Coronavirus updates: US will soon have 'half a million' deaths, incoming CDC chief says

The U.S. is forecast to have almost 500,000 COVID-19 deaths by mid-February.

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 94.2 million people worldwide and killed over 2 million of them, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.


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US could see up to 477,000 COVID-19 deaths by Feb. 6

This week’s national ensemble forecast released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that 16,200 to 29,600 more Americans will likely die from COVID-19 in the week ending Feb. 2.

The national ensemble estimates a total of 440,000 to 477,000 deaths from the disease will be reported nationwide by that date.


Nearly all US metro areas 'in full resurgence': White House task force

Nearly all U.S. metro areas with over 500,000 people are in "full resurgence" of COVID-19, the White House coronavirus task force said in its latest report, obtained by ABC News Wednesday.

In the report, dated Jan. 10, the task force said the fall/winter surge has had nearly twice the rate of rise in COVID-19 cases as the spring and summer surges.

Several states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico and South Carolina, are also in "full pandemic resurgence," the report stated.

Only "aggressive mitigation" can "match a more aggressive virus," and Americans must take more precautions, "moving beyond what worked in the summer to more layered mitigation," the report stated.

The task force recommended uniform mask implementation and "strict physical distancing." Without that, "epidemics could quickly worsen as more transmissible variants spread and become predominant," it warned.

ABC News' Josh Margolin and Brian Hartman contributed to this report.


US daily deaths from COVID-19 surpass 4,000 for 2nd straight day

The United States registered an additional 4,022 deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to data collected by The COVID Tracking Project, a volunteer-run effort to track the U.S. outbreak.

That marks the second day in a row that the country's daily COVID-19 death toll crossed 4,000, and the third time since Jan. 7, according to The COVID Tracking Project.

The seven-day average of COVID-19 deaths is up by 10% or more in 26 U.S. states as of Wednesday, compared to the previous week, according to The COVID Tracking Project.

The U.S. also confirmed 219,090 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, while 130,383 people remained hospitalized with the disease, according to The COVID Tracking Project.


Mississippi runs out of COVID-19 vaccine supply

Mississippi has allotted its entire supply of COVID-19 vaccines and doesn't expect more doses until mid-February, the state health department announced Wednesday.

"Neither the county health department drive-through sites, nor the [University of Mississippi Medical Center] vaccine scheduling website was designed to accommodate the monumental surge we are currently experiencing," the Mississippi State Department of Health said in a statement. "At this time, we have no additional vaccine, and every appointment is tied to an actual vaccination."

New appointments are expected to resume after an anticipated vaccine resupply in mid-February, the department said.

On Tuesday, the state opened vaccine eligibility to people ages 65 and older and those with certain chronic health conditions, which led to an influx of calls to the state's COVID-19 hotline, officials said. Previously, vaccinations were prioritized for health care workers, long-term care residents and those over the age of 75.

"We decided to open vaccines to many more people. We knew it would cause a rush, but believe it is more fair than having government arbitrarily limit access," Gov. Tate Reeves said on Twitter Wednesday evening.

As of Tuesday, the state had administered 62,744 vaccinations over the last four weeks, Reeves said during a press briefing.

ABC News' Will Gretsky contributed to this report.


Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club warned about mask violations, could face future fines

Weeks after video emerged of mostly maskless partygoers at U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, county officials are cracking down.

Palm Beach County sent a letter this week, acquired by ABC News, warning the club and saying officials had met with representatives from the club about violations. Masks are mandatory in the county in all businesses or establishments, and anywhere in public social distancing cannot be maintained. The mandate is currently in place through Jan. 20 -- the same day the county's most famous resident will be exiting the White House.

"Thank you for meeting with us last week to discuss the concerning allegations regarding the Mar a Lago New Year's Eve party and lack of facial coverings being worn during evening activities," the county wrote in the letter addressed to Bernd Lembcke, executive vice president and managing director of Mar-a-Lago Club.

"We recount that you provided masks for all party goers who attended the party and that you provided additional masks for those that walked from the reception area to the main dining ballroom," the letter continued. "Although you provided these important steps, it seemed that based on the video evidence, there was a breakdown in enforcement of the mask orders that led to almost the entire room of guests being without masks during the later evening activities."

The letter also includes a confirmation of the violation, which is a first-time warning, that lays out a fine of up to $15,000 for each potential future violation.

Trump has consistently downplayed wearing masks over the course of the entire pandemic. Despite telling people to wear masks on occasion at official briefings, he also mocked others for wearing them, including President-elect Joe Biden. Many supporters have decried mandates and openly flouted rules, including maskless Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol last week.

ABC News' Will Gretsky contributed to this report.