Coronavirus updates: Los Angeles County to prohibit gatherings, close playgrounds
Cases are on the rise in Southern California.
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 61 million people and killed over 1.4 million worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
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Wyoming governor tests positive
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday, a representative for his office told ABC News.
"He only has minor symptoms at this time and plans to continue working on behalf of Wyoming remotely," the representative said in a statement.
The news was first reported by the Casper Star Tribune earlier in the evening.
Gordon is at least the fifth governor to contract the coronavirus since the pandemic began. His diagnosis comes as Wyoming has seen a rise in cases over the last month.
The seven-day average of new cases has risen from around 284 at the beginning of November to 687 this week, according to the state's health department.
Ravens-Steelers game on Thanksgiving moved to Sunday
The NFL has postponed the game between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, which was scheduled to be played on Thursday night.
The game has been rescheduled to Sunday afternoon.
Multiple players on the Ravens were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday following positive tests, the team announced at the time.
US virus death toll tops 260,000
More than 260,000 people in the United States have now died from COVID-19, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
The country hit the grim milestone on Wednesday.
The nationwide, cumulative total currently stands at 12,613,248 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and at least 260,190 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins data. The cases include people from all 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C. and other U.S. territories as well as repatriated citizens.
UPS making dry ice, supplying portable freezers for vaccines
The United Parcel Service (UPS) said it will start making dry ice in its U.S. facilities and will provide portable freezers to aid in the massive distribution efforts for COVID-19 vaccines in the coming months.
The Atlanta-based global shipping and logistics company said it can now produce up to 1,200 lbs of dry ice per hour in its U.S. facilities to support the storage and transportation of cold chain products, such as frozen vaccines, in accordance with manufacturer storage requirements. The increased production also allows UPS to make dry ice available for American and Canadian hospitals, clinics and other points of care requiring dry ice to store vaccines locally.
"Enhancing our dry ice production capabilities increases our supply chain agility and reliability immensely when it comes to handling complex vaccines for our customers," Wes Wheeler, president of UPS's new healthcare logistics unit, said in a statement Tuesday. "Healthcare facilities in Louisville, Dallas and Ontario will ensure we have the capability to produce dry ice to sufficiently pack and replenish shipments as needed to keep products viable and effective."
In addition to dry ice production, UPS is teaming up with Stirling Ultracold, a division of Global Cooling, Inc., to supply portable ultra-low temperature freezers to thermally protect critical vaccines requiring temperatures ranging from -20 to -80 degrees Celsius. The portable freezers will be distributed and used in smaller facilities that need a more permanent solution for longer-term freezer storage.
"This program will help ensure vaccines remain effective next year, and for years to come, as future vaccines and biologics are developed to keep the world healthy and safe," Stirling Ultracold CEO Dusty Tenney said in a statement Tuesday.