New York health provider may have fraudulently obtained COVID-19 vaccine

The vaccine was then given to members of the public not yet eligible.

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 80.2 million people worldwide and killed over 1.7 million of them, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.


0

US death toll could reach 419,000 by Jan. 16: CDC

Another 16,400 to 27,600 Americans are expected to die from COVID-19 by Jan. 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, citing its national ensemble forecast from 36 modeling groups.

That would bring the total COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. to between 378,000 and 419,000.

At least 326,495 Americans have died so far, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.


TSA sees busiest travel day of pandemic

The TSA screened 1,191,123 people at airport checkpoints nationwide on Wednesday, the highest single day total since the pandemic started, despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advising Americans against traveling for the holidays.

More than 6.3 million passengers have been screened since Dec. 18 .

ABC News’ Sam Sweeney and Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.


California surpasses 2 million cases

California now has more than 2 million confirmed cases of coronavirus since the start of the pandemic -- the first state to report the grim milestone.

The state has at least 2,010,004 diagnosed cases and 23,651 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.


UK halts flights from South Africa

Grant Shapps, the United Kingdom's transportation secretary tweeted that all flights to and from South Africa will be halted starting 9 a.m. Thursday, after a new coronavirus mutation was discovered in that country.

"British & Irish Nationals, visa holders and permanent residents arriving from South Africa will be able to enter but are required to self-isolate for ten days along with their household," he tweeted.

South African nationals won't be allowed to enter the U.K. until the ban is lifted, Shapps said.


California stay-at-home orders will likely be extended

California’s stay-at-home orders -- currently in effect for 98% of the state’s population -- will likely be extended, Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

A three-week stay-at-home order was issued in a region of California when it fell below 15% intensive care unit capacity. The stay-at-home order can only be lifted when ICU capacity returns to above 15%.

Two of the five regions, Southern California and San Joaquin Valley, currently have 0% capacity.

The Bay Area and the Greater Sacramento area also under a stay-at-home order. Northern California is the state’s only region not under the order.

California has 17,190 coronavirus patients in hospitals -- a 63% increase in the last two weeks.

California has deployed 607 state workers to 75 health care facilities in 24 counties that were requesting extra assistance. Newsom said he has asked the Department of Defense for 10 teams of 20 health care workers, and he is also asking a team that’s been working in Imperial County to extend its stay until the end of January.

ABC News’ Matt Fuhrman contributed to this report.