New Orleans has had 13,271 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 589 related deaths, according to the city's health department.

The city's seven-day average for new cases has remained relatively steady in October at around 36, according to the Health Department. About 64.5% of the city's hospitals are in use, the health department said.

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.

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