'Steady increase' in vaccines in past month, White House says

The U.S. saw its largest single-day increase in nearly nine months Friday.

ByEmily Shapiro, Ivan Pereira, Meredith Deliso, Morgan Winsor, and Marlene Lenthang
Last Updated: August 2, 2021, 7:10 AM EDT

The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.

More than 613,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and over 4.2 million people have died worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 57.9% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC on Tuesday, citing new science on the transmissibility of the delta variant, changed its mask guidance to now recommend everyone in areas with substantial or high levels of transmission -- vaccinated or not -- wear a face covering in public, indoor settings.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern.
Jul 28, 2021, 12:00 PM EDT

US reports highest number of new cases in the world

The U.S. reported the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in the world in the last week, according to the World Health Organization. The U.S. saw a 131% increase in new cases for the week ending July 25 compared to the previous week, according to the WHO’s epidemiological report.

People wear masks while walking in Grand Central Terminal on July 27, 2021, in New York.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

A patient is brought on a gurney to the emergency department at AdventHealth hospital in Orlando, Fla., July 26, 2021.
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The U.S. was followed by Brazil, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and India.

Globally, there were 3.8 million new cases in the last week, an 8% increase over the previous week. The number of new COVID-19-related deaths also increased sharply this week to over 69,000, a 21% jump from 57,000 deaths last week.

Healthcare personnel work in a coronavirus disease intensive care unit where they are dealing with a surge in cases of the Delta variant at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah, July 23, 2021.
Intermountain Health via Reuters

-ABC News’ Christine Theodorou

Jul 28, 2021, 11:27 AM EDT

Health care workers in NY state-run hospitals must get vaccinated

All patient-facing health care workers in New York’s state-run hospitals must get vaccinated, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.

"There will be no testing option," Cuomo said.

In addition, beginning Labor Day, all state employees will be required to either be vaccinated or get tested weekly.

-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky

Jul 28, 2021, 11:05 AM EDT

Florida hospital seeing an all-time high of COVID hospitalizations

Baptist Health, a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, said it now has over 400 COVID-19 patients, an all-time high.

The unvaccinated make up at least 97% of the patients, hospital president and CEO Michael Mayo said.

“Northeast Florida has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s never been as bad as it is now,” Mayo said in a statement.

-ABC News’ Alexandra Faul

Jul 28, 2021, 10:02 AM EDT

Fully vaccinated Americans can soon travel to the UK

 
Fully vaccinated Americans can travel to the United Kingdom without quarantining as of Aug. 2, the U.K. announced Wednesday.

Arriving passengers queue at U.K. Border Control at Heathrow Airport in London, June 29, 2021.
Hannah Mckay/Reuters, FILE

The new rule also applies to those traveling to the U.K. from the European Union.

-ABC News’ Guy Davies

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