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.


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US cases up 45% in the last month

The U.S. is now reporting nearly 118,000 new cases each day -- up by 45% in the last month, according to federal data.

Daily COVID-19-related hospital admissions have leapt by 46% in the last month.

Maine and New Hampshire are now averaging more new cases than at any other point in the pandemic, according to federal data.

New Hampshire currently holds the nation's highest case rate, followed by Rhode Island, Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos


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


NYC gearing up for surge in cases: Mayor

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that the city will have to brace for a jump in COVID-19 cases as the omicron variant continues to spread.

"We expect omicron to be a fast and temporary phenomenon. We expect these next weeks to see a very, very big surge in the number of cases, more than we've seen previously," he said during a news conference Sunday.

Roughly 162 patients were confirmed positive in the hospital, the mayor said. Hospitalizations have gone up, but not at the rate health officials were expecting.

"It will undoubtly grow a bit," de Blasio said.

The city recorded 5,731 new cases of COVID-19 Sunday.

The mayor urged New Yorkers to get vaccinated and to get their booster shots. The city's health department said as of Sunday 71% of all residents are fully vaccinated.

De Blasio also recommended that people wear masks indoors.

The city will focus on vaccination efforts for children and to increase booster access in nursing homes, he said.

At-home testing kits will be handed out at high volume testing sites, according to the mayor.