Nearly 600 patients wait for hospital beds in Houston following surge in COVID cases

According to the CDC, 46% of Texans have been fully vaccinated.

ByEmily Shapiro, Ivan Pereira, Meredith Deliso, and Marlene Lenthang
Last Updated: August 16, 2021, 12:25 AM EDT

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

More than 620,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and over 4.3 million people have died worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 59.1% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern.
Aug 11, 2021, 11:06 AM EDT

Philadelphia city employees must get vaccinated or wear double masks

In Philadelphia, all city employees must be vaccinated or will be required to double-mask while working in enclosed spaces as of Sept. 1, Mayor Jim Kenney said.

The mayor on Wednesday also announced a new mask mandate that'll go into effect Thursday for indoor places where vaccines aren't required. The mandate also applies to non-seated outdoor events with over 1,000 people.

While COVID-19 cases in Philadelphia aren't as severe as many other cities, acting Philadelphia health commissioner Cheryl Bettigole said over 100 COVID-19 patients are now in city hospitals, the highest number since early June.

Aug 11, 2021, 10:08 AM EDT

Hurricane evacuations could be complicated by COVID: Biden

For Americans in hurricane-prone states, "a vital part of preparing for hurricane season is to get vaccinated now," President Joe Biden said Tuesday.

"If you wind up having to evacuate, if you wind up having to stay in a shelter, you don't want to add COVID-19 to the list of dangers that you're going to be confronting," Biden warned at a briefing with FEMA and Homeland Security officials. "Get vaccinated now so you're ready for whatever may come this month. And it's likely that some serious hurricanes are going to come this month."

Florida and Louisiana, two of the most hurricane-prone states, are leading the nation in cases. Alabama, Mississippi and Texas are also among the states with the highest case numbers.

Medical professionals put on PPE before entering a room where a patients is being treated for COVID-19 at the Ochsner Medical Center in Jefferson Parish, La., Aug. 10, 2021.
Kathleen Flynn/Reuters

There's a 65% chance for an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season this year.

-ABC News' Sarah Kolinovsky

Aug 11, 2021, 8:31 AM EDT

TSA sees its lowest checkpoint numbers in nearly 2 months

As COVID-19 surges, the Transportation Security Administration screened 1,727,075 travelers across the U.S. on Tuesday -- the lowest number since June 15.

Travelers wait in line at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) in Philadelphia, Aug. 6, 2021.
Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images

-ABC News' Sam Sweeney

Aug 11, 2021, 3:25 AM EDT

Texas county will sue over state’s mask mandate ban

The largest county in Texas is set to file a lawsuit challenging the governor’s mask mandate ban.

The commissioner’s court of Harris County, which encompasses the city of Houston, had the county attorney file a lawsuit challenging Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order that prohibits local governments in the state from requiring masks, ABC’s Houston station KTRK reported.

“First responders and school leaders are speaking out and standing up as Delta ravages our community. We have their back,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo wrote on Twitter. “Protecting the community during an emergency is a duty, not an option for government leaders.”

“It’s the job of local officials to protect our students, our vulnerable, our neighbors,” said Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee. “But [Abbott] has banned us from doing so during a pandemic. Tonight Commissioners Court authorized my office to take legal action against the governor’s overreach. Enough is enough.”