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Coronavirus news: University imposes quarantine for all students

Illinois' Bradley University is temporarily using remote learning.

Last Updated: September 9, 2020, 1:29 PM EDT

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 901,000 people worldwide.

Over 27.7 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 criteria for diagnosis -- through clinical means or a lab test -- has varied from country-to-country. Still, 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.

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 country, with more than 6.35 million diagnosed cases and at least 190,784 deaths.

California has the most cases of any U.S. state, with more than 747,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins data. California is followed by Texas and Florida, with over 667,000 cases and over 652,000 cases respectively.

Nearly 170 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 are being tracked by the World Health Organization, at least six of which are in crucial phase three trials.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news developed Wednesday. All times Eastern.
Sep 09, 2020, 1:29 PM EDT

Indoor dining to soon resume in NYC

In New York City -- once the U.S. epicenter of the pandemic -- indoor dining can resume on Sept. 30 at a 25% capacity, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.

People dine al fresco at a restaurant in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York on Sept. 5, 2020.
Richard B. Levine via Newscom

Tables must be spaced 6 feet apart, Cuomo said, and at least one diner in each party must leave contact information.

The governor asked New Yorkers to help report any restaurants that violate the 25% capacity rule.

If there is a spike in infection rate, the city can "hit the emergency pause button," Cuomo said.

If there is no rise in infection rate, "we can always reassess the guidelines and go from 25% to 50%," he said.

Nov. 1 has been set as the benchmark date for upping indoor capacity to 50%, he said.

Sep 09, 2020, 11:45 AM EDT

Pharmacists will be allowed to administer COVID-19 vaccines to kids

The Department of Health and Human Services will allow licensed pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 3 and up, when or if a vaccine is made available, Surgeon General Jerome Adams announced Wednesday.

Students line up on the first day of school at Rough Hollow Elementary School in Spicewood, Texas on Sept. 8, 2020.
Jay Janner/American-Statesman via USA Today Network

In August, the Health and Human Services Department said pharmacists would be permitted to provide routine childhood vaccinations amid concerns that kids were missing out on visits to their doctors during the pandemic.

But the American Academy of Pediatrics called that decision "incredibly misguided," saying children would not get the same level of care from a pharmacist that they would from pediatricians. The American Academy of Pediatrics stressed that doctors' offices are open and safe.

ABC News' Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.

Sep 09, 2020, 10:09 AM EDT

Miami University reports 159 new cases over Labor Day weekend

Miami University in Ohio reported 159 new cases of the coronavirus over the Labor Day weekend, bringing the university's total number of cases to 1,037 in the last two weeks, according to a school dashboard.

A building on the campus of Miami University of Ohio is shown in this undated picture from Google Maps Street View.
Google Maps Street View

Over the long weekend, six Miami University students were cited for breaking the city’s ordinance against large gatherings, ABC Cincinnati affiliate WCPO reported.

The students told police they tested positive for COVID-19 and were supposed to be quarantining, WCPO reported.

ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report

Sep 09, 2020, 8:59 AM EDT

No trick-or-treating allowed in Los Angeles County

No trick-or-treating is allowed this Halloween in Los Angeles County due to the pandemic, ABC Los Angeles station KABC reported

The health department said it's too difficult to maintain social distancing with door-to-door trick-or-treating.

Parties, haunted houses and "trunk or treating" -- when kids go from car to car instead of house to house -- are also not allowed.

Car parades, dressing up houses and Halloween-themed meals at outdoor restaurants are permitted, the Department of Health said.

California has the most coronavirus cases of any state in the U.S., with over 745,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Over 249,000 of California's cases are in Los Angeles County, according to county data. At least 6,036 people in the county have died.

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