The U.S. recorded more than 486,000 new COVID-19 cases in a day, marking the third straight day of record numbers, according to data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The new data comes as states are going through their huge backlogs of tests taken during the Christmas weekend.

In the last week, the U.S. has reported more than 2.2 million new cases, which averages out to about 220 Americans testing positive for COVID-19 every minute.

The CDC will not be providing new data updates until Jan. 3, due to the New Year's holiday.

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos

Officials from Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services sent a letter to schools across the state urging them to either postpone large gatherings or make them virtual.

"Large gatherings (involving 100 or more people) should be held using remote technology or postponed, if not essential. Large gatherings would include events with large numbers of people from multiple households such as conferences or meetings, sporting events, and concerts," the letter read.

The state also urged schools to require masks for everyone who enters school buildings and to test students regularly.

-ABC News' Will McDuffie

More than 90,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, which is double the number since November, according to a memo from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

On average, more than 9,400 Americans are being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 every day, a 20% increase compared to the last week, HHS said.

The hospitalization numbers are still roughly three-quarters of the same period in 2020, the data showed.

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos and Josh Margolin

Mondli Gungubele, the South Africa's Minister in the Presidency, tweeted some promising updates on the country's current COVID-19 surge.

The country's health department saw a 29.7% decrease in the number of new cases detected in the week ending Dec. 25 compared to the previous week.

"All indicators suggest the country may have passed the peak of the fourth wave at a national level," the minister tweeted.

South Africa was one of the first nations to record the omicron COVID-19 variant and saw cases spike in late November.

The health department said that while the omicron variant is highly transmissible, the country's hospitalization rates were lower than in previous waves.

South African officials announced they will lift several restrictions, including its curfew and crowd limits for indoor and outdoor activities.

-ABC News' Christine Theodorou

The United Kingdom, Italy and Greece broke records on Wednesday for daily new COVID-19 cases, according to government health officials.

The Greek government reported a record increase for new cases for a third consecutive day with 28,828 new cases and 72 COVID-19-related deaths.

About 64.3% of the population is fully vaccinated and 26.5% have received a booster or third dose, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Health Minister Thanos Plevris announced on Wednesday that new restrictions will go into effect on Jan. 3, but Greece's Kathimerini newspaper reported that the government has decided to put them into effect at 6 p.m. local time on Thursday.

Italian health authorities recorded another record increase on Wednesday with 98,0303 new COVID-19 cases and 148 deaths.

Semi-official ANSA reported Wednesday's positivity rate is 9.5% and there are 1,185 patients in ICUs. About 51.7% of Italy's residents are fully vaccinated and 24.9% have received a booster or 3rd dose, per the ECDC.

UK health officials recorded 183,037 new cases and 57 deaths. The record-setting new case number included five days of data from Northern Ireland, which last published data on Dec. 24, according to health officials.

About 82.3% of adults in the UK have received two vaccine doses and 57.5% have received a booster, according to government data.

-ABC News' Christine Theodorou