A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1.1 million people worldwide.
Over 42 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 8.4 million diagnosed cases and at least 223,730 deaths.
California has the most cases of any U.S. state, with more than 894,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins data. California is followed by Texas and Florida, with over 871,000 cases and over 771,000 cases, respectively.
Nearly 200 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 developed today. All times Eastern.
Oct 23, 2020, 9:34 AM EDT
Halloween still on at the White House, but with 'extra precautions'
The White House grounds will open to costumed trick-or-treaters on Sunday for the annual Halloween festivities, but with "extra precautions" in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement from the first lady's office.
All guests are required to wear a face covering and practice social distancing during their visit. All personnel working the event must wear a face covering, while any staff passing out candy will be required to wear gloves. Guest capacity will be limited, with extended event hours.
U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hand out candy for children at a Halloween celebration at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 28, 2019.
Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images
Social distancing measures will be in place, and hand sanitizer will be available throughout the event route. Each department will utilize a "no-touch approach" when distributing product in their area.
The statement said President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will "greet" trick-or-treaters as they pass by the South Portico of the White House. In previous years, the couple have handed out candy themselves.
Oct 23, 2020, 9:11 AM EDT
France hits new record of over 41,000 new cases in a day
France confirmed 41,622 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, its highest single-day count since the start of the pandemic.
The country's public health agency also registered an additional 165 fatalities from COVID-19 in 24 hours. The cumulative total now stands at 999,043 cases with 34,210 deaths.
France has the seventh-highest case count in the world, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.
Two people face the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, on Oct. 22, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images
More than 10,000 patients remain hospitalized for COVID-19 across France, including 1,627 in intensive care, according to the public health agency.
COVID-19 patients now take up more than 60% of all intensive care beds in hospitals across the greater Paris region of Ile-de-France, a spokesperson for the regional health agency told ABC News. That figure is up from 59.3% on Tuesday.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Thursday that a 9 p.m. curfew already in place in Paris and eight other major cities would be extended to cover 54 of the country's 94 administrative departments. Some 46 million residents will be under the curfew by Saturday night.
ABC News' Ibtissem Guenfoud contributed to this report.
Oct 23, 2020, 8:30 AM EDT
Russia reports over 17,000 new cases for 1st time
Russia confirmed 17,340 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, setting a new national record, according to the coronavirus response headquarters.
It's the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic that Russia's daily case count has surpassed 17,000. The country's previous record of 16,319 new cases was set on Tuesday.
An additional 283 deaths from COVID-19 were also registered in the last 24 hours, down from a peak of 317 on Wednesday, according to Russia's coronavirus response headquarters.
A medical specialist adjusts his face mask as he walks outside a hospital for patients infected with COVID-19 on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, on Oct. 23, 2020.
Maxim Shemetov/Reuters
Almost a third of the new cases -- 5,478 -- and nearly 21% of the deaths -- 61 -- were reported in the capital, Moscow, the epicenter of the country's outbreak and recent surge.
The cumulative totals now stand at 1,480,646 cases and 25,525 fatalities, according to Russia's coronavirus response headquarters.
The Eastern European country of 145 million people has the fourth-highest tally of COVID-19 cases in the world, behind only the United States, India and Brazil, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
ABC News' Alina Lobzina contributed to this report.
Oct 23, 2020, 7:32 AM EDT
A quarter of US hospitals have 80% of ICU beds full, HHS memo says
A quarter of hospitals across the United States have intensive care units that are more than 80% occupied, according to an internal memo from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that was obtained by ABC News on Thursday night.
That figure is up from the summertime peak, when 17-18% of U.S. hospitals had 80% of ICU beds full.
The memo, which is circulated among the highest levels of the federal government and is used to determine daily priorities for the agencies working on a COVID-19 response, said 41 U.S. states and territories are in an upward trajectory of new infections, while five jurisdictions are at a plateau and nine others are in a downward trend.
There were 417,899 new cases confirmed during the period of Oct. 15-21, a 14% increase from the previous week. There were also 5,413 fatalities from COVID-19 recorded during the same period, a 10.6% increase compared with the week prior, according to the memo.
Meanwhile, the national positivity rate for COVID-19 tests increased from 5.1% to 5.8% in week-to-week comparisons, the memo said.
A sign outside the Curb Event Center at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, tells visitors to wear face masks as preparations take place for the second presidential debate on Oct. 20, 2020.
Patrick Semansky/AP
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Alaska reached a four-month peak, with the state's daily average increasing to 8.5 hospitalizations per 100,000 people during the period of Oct. 12-18, compared to 5.9 per 100,000 the previous week. Adults in their 20s and 30s were said to be driving the state's outbreak, according to the memo.
Idaho's positivity rate for COVID-19 tests increased to 16.7% during the week ending Oct.14, more than triple the national rate of 5.4% for that time period. The state's ICU hospitalizations related to COVID-19 reached a record high of 61 patients on Oct. 15, the memo said.
Montana reported 393 new cases per 100,000 people in the last week, more than triple the national average of 117 per 100,000. The state has the third-highest rate of new infections in the country, according to the memo.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in New Mexico increased by 101% in the first half of October. The state reported a 51.9% jump in new cases and a 21.1% increase in new deaths in the week ending Oct. 18, compared to the prior week, the memo said.
Oklahoma saw a record high of 821 COVID-19 hospitalizations on Oct. 20, according to the memo.
Wearing a face mask to protect against COVID-19, volunteer Scot Wingo grabs bags of food to distribute with others during a North Texas Food Bank drive-thru event in Dallas, Texas, on Oct. 22, 2020.
LM Otero/AP
In Oregon, cases are at the highest point they have been since the start of the pandemic, the memo said.
South Dakota has the second-highest rate of new cases in the country and the fourth-highest test positivity rate. The test positivity rate is on the rise in 45 counties, suggesting it has not yet peaked. Out of all South Dakota counties, 82% have moderate or high levels of community transmission, with 71% having high levels of community transmission, according to the memo.
Tennessee reported 3,317 new cases on Oct. 19, its highest single-day increase to date. The previous record of 3,314 new cases was reported on July 13.
Texas's cumulative total of cases surpassed 800,000 on Oct. 13, becoming only the second state in the country to do so.
ABC News' Josh Margolin contributed to this report.
