COVID-19 updates: US daily death average falls below 2,000 for 1st time in month

The average declined by 15.3% to 1,920 virus-related deaths every day.

ByMary Kekatos and Emily Shapiro
Last Updated: February 22, 2022, 2:02 PM EST

As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.9 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 938,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

About 64.7% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Feb 22, 2022, 2:02 PM EST

Omicron and its sublineages account for 100% of new cases

New data shows the omicron variant and its sublineages are estimated to account for 100% of new infections. The omicron variant now has three major sublineages: BA.1.1, BA.2 and BA.3.  

The "original" omicron variant that overtook the globe in November now accounts for 20.6% of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S., according to the CDC.

The closely-related sublineage BA.1.1 has been the dominant strain since early January and is estimated to account for 75.6% of new cases.

The CDC estimates that as of Feb. 19, BA.2 accounts for about 3.8% of new cases in the U.S.

The World Health Organization has asked countries to monitor the BA.2 sublineage to see whether it behaves differently. At this time experts don't expect BA.2 to lead to another surge, but some are worried that it may slow the current drop in new cases.

BA.3 accounts for a very small proportion of new cases.

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos, Sony Salzman

Feb 22, 2022, 1:38 PM EST

CDC 'working to update' mask guidance 'soon': Walensky

Asked if Americans should follow the CDC's mask guidance or their state or city's rules, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Monday, "We still recommend indoor masking in public settings that have areas of high transmission … and right now that's over 98% of our counties."

But case are "dropping fast," Walensky told Andy Slavitt, former senior adviser to the Biden administration's COVID response team, on his podcast "In the Bubble."

"We are working to update our guidance soon," Walensky said.

-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett

Feb 22, 2022, 10:36 AM EST

Carnival Cruise Line eases mask mandates

Carnival has joined Royal Caribbean and Norwegian in easing mask mandates onboard cruises, announcing that masks will be recommended, but not required beginning March 1.

The Carnival Panorama cruise ship sits docked, empty of passengers, as the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Long Beach, California, April 16, 2020.
Lucy Nicholson/Reuters, FILE

Norwegian previously announced it will drop its mask requirement for vaccinated passengers starting March 1. Royal Caribbean said it will reopen indoor mask-free areas for fully vaccinated travelers on Feb. 14.

-ABC News' Mina Kaji

Feb 22, 2022, 9:02 AM EST

Moderna researching combination vaccine for COVID booster, flu shot, RSV vaccine

Moderna said it's in the early stages of research for a combination vaccine that would combine three vaccines into one: a COVID-19 booster, a flu vaccine and an RSV vaccine.

There is no current vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, a virus that causes mild symptoms in most adults but can be deadly for older adults and young children. This new study will only test the vaccine in adults over 60.

The CDC estimates RSV kills 14,000 Americans over 65 each year.

-ABC News' Sony Salzman

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