COVID-19 updates: Elizabeth Warren tests positive
The senator says she's experiencing "mild symptoms."
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.3 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 806,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 61.4% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Latest headlines:
South Africa sees new record case high
South Africa, one of the first countries to detect omicron, reported a record high of 26,976 new cases on Wednesday.
Just 26.09% of South Africa's residents are fully vaccinated, according to Africa CDC.
-ABC News' Christine Theodorou
George Washington University cancels events, moves exams online
George Washington University is joining Princeton, Cornell and NYU by canceling all events and moving exams online.
George Washington officials said there's "a significant increase" in cases, and while people are not severely sick, "it is critical that we act to limit the further spread."
-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart
Fenway Park to reopen as booster site
Boston's historic baseball stadium Fenway Park, which transformed into a mass vaccination site last winter, is expected to reopen its doors as a booster shot location in January, Red Sox officials told ABC News.
The Red Sox are working with the city and the governor's office to finalize the plans, Red Sox spokeswoman Zineb Curran said.
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos
Fauci says if we didn't have the tools, he'd be way more worried about omicron
Asked how worried Americans should be about omicron and a post-holiday surge, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that if we didn't have vaccines, boosters and masks he'd "really be worried."
"But we have tools. So get vaccinated, get boosted," Fauci said at Wednesday's White House COVID-19 briefing.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the agency expects to see omicron continue to grow.
"What does this mean for individuals and families as we head into the winter months? A time when families may be gathering with one another over the holidays? It means that it is vital for everyone to get vaccinated and boosted if they are eligible," Walensky said.
White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients added, "We're not going to shut down our economy in any way. We're going to keep our schools and our businesses open."
-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett
CDC recommends opting for Pfizer or Moderna over J&J when there's a choice
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has signed off on its advisory committee's recommendation that people who have a choice should get an mRNA vaccine, either Pfizer or Moderna, over the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The updated recommendation comes after a review of new CDC data on rare blood clots linked to the J&J vaccine.
"Today's updated recommendation emphasizes CDC's commitment to provide real-time scientific information to the American public," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. "I continue to encourage all Americans to get vaccinated and boosted."