Coronavirus updates: Clemson's Trevor Lawrence, likely NFL top pick, tests positive
The quarterback will be isolated and not play this weekend.
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1.1 million people worldwide.
Over 44.9 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks. The criteria for diagnosis -- through clinical means or a lab test -- has also varied from country to country.
The United States is the worst-affected nation, with more than 8.9 million diagnosed cases and at least 228,636 deaths.
Nearly 200 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 are being tracked by the World Health Organization, at least 10 of which are in crucial phase three studies. Of those 10 potential vaccines in late-stage trials, there are currently five that will be available in the United States if approved.
Latest headlines:
Utah seeing 'very serious spike'
Utah is “in the middle of a very, very serious spike,” Greg Bell, president and CEO of the Utah Hospital Association, said Thursday.
The state’s seven-day positivity rate has climbed to 18.1%, up from 15% last week, state epidemiologist Angela Dunn said at a news conference.
Utah’s ICUs are 72% full, Dunn said.
“Our hospitals are getting too full to function,” Gov. Gary Herbert warned.
Herbert said gatherings will be limited to 10 people.
“I know you have holidays coming up, Halloween and Thanksgiving … it can be done,” Hebert said. “That will help us get past this surge.”
ABC News’ Bonnie McLean contributed to this report.
Ohio exceeds 3,000 daily cases, another record
Ohio hit another record high number of daily cases on Thursday, with 3,590 more people diagnosed, Gov. Mike DeWine said.
“It’s the first time we’ve surpassed 3,000 [daily] cases -- and 25% more than Saturday’s previous record high,” he tweeted.
Ohio now has over 208,000 COVID-19 cases and at least 5,275 deaths.
"The virus is raging throughout Ohio. There is no place to hide,” DeWine tweeted.
“Today I'm calling on the leaders of each county, each community, in Ohio to come together to create a COVID Defense Team. This is what we need to fight back. It should include commissioners, mayors, hospital leaders, business leaders, religious leaders, health commissioner, etc.,” DeWine continued. “These teams should assess their county's situation, inventory assets, and focus on what steps are needed to turn this around.”
1 boy likely responsible for more than 100 cases at retreat: CDC
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) case study released Thursday found that one ninth grade boy, who tested PCR negative before traveling, likely spread COVID-19 to over 100 people at a boys’ overnight summer school retreat in Wisconsin.
Among the 152 high school aged boys, counselors and staff members, there were 118 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 38 probable cases, the CDC said.
The tightly packed students, in session from July 2 to Aug. 11, didn't wear masks and shared dorms with beds close together.
The ninth grade boy who likely set off the spread had a negative PCR test less than a week before the retreat, but he developed symptoms the day after arriving, according to the CDC. A family member of the boy tested positive while he was at the retreat.
In order to lower the risk in this type of setting, the CDC said it is critical to implement pre-arrival quarantine and testing, symptom monitoring, early identification and isolation of cases, mask use, distancing and enhanced hygiene and disinfection practices.
ABC News’ Eric Strauss contributed to this report.
Hospitals full in Belgian city with 41% infection rate
Liege, Belgium, is emerging as an epicenter of Europe's worsening coronavirus crisis.
In Liege, where there's a roughly 41% infection rate, the local hospital is at full capacity. ICU numbers have tripled in the last three weeks.
A doctor told ABC News that health workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 are still treating patients to keep the hospital system from crashing.
ABC News’ James Longman contributed to this report.
Tents set up at every hospital in El Paso
Hospitals in El Paso, Texas, are setting up tents to deal with the increase in COVID-19 patients as the U.S. sees a surge of new cases across the country.
All hospitals in the city, according to ABC News affiliate KVIA, have now started to build tents as of Wednesday night.
"Our hospitals continue to implement our surge plans to expand capacity to help manage the influx of Covid-19 patients to meet the rapidly expanding needs of El Paso," a Hospitals of Providence spokesperson told the station. "Medical tents will help decompress the Emergency Departments."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also announced on Wednesday that the El Paso Convention Center is being converted into a health care facility to expand hospital capacity in the area. "The State of Texas is also providing local hospitals with auxiliary medical units, medical staffing, and medical equipment," the Texas Division of Emergency Management said.
There were 845 new cases of COVID-29, which brings the city to at least 13,653 active cases as of Wednesday, according to local officials. There were three new deaths, which brings the death toll in El Paso to 583.
The 7-day rate of positivity in El Paso is 15.57%. There are 908 people currently hospitalized with coronavirus in the city, with 223 patients in ICUs and 111 on ventilators. There are 285 ICU beds in total in El Paso.
With the spike in cases in El Paso, city officials asked residents this week to largely stay at home. "For the next two weeks, we are asking you to please stay home unless for essential activities to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and prevent strain on our hospitals."
In Texas, there have been more than 911,000 diagnosed cases since the pandemic began, with at least 18,162 deaths.