Coronavirus updates: Over 7,000 Americans died in past week
The increase comes less than two weeks after Halloween.
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide.
Over 53.2 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks. The criteria for diagnosis -- through clinical means or a lab test -- has also varied from country to country.
Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the virus has rapidly spread to every continent except Antarctica. The United States is the worst-affected nation, with more than 10.7 million diagnosed cases and at least 244,283 deaths.
Nearly 200 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 are being tracked by the World Health Organization, at least 10 of which are in crucial phase three studies. Of those 10 potential vaccines in late-stage trials, there are currently five that will be available in the United States if approved.
Latest headlines:
- National test-positivity rate above 10%: HHS
- Emergency Nurses Association asks Biden to include nurses in COVID task force
- Cases reach another high amid record growth
- Disneyland to remain closed at least through end of year
- Corey Lewandowski tests positive
- Fauci tells Americans to 'hang in there,' 'help is really on the way'
National test-positivity rate above 10%: HHS
The national test-positivity rate hit 10.2% in the past week, according to an internal Health and Human Services memo obtained by ABC News Friday night.
That was up from 8% in week-to-week comparisons.
Fifty-one states and territories are in an upward trajectory of new cases, while two jurisdictions are at a plateau and two are going down, the memo said.
The number of new cases confirmed from Nov. 6 to 12 increased 41.1% from the previous seven-day period, while deaths increased 29% during that same time frame, HHS found.
Across the country, 28% of hospitals have more than 80% of their ICU beds filled. That number was 17% to 18% during the summertime peak.
Hospitals in North Dakota are especially strained, as some have suspended elective surgeries as they report reaching or nearing 100% capacity.
Utah health care leaders have reported that many of the 16 referral hospitals in the state that have the capability to treat severely ill patients are full or nearly full, according to the memo.
In South Dakota, the seven-day COVID-19 hospitalization rate continued to rise steeply, reaching a high of 62.6 per 100,000 population on Nov. 10, HHS said.
ABC News Josh Margolin contributed to this report.
New Mexico pauses jury trials through end of the year
The New Mexico Supreme Court will pause criminal and civil jury trials through the end of 2020, officials announced Friday.
An order issued by the court will suspend jury trials set to begin on or after Nov. 16 to next year. Trials currently underway are not affected.
New Mexico’s appellate, district, metropolitan and magistrate courts will also remain open.
The order came hours after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that the state will shelter in place for two weeks starting on Monday. Nonessential businesses will have to close, and people are advised to leave their homes only for essential trips.
The shelter-in-place measure does not apply to court operations, but the Supreme Court's precautions "will reduce the number of people who need to come to a courthouse at a time when the state has tightened public health order restrictions on New Mexicans because of a spike in COVID-19," Chief Justice Michael E. Vigil said in a statement.
ABC News' Michelle Mendez and Cherise Rudy contributed to this report.
Nevada governor tests positive for virus
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced Friday afternoon.
"As part of a regular testing protocol, I underwent routine COVID-19 testing on Friday, November 13 in Carson City. A rapid test provided a positive result," he wrote on Twitter.
Sisolak said he is currently experiencing no symptoms, though earlier in the week he "felt a little fatigue, which I attributed to my demanding schedule."
The Democratic governor, 66, previously tested negative on Nov. 2 and Nov. 6, he said.
He is still awaiting results from a PCR test, which is more accurate than a rapid test.
"Consistent with guidelines from the CDC and the DHHS, I am isolating and continuing to monitor my symptoms," Sisolak said. "All public events have been canceled at this time. I remain in constant contact with my staff and my Cabinet and the work of the Governor’s Office will continue remotely."
New York state logs over 5,000 cases for first time since April
New York state reported more than 5,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time since late April, when the state was ground zero for the pandemic.
On Thursday, 5,401 people tested positive for COVID-19, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office announced. A record 203,721 tests were reported, for a positivity rate of 2.65% -- one of the lowest in the nation, the governor said.
"The bad news is we are in the midst of a sea of COVID rising around us," Cuomo said in a statement.
He warned that the state may need to take additional steps to combat the spread of the virus as the holiday season approaches and travel will likely increase.
ABC News' Joshua Hoyos contributed to this report.
Corey Lewandowski tests positive
Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a person briefed on the diagnosis.
Lewandowski tested positive for the virus on Wednesday. He has been in Philadelphia this week as the Trump campaign continues to bring lawsuits related to the election results.
Lewandowski was among 400 attendees at an indoor election night party at the White House. Many attendees were not wearing masks or social distancing, including chief of staff Mark Meadows, who also tested positive in the days after the event.
Jeff Miller, a lobbyist and longtime Republican political strategist, has also tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a person familiar with the diagnosis. Miller was also at the election night party at the White House.
At least 15 people in President Donald Trump's orbit have tested positive for COVID-19 since Meadows' diagnosis last Wednesday.
Richard Walters, the chief of staff for the Republican National Committee, has also tested positive for COVID-19, according to an RNC official.
"The RNC is following CDC guidance and notifying staff who came in contact with him," the official said.
Walters has not been to the White House recently.
ABC News' Katherine Faulders contributed to this report
