COVID updates: Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin tests positive
He said he has mild symptoms and will be quarantining for five days.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 825,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 62% 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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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin tests positive
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has tested positive for COVID-19, he confirmed in a statement Sunday evening.
"I tested positive this morning for COVID-19. I requested the test today after exhibiting symptoms while at home on leave," he said.
He added that his symptoms are mild and he is following his physician's directions.
"In keeping with those directions, and in accordance with CDC guidelines, I will quarantine myself at home for the next five days," Austin said, referring to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recently-updated isolation guidelines.
Austin said he will be attending virtual meetings if possible while in quarantine.
"I have informed my leadership team of my positive test result, as well as the President. My staff has begun contact tracing and testing of all those with whom I have come into contact over the last week," he said in his statement, adding that his last meeting with President Joe Biden was on Dec. 21, "more than a week before I began to experience symptoms."
"I tested negative that very morning. I have not been in the Pentagon since Thursday, where I met briefly - and only - with a few members of my staff. We were properly masked and socially distanced throughout," he said.
Austin said he is fully vaccinated and boosted, and his doctor made clear to him that thanks to that, his infection is much more mild than it would otherwise have been -- which he is grateful for.
NY hospitalization rate at its highest in a year
More than 8,773 people are hospitalized in New York state with COVID-19 -- the highest number since January 2021, according to state health officials.
Roughly 1,518 people were admitted to hospitals in the last 24 hours, and there are 1,133 patients in ICU beds, the health department said.
Turnaround time for testing 2-3 days: Quest Diagnostics
One of the largest testing companies in the country said the jump in COVID-19 tests has led to an increase in time for results.
Quest Diagnostics told ABC News their turnaround time for results has now stretched to two to three days on average.
Last week, the company said it took a day, on average, to get results.
On Wednesday, Quest told ABC News they were deploying their logistics network, such as its national courier and air fleet, to move specimens around to where there is less inundation and help balance out volume across their roughly two dozen labs.
However, the increase in omicron cases and the busy holiday season led to delays.
Other labs are also experiencing long wait times for results, including CityMD, which said it can take patients up to seven days to get their results.
-ABC News' Sasha Pezenik
New York state sets new daily case record
New York state has once again broken its single-day COVID-19 case record.
There were 85,476 new cases reported Saturday, according to the governor's office.
The number of COVID-19 tests administered also increased by over 44,000 in the last 24 hours.
The state's seven-day positivity rate is nearly 20%.
On Friday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced new measures to target the state's winter COVID-19 surge, including opening more state-run testing sites, distributing rapid tests to schools and increasing vaccination and booster rates among children and nursing home residents.
UK plans surge hospitals as 'war footing' for omicron
Hospitals across England were setting up "Nightingale surge hubs," temporary structures capable of handling 100 patients, as they prepared for a potential wave of omicron patients.
The United Kingdom's National Health Service announced the plan on Thursday, a day after health officials recorded a new daily high for COVD-19 infections.
"Given the high level of COVID-19 infections and increasing hospital admissions, the NHS is now on a war footing," NHS National Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis said in a statement on Thursday.
The NHS said it would start with hubs at eight hospitals around the country. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said in a statement that an additional 4,000 beds could be added if necessary.
“We do not yet know exactly how many of those who catch the virus will need hospital treatment, but given the number of infections we cannot wait to find out before we act and so work is beginning from today to ensure these facilities are in place," Powis said.
