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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Disneyland opens as mass vaccination site

Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, opened as a mass COVID-19 vaccination site Wednesday.

About 3,000 people were expected to receive the vaccine on the first day, with about an hour-and-a-half wait time, county officials said. The site ultimately should be able to vaccinate over 7,000 people a day, Orange County First District Chairman Andrew Do said at a press briefing.

Vaccinations are by appointment only. Those without an appointment and proper identification will be turned away, the Orange County Health Care Agency warned repeatedly on Twitter Wednesday.

Over 10,000 people signed up for a slot within two hours of online registration opening on Tuesday, officials said. Disneyland has been closed to parkgoers since last spring.

Other mass vaccination sites are slated to open in the hard-hit state, including Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and Cal Expo in Sacramento. Petco Park in San Diego also opened earlier this week as a vaccination site.

People in Phase 1A -- health care workers and long-term care residents -- currently have the highest priority to receive vaccines in California.

On Wednesday, the state announced that people 65 and older are also now eligible, in an effort to help speed up vaccine distribution.

The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of ABC News.

ABC News Abigail Shalawylo contributed to this report.


COVID cases at lowest levels in children: CDC

COVID-19 cases continue to be significantly lower in younger kids, even as some went back to school in-person, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The incidence of COVID-19 in children, particularly those ages 0 to 10, has been lower than that of young adults and adults throughout the entire second half of 2020, according to the CDC. The incidence of COVID-19 cases in kids was higher as the age increased.

While older teenagers and young adults saw a surge of cases near the beginning of the school year, this was not seen in younger kids, "suggesting that young adults might contribute more to community transmission than do younger children," the report said.

Children also had significantly lower rates of hospitalizations, intensive care unit stays and death than adults, the study found.

Fewer COVID-19 tests are performed on children, so the actual incidence may be higher than the data that's available.

Teacher and school employee transmission risk also were not included in the data.

The CDC continues to recommend strict mitigation strategies to prevent transmission in schools that are in-person.

-ABC News' Dr. Rose Marie Leslie


Texas sets daily record for COVID-19 fatalities 

Texas reported a record number of daily COVID-19 fatalities on Wednesday.

There were 405 new deaths, based on state health department data.

The state also reported 26,808 new and probable cases and 14,106 current hospitalizations.

Late Tuesday, Texas became the second state to cross 2 million diagnosed cases of COVID-19, following California.


California, New Jersey expand vaccine eligibility

California and New Jersey officials on Wednesday announced new groups eligible for the vaccine.

In New Jersey, beginning Thursday, all residents ages 65 and above will be eligible, as well as people between the ages of 16 and 64 with medical conditions defined by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention that increase risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

“This is folks with chronic, real-time health challenges,” Gov. Phil Murphy said.

The CDC defines those as: cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant, obesity and severe obesity, sickle cell disease, smoking, type 2 diabetes mellitus, pregnancy and heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies.

"Smoking puts you at significant risk for an adverse result from COVID-19 and there are 2 million smokers in New Jersey that fit into this category," said Commissioner of the Department of Health, Judy Persichilli.

In California, people ages 65 and older are the next group eligible to get vaccinated.

“With our hospitals crowded and ICUs full, we need to focus on vaccinating Californians who are at highest risk of becoming hospitalized to alleviate stress on our health care facilities,” Dr. Tomás Aragón, director of the California Department of Public Health and State Public Health Officer, said in a statement.

ABC News' Eric Strauss 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.