'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 31, 2021, 9:28 AM EDT

CDC director says ‘no federal vaccine mandate’

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky caused a stir on Fox News on Friday when asked, “Are you for mandating a vaccine on a federal level?” to which she replied, “That’s something that I think the administration is looking into.”

Walensky later clarified her comments on Twitter saying: “There will be no nationwide mandate. I was referring to mandates by private institutions and portions of the federal government. There will be no federal mandate.”

-ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway

Jul 31, 2021, 4:23 AM EDT

4,058 new cases reported in Tokyo, a 217% increase since last week

At lest 4,058 new cases of COVID-19 were reported Saturday in Tokyo, according to the city's coronavirus information website.

Of those cases, 95 are severe and three have resulted in death.

The new figure marks a 217% increase in cases since last Saturday.

Jul 30, 2021, 7:09 PM EDT

New Orleans to mandate indoor masking, city employee vaccinations  

New Orleans officials reissued a mask mandate Friday, requiring that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask indoors in public spaces due to rising COVID-19 cases. 

"Thanks to the delta variant, the COVID pandemic is once again raging out of control," Mayor LaToya Cantrell said during a press briefing, noting the daily average of new COVID-19 cases increased from 104 last week to 272 this week. "This is a very dangerous number. We have been here before. ... And what was once unpreventable, today is preventable, and is through our people getting vaccinated."

PHOTO: Producer and burlesque dancer Trixie Minx hands out masks to audience members, having asked both the attendees and performers to mask up before the performance as Louisiana rises to worst COVID-19 outbreak in U.S. in New Orleans, July 25, 2021.
Producer and burlesque dancer Trixie Minx hands out face masks to audience members, having asked both the attendees and performers to mask up before the performance as Louisiana rises to worst COVID-19 outbreak in U.S. amid Delta variant in New Orleans, July 25, 2021.
Kathleen Flynn/Reuters

The mayor also announced that city employees and contractors will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Over 71% of city employees are vaccinated, "but that is not good enough," the mayor said. "We want to get to 100%."

Jul 30, 2021, 7:02 PM EDT

Austin facing 'dire' ICU bed shortage

In Austin, Texas, intensive care unit capacity has reached a "dire" point, the city's health department said Friday, with only 16 staffed beds available for over 2.3 million residents.

"We are running out of time and our community must act now," Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes said in a statement. "Our ICU capacity is reaching a critical point where the level of risk to the entire community has significantly increased, and not just to those who are needing treatment for COVID. If we fail to come together as a community now, we jeopardize the lives of loved ones who might need critical care."

The low ICU capacity is similar to the beginning of the pandemic, Austin Public Health said, noting that the number of COVID-19 patients in local ICUs increased 28% between July 23 and July 30.

Local health officials advised that partially or unvaccinated people should avoid gatherings and wear a mask during essential activities, while those who are vaccinated should limit gathering sizes and wear a mask indoors, among other measures.

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