The number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. increased dramatically in the past week, according to an internal memo from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services obtained by ABC News Thursday night.

There were 16,237 deaths recorded from Dec. 4-10, marking a 44.3% increase in new deaths compared with the previous seven-day period, the memo said.

There were 1,449,322 new cases confirmed during that period -- a 26.9% increase week-over-week, according to the memo.

Across the country, 30% of hospitals have more than 80% of their intensive care unit beds filled, and 31% of ventilators in use are occupied by COVID-19 patients, HHS said.

Several states are seeing hospital strain.

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Nevada doubled from mid-October to mid-November, and projections show hospital capacity being surpassed in the next 30 days, HHS said.

In Pennsylvania, the seven-day hospitalization rate hit a new four-month peak on Dec. 6, and officials warned that hospitals will be overwhelmed if residents do not take precautions, the memo said.

-ABC News' Josh Margolin

The U.S. had its "worst week yet" during the pandemic in terms of COVID-19 deaths, according to an analysis by the COVID Tracking Project.

The seven-day average of reported deaths per day surpassed 2,000 this week for the first time since the spring. As of Dec. 9, that number was 2,281, a new record.

New COVID-19 deaths also set a record high this week, with 3,088 reported on Thursday.

As the number of new cases and current hospitalizations continue to climb, "the worst is yet to come," the COVID Tracking Project warned.

"Given the rapid increase in the number of new cases, we expect the metrics for hospitalizations and deaths to continue to rise in the coming weeks -- especially if in-person gatherings over Thanksgiving led to increased spread of the novel coronavirus, as public health experts warned," it said.

An independent advisory panel of infectious disease experts, doctors and scientists recommended Thursday that the U.S. government authorize the nation's first vaccine for people over the age of 16.

It's a major milestone in the effort to get the vaccine to hospitals and pharmacies.

After hours of drilling down into data produced from a clinical trial involving 44,000 people, the group of experts -- known as the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee -- voted in favor of the vaccine for people over 16 years of age.

Several members raised concerns about unknowns about the vaccine, including its potential to trigger allergic reactions and little data on how it impacts pregnant women.

Several panel members also expressed concern there wasn't enough data to support giving the vaccines to 16- and 17-year-olds.

At issue was this question: "Based on the totality of scientific evidence available, do the benefits of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine outweigh its risks for use in individuals 16 years of age and older?"

The panel voted 17-4 that the benefits outweighed the risks. One member of the committee abstained.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will now take the committee's input into account in issuing an emergency use authorization.

-ABC News' Anne Flaherty

Indoor dining and gyms will be suspended in Pennsylvania beginning Saturday, Gov. Tom Wolf announced.

Indoor gatherings will be limited to 10 people, he said.

Wolf announced the new restrictions one day after revealing that he tested positive for COVID-19.

Pennsylvania has over 422,000 confirmed cases and has lost at least 12,010 residents to the virus.

Hong Kong has installed vending machines for COVID-19 test kits in 10 subway stations across the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

The regional government said it will be supplying about 10,000 self-administered test kits to the mass transit authority for distribution to the vending machines across all 10 stations daily, according to a press release.

Hongkongers can purchase the kits using their Octopus transit card.

A recent surge in COVID-19 cases has prompted Hong Kong authorities to tighten restrictions, including banning most social gatherings to just two people. Another 95 new cases were confirmed on Sunday, bringing Hong Kong's total to 6,898 cases with at least 112 deaths.