COVID-19 updates: 345 children currently hospitalized with coronavirus in Texas

That number was up from 282 on Thursday.

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

More than 643,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.5 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 61.7% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


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San Diego County declares medical misinformation a public health crisis

San Diego has become the first county in the U.S. to declare that health misinformation is causing a public health crisis in its community. This follows the County Board of Supervisors' 3-2 vote Tuesday night.

Changes to county strategy to combat the pandemic will include: labeling health misinformation and providing timely health information to counter it; modernizing public health communications; investigating in digital resources and training for health practitioners and health workers; and developing a website to be a central resource for fighting health misinformation.

The new policy was introduced when 96.7% of hospitalizations in San Diego County were residents who were not fully vaccinated.


Gene Simmons tests positive for COVID, KISS postpones shows

KISS co-lead singer Gene Simmons tested positive for COVID-19, the band shared on its Twitter page Tuesday evening.

In a statement, the band said the 72-year-old was experiencing "mild symptoms."

His diagnoses comes less than a week after co-lead singer Paul Stanley, 69, tested positive for COVID-19 as well.

In a statement released on Aug. 26, the band said that, "everyone on the entire tour, both band and crew, are fully vaccinated."

KISS has postponed four of its "End of the Road" tour shows from Sept. 1 to Sept. 5.

"The band and crew will remain at home and isolate for the next 10 days," the band said in a statement.


2 officials working on COVID-19 vaccine review to leave FDA

Peter Marks, the director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), announced the upcoming departure of two top vaccine regulators to his staff in an internal memo, which was obtained by ABC News.

Dr. Marion Gruber, director of the FDA's Office of Vaccines Research and Review (OVRR) and her deputy, Dr. Phil Krause, are set to leave the agency in October and November respectively, according to the memo.

Krause, who's been with the agency for over a decade, and Gruber, who has been with the FDA for over 30 years, were instrumental in the review and authorization of the three COVID-19 vaccines, the memo said.

The memo said that Gruber will be "retiring" and gave no other details about Krause's departure.

ABC News has reached out to both Gruber and Krause for comment.

When reached for comment about their departure, an FDA spokesperson told ABC News the agency is "confident in the expertise and ability of our staff to continue our critical public health work, including evaluating COVID-19 vaccines."

Their departures come at a critical time for the vaccine review team. After facing pressure to move as fast as possible to get vaccines' full licensure done, the agency is now weighing booster shots for a wider pool of Americans.

The timing of the booster shot approval has been a bone of contention amongst federal agencies after the Biden administration announced the availability of booster shots would begin ahead of any ruling from the FDA or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory groups.

-ABC News' Sasha Pezenik


Rev. Jesse Jackson's wife out of ICU

Jacqueline Jackson, the wife of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, is out of the ICU as both Jacksons continue to fight COVID-19, their family said.

"Our father remains at The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab where he is continuing to receive intensive occupational and physical therapy," their son, Jonathan Jackson, said in a statement Tuesday.

Jesse Jackson, who is 79 and has Parkinson's disease, was vaccinated, reported ABC Chicago station WLS.

"Our mother remains in the Northwestern Memorial Hospital and has been moved out of the ICU and back into her regular hospital room where she continues to receive oxygen," the statement said. "Both of our parents are continuing to receive excellent medical care and we thank God for the progress that both seem to be making."


COVID-19 restrictions in place for Philadelphia’s Made In America Festival

This year’s Made In America festival over Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia will go on with COVID-19 restrictions.

Despite surging delta variant cases and flooding from the Schuylkill River that inundated the Ben Franklin Parkway with water, the festival will continue, officials said.

"I think it's good for the city to have this kind of event, so we can celebrate a little bit even in the midst of potential tragedy. Jay-Z, Beyonce, the Biebs (Justin Bieber) is coming," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said Friday. “It'll be fun for a change...be nice to have some fun, wouldn't it?"

Roc Nation, which is producing the two-day festival, said all attendees will need to wear masks. Attendees will also have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test or printed proof of full COVID-19 vaccination to get in.

"The negative COVID-19 test result must be obtained within 48 hours of attending the Made In America festival," said Roc Nation on the festival’s website.

Philadelphia officials also updated the city’s mask mandate in August to require masks at all non-seated outdoor events with over 1,000 attendees.