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.

ByMorgan Winsor, Erin Schumaker, Ivan Pereira, Emily Shapiro, Meredith Deliso, and Rosa Sanchez
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 13, 2020, 1:53 AM EST

US surpasses 16 million coronavirus cases

At least 16,062,299 Americans have been diagnosed with coronavirus, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. 

There are currently over 108,000 Americans hospitalized with COVID-19 nationwide and current hospitalizations have increased by nearly 10% since the beginning of the month.

The U.S. is now averaging nearly 2,400 new coronavirus related deaths a day -- 2,379 to be exact -- which surpasses the country's previous peak in April.

This week alone, 16,653 COVID-19 related deaths were recorded which is nearly 100 American deaths reported every hour.

Additionally, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University, Friday marked the U.S. highest single-day new case total, with 231,775 new cases.

ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.

Dec 12, 2020, 8:01 PM EST

6 states report over 10,000 new cases

As COVID-19 continues to surge across the U.S., six states reported over 10,000 new cases on Saturday, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

They were California, Florida, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. 

Another seven states reported over 5,000 new cases: Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Tennessee.

In total, according to the tracker, there were 223,365 new U.S. cases reported on Saturday, 2,477 deaths and a record 108,487 people currently hospitalized.

Dec 12, 2020, 4:05 PM EST

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices votes to recommend Pfizer vaccine

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, an independent group of medical experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a virtual meeting on Saturday voted 11-0 recommending the Pfizer vaccine for Americans 16 years and older.

Three committee members recused themselves because they had a conflict of interest. 

This recommendation now heads to CDC Director Robert Redfield, who must sign off before doses can be administered.

Healthcare workers take part in a rehearsal for the administration of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis, Dec. 11, 2020.
Bryan Woolston/Reuters

A shipment of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines is unloaded from a United Airlines cargo-only flight from Brussels to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Dec. 2, 2020.
United Airlines via Reuters

 

ABC News’ Lauren Lantry contributed to this report.

Dec 12, 2020, 3:59 PM EST

Country music legend Charley Pride dies from virus

Country music legend Charley Pride died of COVID-19 complications on Saturday.

Last month, the 86-year-old performed at the CMA Awards, where he accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Charley Pride performs onstage during the The 54th Annual CMA Awards at Nashville, Nov. 11, 2020.
Getty Images, FILE

Pride was the first Black member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

“Between 1967 and 1987, Pride delivered 52 Top 10 country hits, won Grammy awards, and became RCA Records’ top-selling country artist,” said the statement announcing his death. “His musicality opened minds and superseded prejudice.“

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