The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.
More than 722,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.8 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Just 66.5% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.
Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Oct 13, 2021, 2:00 PM EDT
COVID No. 1 cause of death for 35- to 54-year-olds in September
COVID-19 was the leading of death among people ages 35 to 54 -- and the second-leading cause overall -- in September, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Peterson Center on Healthcare.
The research also estimates that since June more than 90,000 U.S. deaths from COVID-19 could have been prevented with vaccines, and more than half of those occurred last month.
In January, COVID-19 was the nation's No. 1 cause of death, the analysis found. In July, before the delta surge, COVID-19 briefly dropped to eighth.
Critical Care Respiratory therapist Lauren Parsons treats a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) positive patient in their isolation room on the intensive care unit at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, Fla., Sept. 22, 2021.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters, FILE
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos
Oct 13, 2021, 1:11 PM EDT
Daily deaths in US about 1,300 as hospitalizations decline
Hospital admissions for COVID-19 have dropped about 10% in the last week, but, according to federal data, the virus is still killing about 1,300 Americans every day -- more than this same time last year.
More than 114.5 million Americans remain completely unvaccinated, about 66.3 million of whom are over the age of 12 and eligible, according to federal data.
A nurse sanitizes a patient's arm before administering a COVID-19 vaccine booster at a vaccination clinic in Southfield, Michigan, Sept. 29, 2021.
Emily Elconin/Reuters
States to keep an eye on are Michigan, Minnesota and Colorado, which are currently seeing notable upticks in new cases, according to federal data.
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos
Oct 13, 2021, 12:20 PM EDT
Global deaths at lowest level in nearly 1 year: WHO
The number of reported weekly COVID-19 deaths continues to decline and is now at the lowest levels worldwide in nearly one year, the World Health Organization said.
A woman receives the Moderna coronavirus vaccination in a Pachinko parlor, Oct. 13, 2021, in Osaka, Japan.
Carl Court/Getty Images
That's with nearly 50,000 still being reported per week, "and the real number is certainly higher," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. "Of course deaths are highest in the countries and populations with the least access to vaccines."
Tedros said three countries have not started vaccinating: Burundi, Eritrea and North Korea.
-ABC News' Christine Theodorou
Oct 12, 2021, 11:26 PM EDT
US to lift land-border restrictions on Canada, Mexico with proof of vaccination
The U.S. is moving forward to lift restrictions for foreign travelers coming into the country over land-border crossings as long as they have proof of COVID-19 vaccination, according to multiple senior Biden administration officials.
Current air travel requirements also include presenting a negative COVID-19 test while land border requirements remain more restrictive for anyone deemed “nonessential.”
In this June 15, 2012 file photo, motorists make their way to Ambassador Bridge connecting Canada to the United States in Windsor, Ontario. The U.S. will reopen its land borders to nonessential travel next month to people who are vaccinated.
Mark Spowart/The Canadian Press via AP, FILE
The first stage of the land-border changes is expected in early November, the officials said, when travelers deemed "nonessential" will be able to enter the U.S. with proof of vaccination. Nonessential travel, including recreation, family visits and tourism, was previously restricted at all land-border crossings.
All travelers, both essential and nonessential, will be required to have proof of vaccination starting in early January.
Unlike the requirements for air travel, this new set of restrictions does not have a testing component, the officials said.
Customs and Border Protection will enforce the requirements at U.S. land ports of entry where they will ask about vaccination status and refer travelers to a more thorough inspection on a case-by-case basis.
