Coronavirus updates: US reports nearly 300,000 new cases in all-time high

A staggering 299,087 new cases were confirmed over the past 24 hours.

Last Updated: January 4, 2021, 4:07 AM EST

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 84.6 million people worldwide and killed over 1.8 million of them, 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 30, 2020, 11:48 AM EST

Floridians wait in line overnight for vaccine

Some Floridians took chairs and blankets to wait in line in Fort Myers overnight for a chance to get the vaccine.

Vaccinations are being offered to high-risk front-line health care workers and people 65 and over, the Fort Myers News-Press reported.

PHOTO: Tom and Judy Barrett from Marco Island wait in line in the early morning hours of  Dec. 30, 2020, at Lakes Park Regional Library in Fort Myers, Fla., to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Tom and Judy Barrett from Marco Island wait in line in the early morning hours of Dec. 30, 2020, at Lakes Park Regional Library in Fort Myers, Fla., to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. They told "The News Press" that they had been waiting in line since 8:30 P.M. on Tuesday and it had been a cold and unpleasant night.
Andrew West/News-Press via USA Today Network

People wait in line in the early morning hours of Dec. 30, 2020, at Lakes Park Regional Library in Fort Myers, Fla., to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Andrew West/The News Press-USA TODAY NETWORK

Dec 30, 2020, 8:50 AM EST

Sunday predicted to be busiest travel day of pandemic

On Tuesday, 1,019,347 million people traveled through U.S. airports, according to the TSA.

Experts predict that this Sunday will be the busiest travel day of the pandemic.

Travelers wearing protective face masks wait to check their bags at Miami International Airport, Dec. 28, 2020, in Miami.
David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP

ABC News’ Sam Sweeney contributed to this report.

Dec 30, 2020, 6:35 AM EST

Tuesday was deadliest day in US during pandemic

The United States reported 3,725 deaths on Tuesday, breaking the previous single-day total of 3,656 set on Dec. 16, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Alan Glombicki prepares to examine a patient using an endoscope in the COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) at the United Memorial Medical Center, Dec. 29, 2020, in Houston.
Go Nakamura/Getty Images

The current numbers may not give the complete picture as the holidays have significantly impacted data, with many states having not reported numbers or have given incomplete updates.

December has already been determined to be the worst month on record for cases, hospitalizations and deaths, surpassing the high numbers seen in April.

-ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.

Dec 30, 2020, 6:00 AM EST

UK grants emergency authorization for AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine

A COVID-19 vaccine created by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford has been approved for emergency use in the United Kingdom.

Roll out will begin Jan 4, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said.

The U.K. Department of Health and Social care announced that it has accepted the recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorize the vaccine for use.

"This follows rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA, which has concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness," the Department of Health and Social care said in a press release.

It is the second vaccine approved for use in the U.K. following the rollout of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

The National Health Service will prioritize giving the first doses of the newly approved vaccine to those in the most high-risk groups.

The vaccine will be given in two doses, with four to 12 weeks between doses, the U.K.-based pharmaceutical company said.

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