Coronavirus updates: US reports nearly 300,000 new cases in all-time high
A staggering 299,087 new cases were confirmed over the past 24 hours.
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 84.6 million people worldwide and killed over 1.8 million of them, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Latest headlines:
UNC Health acquires 725 COVID-19 vaccines meant for Orange County health department
UNC Health of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, confirmed it acquired 725 COVID vaccines origanally intended for the Orange County health department on Thursday night, WTVD reported.
In an emailed statement, the Orange County health department said, "UNC Health was notified that Orange County had a number of vaccine vials available for immediate use.
"UNC Health worked closely with Orange County to ensure that all of the vaccines would be used with zero waste and that all of these shots would go to either Phase 1-A personnel or staff who work with COVID-19 patients in some capacity.
"This cooperation was a success, and all of the available stock was used appropriately."
-ABC News' Joshua Hoyos
Florida mayors reportedly frustrated over inability to mandate masks
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis won’t allow local governments to enforce their mask mandates, causing frustration among some mayors, reported WPLG.
“We can give out citations and we can urge people and we can give out masks, and we’ve given out thousands, but we don’t have the ability to mandate it in any way that’s effective,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber told WPLG.
“He continues to say that we don’t want the federal government to tell us what to do, states are better because it should be local controlled,” said Broward County Mayor Steve Geller. “But when we here in Broward are asking for local control, we’re not getting it."
-ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway
US hospitalizations over 100,000 for 31 straight days
Since U.S. hospitalizations surpassed 100,000 back on Dec. 2, the nation has had 31 straight days of patients hospitalized with coronavirus over that figure -- according to data from The COVID Tracking Project.
Current hospitalizations have been over 125,000 for the last three days.
-ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway
Virginia state senator dies of COVID-19
A Virginia state senator has died of the coronavirus, officials announced.
State Sen. Ben Chafin, 60, was hospitalized for the last two weeks with the virus, according to a press release. The Republican lawmaker had served in the state Senate since 2014. He is survived by his wife and three children, according to his office.
Gov. Ralph Northam ordered the Virginia state flag to be lowered immediately over the state Capitol and remain at half staff until Chafin's internment.
"This is sad news to begin a new year with the loss of a kind and gracious man. May we all recommit to taking extra steps to care for one another," the governor said in a statement.
-ABC News' Greg Bradbury contributed to this report.
More cases of new COVID-19 variant detected in California
Three new cases of the new COVID-19 variant first identified in the U.K. were reported by health officials in San Diego Thursday, leading them to believe there's community-wide transmission of the new variant in the area.
The new variant, known as B. 1.1.7., has also been detected in Colorado and Florida, and is believed to be more transmissible than the old variant, but not thought to be more deadly.
"We believe that many more cases of the B. 1.1.7. strain will be confirmed in the coming days and weeks," Dr. Eric McDonald, medical director of epidemiology and immunizations services at the country health department, said in a statement.
-ABC News' Jenna Harrison contributed to this report.