COVID-19 updates: Classes in Chicago canceled for 4th day
Chicago Public Schools has been in talks with teachers over COVID-19 safety.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 837,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 62.5% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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UK records more than 200,000 COVID cases
The United Kingdom recorded more than 200,000 cases of COVID-19, according to the UK Health Security Agency.
The 218,724 new infections is the highest figure ever reported in a single day and an increase of nearly 60% from the number of cases reported on the same day last week.
However, there has been a backlog of data due to the holiday weekend so the number includes four days of data from Northern Ireland and two days of data from Wales, the UKHSA said.
-ABC News' Mike Trew
Sen. Rob Portman tests positive for COVID
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, tested positive for COVID-19 last night, according to a press release.
Portman took an at-home COVID test which came back positive. The senator said he is asymptomatic and feels fine.
"I have been in contact with the Attending Physician and my personal doctor. I am following their medical advice and following CDC guidelines and isolating for the recommended five days," Portman said in the statement.
He will be working remotely this week, but will not be able to be in Washington, D.C., for votes.
Sweden's King and Queen test positive for COVID-19
Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia tested positive for COVID-19 last night, according to a palace statement.
Both are fully vaccinated and have received a third booster shot.
The king and queen said they have mild symptoms and are feeling well, in the statement.
They are isolating at home and contact tracing is ongoing.
US reports 1 million daily COVID cases after holiday backlog
More than 1 million new COVID-19 cases were reported in the United States on Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The 1,082,549 new infections were about double last week's record daily cases, according to the university's data. This is likely due to a reporting backlog of cases from holiday testing.
The US recorded 1,688 deaths related to COVID-19 on Monday, below the record high of 4,442, set on Jan. 20, 2021, according to the university's data.
COVID vaccines not linked to premature births: CDC study
COVID-19 vaccines do not increase the risk of premature or low-weight birth among babies born to pregnant vaccinated women compared with those born to unvaccinated women, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Tuesday.
Researchers from Yale looked at electronic health data from more than 40,000 pregnant women from the CDC's Vaccine Safety Datalink.
There were 7.0 premature births for every 100,000 babies born among unvaccinated women compared to 4.9 births per 100,000 for babies born to women who received a COVID vaccine while pregnant.
Additionally, rates of low-birth weight were 8.2 per 100,000 in both the unvaccinated and vaccinated groups.
The team said the findings add to a growing body of evidence that getting vaccinated against COVID is safe for pregnant people and for their babies.
Pregnant women are at increased risk for severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19, but only 40% have been vaccinated, CDC data shows.