Coronavirus updates: Wisconsin declares public health emergency over case 'surge'

Wisconsin is seeing an "alarming increase," especially at colleges.

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 968,000 people worldwide.

Over 31.4 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The criteria for diagnosis -- through clinical means or a lab test -- has varied from country-to-country. Still, the actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks.

The United States is the worst-affected country, with more than 6.8 million diagnosed cases and at least 200,768 deaths.

California has the most cases of any U.S. state, with more than 793,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins data. California is followed by Texas and Florida, with over 741,000 cases and over 687,000 cases, respectively.

Nearly 170 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 are being tracked by the World Health Organization, at least six of which are in crucial phase three trials.


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US coronavirus death toll tops 200,000

The novel coronavirus has now killed 200,000 people in the United States, just eight months after the nation's first confirmed case.

The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 currently stands at 200,005, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

The first case of the novel coronavirus in the United States was reported in a patient in Washington state on Jan. 20, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Four months later, on May 27, the U.S. death toll reached 100,000.

The novel coronavirus has now killed nearly twice as many Americans as the 116,516 who died in World War I, the third-deadliest conflict in the nation's history. More than 400,000 Americans died in World War II, while an estimated 655,000 died in the Civil War.

See this additional ABC News coverage marking the grim milestone:

200,000 Americans have died from coronavirus: A look at that grim milestone in context

As US hits 200,000 COVID-19 deaths, experts warn of growing mental health crisis

We've hit 200,000 COVID-19 deaths in 6 months. What will the next 6 months look like?

200,000 American lives lost from COVID-19: Here's what we've learned

WHO on a coronavirus second wave, lockdowns and how the world responded to the pandemic

200,000 dead: Federal response marked by chaotic messaging, unwarranted optimism

ABC News' Marc Nathanson contributed to this report.


Analysis shows cases rising in at least 33 US states

An ABC News analysis of COVID-19 trends across all 50 U.S. states as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico found there were increases in confirmed cases over the past two weeks in 33 states, the nation's capital and the U.S. island territory in the Caribbean.

The analysis also found increases in the daily positivity rate of COVID-19 tests in 16 states and Washington, D.C., increases in COVID-19 hospitalizations in 17 states as well as in D.C. and Puerto Rico, and increases in daily COVID-19 death tolls in 15 states as well as in Puerto Rico.

The trends were all analyzed from data collected and published by the COVID Tracking Project over the past two weeks, using the linear regression trend line of the seven-day moving average.

The nationwide rise in COVID-19 cases may be correlated to several factors. Although the increase may be partially related to Labor Day festivities, it may also be tied to the virus spreading to communities from outbreaks on college campuses.

Moreover, the rise in new cases may be related to increasing mobility across states and communities. Several states, such as Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Utah, have seen a rise in mobility, according to a tracking tool created by Apple.

ABC News' Benjamin Bell, Brian Hartman, Soorin Kim and Arielle Mitropolous contributed to this report.


Trump falsely claims COVID-19 'affects virtually nobody'

As the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 approaches the 200,000 mark, President Donald Trump has falsely claimed that the novel coronavirus "affects virtually nobody."

He made the comments to a crowd of supporters Tuesday night during a campaign rally in Swanton, Ohio.

"We now know the disease. We didn't know it, now we know it. It affects elderly people -- elderly people with heart problems and other problems. If they have other problems, that's what it really affects -- that's it," Trump claimed.

"You know, in some states, [it affects] thousands of people -- nobody young. Below the age of 18, like, nobody," he continued. "They have a strong immune system, who knows. Take your hat off to the young because they have a hell of an immune system. But it affects virtually nobody. It’s an amazing thing."

Trump's remarks directly contradict what health experts around the world have said journalist Bob Woodward back in March.


UK prime minister says tough new restrictions could stay for 6 months

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday unveiled a slew of tough new measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in England, which he said may need to stay in force for six months.

"I fervently want to avoid taking this step, as do the devolved administrations, but we will only be able to avoid it if our new measures work and our behavior changes," Johnson told members of Parliament in the House of Commons. "We will spare no effort in developing vaccines, treatments, new forms of mass-testing. But unless we palpably make progress, we should assume that the restrictions that I have announced will remain in place for perhaps six months."

Johnson announced a 10 p.m. curfew for all hospitality venues in England starting Thursday. He said pubs, bars and restaurants throughout the country must also operate a table service only, except for takeaways.

Meanwhile, the use of face coverings will be extended to include all users of taxis and private-hire vehicles, all staff in retail, and all employees and customers at indoor hospitality venues except when seated at a table to eat or drink. The prime minister warned that businesses could be fined if they break the new rules.

Johnson also announced that, from Monday, there will be a 15-person limit on the number of attendees allowed at wedding ceremonies and receptions in England, as well as a 30-person cap for all funerals held in the country.

While Johnson said that people who can work from home should again do so, he stressed that his government "will do everything in our power" to keep schools open and children in classrooms.

The prime minister noted that the three other devolved governments of the United Kingdom -- Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales -- would adopt similar measures.

"For the time being, this virus is a fact of our lives," he said, "and I must tell the House and the country that our fight against it will continue."