Live

Coronavirus updates: CDC forecasts up to 226K US deaths by mid-October

The national death toll currently stands at more than 202,000.

Last Updated: September 24, 2020, 3:29 PM EDT

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 980,000 people worldwide.

Over 32 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 6.9 million diagnosed cases and at least 202,728 deaths.

California has the most cases of any U.S. state, with more than 799,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins data. California is followed by Texas and Florida, with over 746,000 cases and over 693,000 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 is developing today. All times Eastern.
Sep 24, 2020, 3:29 PM EDT

Boulder bans gatherings for 18 to 22 year olds

In Boulder, Colorado, people ages 18 to 22 will soon be banned from all gatherings, whether indoors, outdoors, or with people outside that age range, the Boulder County Public Health Department announced.

This comes after nearly three weeks of cases rising in Boulder County, "with the vast majority" connected to 18 to 22 year olds, "particularly those attending the University of Colorado Boulder," the department said.

"While there has been little evidence of spread of the virus beyond the 18-22 age group, the continued increase in new cases in the city of Boulder prompted the Public Health Order to help prevent the spread to other community members," the department said.

A group of incoming freshmen play spike ball on campus after moving into dormitories at University of Colorado Boulder on Aug. 18, 2020.
Mark Makela/Getty Images, FILE

The health department also calls out 36 addresses where the department claims residents "repeatedly engaged in activities that violate public health orders." Those residents must stay in their homes for two weeks, only leaving for essential services, according to the Health Department.

The order will last for two weeks, beginning at 4 p.m. local time on Thursday.

Residents in the 18 to 22 age group are exempt for exercising outside alone, studying outside alone and going to work if they don’t live in one of the homes with stay-at-home requirements.

Young adults can interact with relatives they live with, and those in high school can participate in school activities, the department added.

"While there has been little evidence of spread of the virus beyond the 18-22 age group, the continued increase in new cases in the city of Boulder prompted the Public Health Order to help prevent the spread to other community members," the department said.

ABC News' Jennifer Watts contributed to this report.

Sep 24, 2020, 1:47 PM EDT

UK reports highest number of new daily cases

The United Kingdom reported 6,634 daily COVID-19 cases on Thursday, reaching a new record high.

Commuters wearing protective face coverings travel on Victoria line at rush hour in central London on Sept. 23, 2020.
Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images

A man, not wearing a face covering, passes signs telling travellers they must wear face mask unless they are exempt, as he leaves Victoria station during the evening 'rush hour' in central London on Sept. 23, 2020.
Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images

The number of hospital admissions is also on the rise.

The U.K. now has over 412,000 coronavirus cases and at least 41,951 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins data.

ABC News' Mike Trew contributed to this report.

Sep 24, 2020, 1:02 PM EDT

Contact tracing app launched in England, Wales

The United Kingdom’s long-awaited contact tracing app launched in England and Wales on Thursday.

The app, available to download for free on iPhones and Androids, alerts users if they've come into contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19.

"The app will advise you to self-isolate if you have been in close contact with a confirmed case," the Department of Health and Social Care said. "It will also enable you to check symptoms, book a free test if needed and get your test results."

The BBC reported that over 1 million people have already downloaded the app.

ABC News' Mike Trew contributed to this report.

Sep 24, 2020, 12:15 PM EDT

Africa sees steady decline of new cases

Africa has seen a steady decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases being reported across the continent since July 20, the World Health Organization said Thursday.

Over the past four weeks, there were 77,147 new cases recorded in Africa, down from 131,647 reported in the previous four weeks. Some of the continent's most-affected countries including Algeria, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa have all seen infections drop every week over the past two months. Deaths attributed to COVID-19 have also remained low in the region.

Africa was the only region in the world to report a decline in both new COVID-19 cases and deaths for the week of Sept. 14-20.

The WHO credited the decline to "a variety of socio-ecological factors as well as early and strong public health measures taken by governments across the region." The socio-ecological factors include low population density and mobility, hot and humid climate and lower age group.

"The downward trend that we have seen in Africa over the past two months is undoubtedly a positive development and speaks to the robust and decisive public health measures taken by governments across the region," Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO's regional director for Africa, said in a statement Thursday. "But we must not become complacent. Other regions of the world have experienced similar trends only to find that as social and public health measures are relaxed, cases start ramping up again."

PHOTO: Staff and patients gather at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital listening to songs performed by well-known South African stage personalities in Soweto, on the southwestern outskirts of Johannesburg, on Sept. 22, 2020.
Staff and patients gather at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital listening to songs performed by well-known South African stage personalities in Soweto, on the southwestern outskirts of Johannesburg, on Sept. 22, 2020. HOPEtober, an initiative by Adcock Ingram, took the joy of song to health workers and patients at different hospitals in Johannesburg to spread the message of hope.
Christiaan Kotze/AFP via Getty Images

Africa's COVID-19 cases have largely been among a younger age group and more pronounced in a few nations rather than continent-wide, suggesting country-specific aspects are driving the pattern of disease and death. About 91% of infections in sub-Saharan Africa are among people below the age of 60, while over 80% of cases are asymptomatic, according to the WHO.

Although African governments have made efforts to improve COVID-19 testing, the level remains low. Nevertheless, the WHO said missed COVID-19 cases are largely because they are asymptomatic and that there is no evidence of miscalculation of death figures.

"Africa has not witnessed an exponential spread of COVID-19 as many initially feared," Moeti said. "But the slower spread of infection in the region means we expect the pandemic to continue to smolder for some time, with occasional flare-ups."

Related Topics