COVID-19 updates: LA has highest daily death total since April
There are over 4,300 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Los Angeles County.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.5 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 849,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 62.9% 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:
- LA has 66 COVID deaths in 1 day, highest daily death total since April
- Cloth masks provide 'least protection,' CDC says
- Free test website to launch Wednesday
- Hospitalizations and pediatric hospitalizations at all-time highs
- Over 200 scientists, doctors sign letter in support of Fauci
- Biden: White House now trying to acquire 1 billion tests
Maine, Massachusetts activate more National Guard members
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said he's activating 500 more National Guard members to support the state's strained health care system.
Baker had activated 250 National Guard members when students returned to classrooms in the fall to help with school transportation, ABC Boston affiliate WCVB reported.
In Maine, Gov. Janet Mills is activating up to 169 National Guard members to help overrun hospitals, ABC affiliate WMTW reported. Maine hit a hospitalization record Monday with over 400 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, according to WMTW.
New Orleans reinstates mask mandate ahead of Mardi Gras
New Orleans will reinstate its indoor mask mandate beginning Wednesday as the city gears up for Mardi Gras celebrations.
Masks will be required in restaurants, bars, gyms, entertainment venues and public transportation.
About 64.6% of New Orleans residents are fully vaccinated, according to the city.
People 5 and older must show proof of vaccination or a negative test to access indoor restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, bowling alleys, indoor playgrounds, arcades and similar settings.
Omicron estimated to account for 98% of new US cases: CDC
Omicron is estimated to account for 98.3% of new cases in the U.S. as of Jan. 8, according to new data released by CDC Tuesday. (These figures are calculated using modeling and may not be exact.)
Delta now accounts for only 1.7% of new cases nationally, forecasters estimate.
In three areas of the country -- the deep South, the Southeast and the New York/New Jersey region -- omicron is estimated to account for more than 99% of new cases.
In early December, omicron was estimated to account for just 0.6% of all new cases.
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos
White House limiting gatherings to 30 people due to omicron
The White House has been limiting its in-person gatherings to 30 people "over the last several weeks" due to the omicron surge, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
“We wear masks in the West Wing at all times, including in your office, unless you're in your office alone,” Psaki said.
-ABC News' Ben Gittleson
Over 65,000 Los Angeles public school staff and students test positive for COVID-19
More than 65,000 public school staff and students in Los Angeles have tested positive for COVID-19 as the nation's second-largest school district returns to classrooms on Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Unified School District is requiring all employees and students to get tested for COVID-19 before returning for the Spring semester. Staff headed back to campuses on Monday, while the first day of classes for students was pushed back to Tuesday.
As of Monday evening, 424,230 employees and students have been tested and 65,630 were positive for the virus. The student positivity rate stands at 16.6% and the employee positivity rate stands at 14.9%, according to data released by the Los Angeles Unified School District.
"Our positivity rate remains lower than the overall county positivity rate as a result of our heightened safety measures and the continued partnership of families and employees," the school district said in a statement Monday evening.
Since the start of the pandemic, Los Angeles County has reported a total of more than 2 million cases of COVID-19, with a positivity rate of 21.4%, according to data released Monday evening by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.