COVID updates: Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin tests positive
He said he has mild symptoms and will be quarantining for five days.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 825,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 62% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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CDC shortens recommended isolation time for some infected patients
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday afternoon it will shorten the recommended isolation time for some people infected with COVID-19.
Patients who are asymptomatic will have to isolate for five days, followed by five days of wearing a mask around others, under the new guidance. Previously, the isolation period was 10 days for everyone.
Individuals who have received their booster shot do not need to quarantine following an exposure, but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure, the CDC said.
"The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society. CDC’s updated recommendations for isolation and quarantine balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.
Much of Texas runs out of monoclonal antibody treatment
The Texas Department of State Health Services announced Monday that centers in Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, San Antonio and The Woodlands ran out of sotrovimab, the monoclonal antibody effective against the COVID-19 omicron variant.
The federal government won't be able to ship more supplies of the treatment until January, the department said.
Those centers will still be able to provide monoclonal treatment for any patient who hasn't contracted the omicron variant, according to the department.
France to require employees to work from home 3 days a week
French Prime Minister Jean Castex and Health Minister Olivier Véran announced a host of new measures Monday to combat the rising COVID-19 cases.
The country has recorded 30,383 cases in the last 24 hours, according to officials.
Starting Jan. 3, all companies will be required to have their employees work from home at least three days a week, when possible.
France will also limit large indoor gatherings 2,000 people and outdoor gatherings to 5,000.
Officials also announced a ban on eating and drinking in movie theaters and on public transportation. The new measures will be in effect for at least three weeks, officials said.
-ABC News' Ibtissem Guenfoud
Pediatric hospitalizations in US rising to highest levels since fall
Pediatric hospitalizations for COVID-19 in the U.S. are surging to their highest levels since early September.
Across the country, almost 2,000 children are hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of the virus, according to federal data.
This is a roughly 60% from one month ago.
On average, about 260 children are being admitted to the hospital each day.
On a state level, more children are hospitalized with COVID-19 in New York than in any other state in the U.S.
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos
US marks 3rd day of record new COVID-19 cases
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