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.
Here's how the news developed this week. All times Eastern.
Dec 30, 2020, 2:16 PM EST
Hospitalizations have jumped 36% this month
There are 124,686 Americans currently hospitalized with COVID-19 -- a national record. In the last month, the number of patients hospitalized has increased by 36%, according to ABC News’ analysis of data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project.
A healthcare worker and emergency medical technicians treat a patient outside the emergency room at the Community Hospital of Huntington Park during a surge in positive COVID-19 cases in Huntington Park, Calif., Dec. 29, 2020.
Bing Guan/Reuters
Over 5.8 million COVID-19 cases have been reported so far in December -- approximately 2.4 million cases more than November, which was the second worst month on record.
People line up in their vehicles at Dodger Stadium as post-Christmas COVID-19 testing resumes during a surge in positive coronavirus disease cases in Los Angeles, Dec. 29, 2020.
Bing Guan/Reuters
California is leading the nation with the highest average of daily cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days, followed by Arizona, Tennessee and Delaware, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos contributed to this report.
Dec 30, 2020, 12:41 PM EST
New variant ‘very likely exists in many states,’ Colorado governor says
After a Colorado man was determined Tuesday to have the COVID-19 variant detected in the United Kingdom, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said the new variant “very likely exists in many states.”
“We don’t yet have a good idea how prevalent it is” in Colorado or the U.S., Polis said at a news conference Wednesday.
Gov Jared Polis holds a press conference to disuss COVID-19 in his home state Colorado, Dec. 30, 2020.
ABC News
The man, in his 20s, is believed to be the first known case of the variant in the U.S. He has mild symptoms and is recovering, Polis said. The man has had no travel history and is in isolation, officials said.
There is another possible case of the variant that has not been confirmed, State Epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy said Wednesday.
Both individuals are National Guard personnel who were sent to a nursing home where there was an outbreak, she said. National Guard personnel arrived at the facility on Dec. 23. There's no evidence that the variant is circulating in that facility but testing is ongoing, Herlihy said.
Randy Fitzgerald, regional vice president of the nursing home, Good Samaritan Society, said in a statement, "The Colorado Department of Health and Environment have been on-site to test employees and residents for the variant. We expect to have the results in the next few days. We will continue to work closely with the state while following the CDC’s infection control measures."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it expects "there will be additional cases that are likely to be detected in the coming days."
"Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time," the CDC said.
The CDC added that the U.K. variant doesn't appear to cause more severe disease or mortality, but warned it does appear to have a higher transmission rate.
“I’m proud that we detected it here in Colorado as quickly as we did,” Polis said.
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 Myersovernight for a chance to get the 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.
