Coronavirus updates: 1st vaccines now on the way to all 50 US states

Two main trucks left the Pfizer facility on Sunday morning, the company said.

Last Updated: December 14, 2020, 3:35 PM EST

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 71.5 million people and killed over 1.6 million worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news developed this week. All times Eastern.
Dec 11, 2020, 12:30 PM EST

New York City ending indoor dining

Indoor dining will end Monday in New York City to help stem the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced.

Individual "Yurt's" are used for dining as restaurants look for creative ways to safely serve customers in Manhattan on Dec. 9, 2020 in New York City.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Outdoor dining and takeout will continue.

Indoor dining accounted for 1.43% of recent spread, said Cuomo, adding that a 74% spike in infections is linked to indoor gatherings at private homes.

Indoor dining capacity could be reduced elsewhere in New York depending on the numbers, the governor said.

A sign outside of a bar looks to draw customers in Manhattan on Dec. 9, 2020 in New York City.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Before the governor's announcement, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he felt "tremendous empathy for restaurant owners."

“I feel for them," the mayor added, "but sometimes it’s smart to say, 'Look, if you take an action now, you can stop much worse things from happening later.'"

ABC News’ Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.

Dec 11, 2020, 10:56 AM EST

Snow leopard at Louisville Zoo has virus

A snow leopard at the Louisville Zoo in Kentucky has SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories.

A Snow Leopard from the Louisville Zoo is seen here in an undated file photo.
Courtesy Louisville Zoo

Testing is ongoing for two other snow leopards.

“Samples from three snow leopards were taken after they showed signs of respiratory illness,” the Department of Agriculture said. “It is suspected that they acquired the infection from an asymptomatic staff member, despite precautions taken by the zoo.”

All three animals are expected to fully recover.  

This is the first snow leopard in the U.S. to test positive for SARS-CoV-2, though there have been confirmed cases in other big cats in zoos and conservations centers.

ABC News’ Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.

Dec 11, 2020, 7:35 AM EST

HHS secretary says Pfizer vaccine will be approved, vaccinations could start next week

HHS Secretary Alex Azar told "Good Morning America" that vaccinations could come Monday or Tuesday.

A man wears a mask as he visits Times Square in New York, Dec. 10, 2020.
Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

He said the Pfizer vaccine will be approved, they are just working out the details and finalizing the fact sheet on allergy warnings.

"We weren't counting on it in terms of getting to the projections that you and I have talked about about having enough vaccine for the second quarter," he said. "The Sanofi vaccine could be an important additional technology for later rounds of vaccination as one goes forward later in 2021."

Azar also said the Food and Drug Administration will proceed with the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

He said 20 million Americans will be vaccinated this month, up to 50 million total in January and the U.S. believes "we could have 100 million vaccinations in arm by the end of February."

Dec 10, 2020, 9:35 PM EST

Mayor: In LA, 'someone is dying of COVID-19 every 20 minutes'

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti shared "astounding" COVID-19 figures in a press briefing Thursday.

"In Los Angeles, someone is dying of COVID-19 every 20 minutes," the mayor said, as he reported that there were 74 new deaths from the virus in the county.

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti speaks at a press conference flanked by LA Fire Department Chief Ralph Terrazas at a coronavirus COVID-19 testing site at Lincoln Park, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020, in Los Angeles.
Kirby Lee/AP, FILE

Los Angeles County reported a record 12,819 new COVID-19 cases, surpassing Sunday's record of 10,528. Cases have increased 1,000% in the past month-and-a-half, the mayor said.

Intensive care unit bed capacity has also dropped to 7.7%, he said.

"Today's COVID-19 data from LA County is the most devastating since the start of this pandemic," Garcetti said.

The mayor said there is a "light at the end of the tunnel." LA County could begin distributing vaccines early next week if one is authorized soon, he said.

The county could receive up to 83,000 doses in the next couple of days, and as many as 500,000 doses by the end of December, he said.

"I urge all Angelinos to get vaccinated as soon as they qualify," Garcetti said. "The end of this pandemic is finally, finally in sight."

-ABC News' Michelle Mendez contributed to this report.

Related Topics