A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1.2 million people worldwide.
Over 46.5 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 9.2 million diagnosed cases and at least 231,003 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.
Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern.
Nov 02, 2020, 8:06 AM EST
Prince William tested positive back in April, sources say
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, tested positive for COVID-19 in April, royal sources told ABC News.
Wiliam's diagnosis came around the same time his father, Charles, Prince of Wales, also tested positive for the disease. Charles is the heir apparent to the British throne while his eldest son, William, is second in line.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, wears a face mask as he visits St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London, United Kingdom, on Oct. 20, 2020.
Matt Dunham/Pool via REUTERS
The Court Circular, the official record of past royal engagements, shows that William had a joint engagement with his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, on April 8 via Zoom. He did a solo virtual engagement -- without Kate -- the following day. His next joint engagement wasn't until May 7.
ABC News' Zoe Magee contributed to this report.
Nov 02, 2020, 7:31 AM EST
Trump suggests he may fire Fauci after election
President Donald Trump suggested to a Florida rally that he may fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top expert on infectious diseases and a leading member of the White House coronavirus task force.
Speaking to the crowd after midnight early Monday morning, the president was complaining about the news media coverage of the coronavirus pandemic when rally-goers began chanting, "Fire Fauci!"
"Don't tell anybody, but let me wait until a little bit after the election," Trump responded. "I appreciate the advice."
U.S. President Donald Trump leaves after speaking during a Make America Great Again rally at Miami-Opa locka Executive Airport in Opa-locka, Florida on Nov. 2, 2020.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
"He's been wrong a lot," the president told the crowd of Fauci. "He's a nice man though."
Fauci has served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for over 30 years.
Trump's comments come after Fauci's hard-hitting interview with The Washington Post in which he criticized the U.S. government's response to the coronavirus pandemic, including Dr. Scott Atlas, a neuroradiologist and the president's hand-picked adviser on COVID-19.
Nov 02, 2020, 6:35 AM EST
Nearly 50,000 Americans remain hospitalized
Nearly 50,000 people across the United States remain hospitalized for COVID-19.
As of Sunday, the number of current hospitalizations nationwide was 47,502, according to data collected by The COVID Tracking Project.
That figure has been steadily climbing since mid-September.
Nov 02, 2020, 6:01 AM EST
Russia reports over 18,000 new cases for 4th straight day
Russia confirmed 18,257 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, according to the country's coronavirus response headquarters.
It's the fourth straight day that Russia has reported over 18,000 new infections. The latest daily tally falls just short of the country's all-time high of 18,665 new cases in a 24-hour reporting period, which were confirmed a day earlier.
An additional 238 deaths from COVID-19 were also registered nationwide in the last 24 hours, down from last week's peak of 366 fatalities, according to Russia's coronavirus response headquarters.
Moscow remains the epicenter of the country's outbreak and recent surge. More than 26% of the new cases -- 4,796 -- and over 22% of the new deaths -- 53 -- were reported in the capital.
In this photo released on Oct. 30, 2020, a medical specialist wearing personal protective equipment walks through the corridor of a temporary hospital set up in an automobile shopping center in Moscow, Russia, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Alexander Avilov/Moscow News Agency/via Reuters
The nationwide, cumulative total now stands at 1,655,038 cases with 28,473 deaths, according to Russia's coronavirus response headquarters.
Last week, Russia’s health and consumer rights regulator, Rospotrebnadzor, introduced a nationwide mask mandate and ordered all clubs, bars, restaurants and other entertainment venues to be closed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Russian authorities have repeatedly said they will not impose another nationwide lockdown.
The Eastern European country of 145 million people has the fourth-highest tally of COVID-19 cases in the world, behind only the United States, India and Brazil, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
ABC News' Alina Lobzina contributed to this report.
