COVID-19 updates: Austria orders nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated residents

The lockdown for unvaccinated residents began at midnight on Monday.

ByMorgan Winsor, Emily Shapiro, Ivan Pereira, Meredith Deliso, and Ayushi Agarwal
Last Updated: November 15, 2021, 6:59 AM EST

As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 763,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

Just 68.8% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news developed. All times Eastern.
Nov 12, 2021, 8:33 PM EST

4 states move toward recommending COVID-19 booster for all adults

As COVID-19 cases increase across the country, at least four states are moving to recommend booster shots for all adults ahead of federal authorization.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order on Thursday declaring the entire state at high risk from COVID-19, thereby making all fully vaccinated adults eligible to receive a booster shot.

"We want to ensure that Coloradans have every tool they need to protect themselves from this deadly virus and to help reduce the stress on our hospitals and health care workers," Polis said in a statement.

FILE PHOTO: A patient waits to be called for a COVID-19 vaccination booster shot outside a pharmacy at a grocery store in downtown Denver, Colorado, on Nov. 3, 2021, in downtown Denver.
A patient waits to be called for a COVID-19 vaccination booster shot outside a pharmacy at a grocery store in downtown Denver, Colorado, on Nov. 3, 2021, in downtown Denver. Infection rates have soared in Colorado over the past month, creating a crisis in hospital capacity levels across the state.
David Zalubowski/AP, File

Every Coloradan ages 18 and up who is at least six months past the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, or two months past the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, can now receive a booster shot.

"I was relieved to get the booster two weeks ago," Polis said, "and strongly encourage you to get it too."

On Friday, the governor of New Mexico issued a similar order, and officials in California and West Virginia have previously encouraged residents to receive a booster shot.

Meanwhile, Pfizer asked the Federal Drug Administration for booster authorization for all adults on Tuesday.

Nov 12, 2021, 6:18 PM EST

US cases up nearly 20% since mid-October

The U.S. is currently averaging around 76,000 new COVID-19 cases a day, up by nearly 20% since mid-October, according to an ABC News analysis of federal data.

North Dakota now has the country's highest infection rate, followed by Minnesota, Alaska and Vermont.

COVID-19 hospitalizations nationwide also increased for the fourth consecutive day Friday. More than 47,000 patients with COVID-19 are currently receiving care.

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos

Nov 11, 2021, 2:26 PM EST

US COVID hospitalizations increase for 3rd consecutive day

Thursday marked the third consecutive day where COVID hospitalizations rose nationwide.

Fourteen states reported a 10% increase in hospital admissions over the last week. The states are Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Total hospitalizations are down nearly 55% since mid-August.

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos

Nov 10, 2021, 9:21 PM EST

COVID-19 deaths expected to continue to fall in weeks to come

COVID-19 forecast models used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are currently predicting that weekly death totals will likely continue to fall in the weeks to come, though thousands of Americans are still expected to lose their lives.

The ensemble model expects just under 15,000 more virus-related deaths to occur in the U.S. over the next two weeks, with a total of around 781,500 deaths by Dec. 4.

The model estimates that 13 states and territories of the U.S. have a greater than 50% chance of having more deaths in the next two weeks compared to the past two weeks.

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos

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