COVID-19 updates: Classes in Chicago canceled for 4th day
Chicago Public Schools has been in talks with teachers over COVID-19 safety.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 837,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 62.5% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Latest headlines:
- 1 in 5 Americans have tested positive for COVID-19
- Half of NYC COVID hospitalized patients were admitted for other reasons
- COVID vaccines can cause temporary menstrual cycle changes: Study
- CDC director responds to criticism of COVID-19 guidance
- Florida allowed up to 1 million COVID-19 tests to expire, official says
About 126,000 Americans hospitalized with COVID-19
An estimated 126,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Of those patients, about one-sixth -- or 21,000 -- are in intensive care units.
The spread of the omicron variant is pushing the U.S. closer to the hospitalization record set last winter when 140,000 patients with the virus were hospitalized .
Meanwhile, the country is averaging 554,000 new COVID-19 cases every day, a five-fold increase from a month ago, federal data shows.
Over the last week, the U.S. has reported about 3.88 million COVID-19 infections, which averages out to about six Americans testing positive every second.
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos
More than 800 LA firefighters, police officers test positive
More than 800 staff members at fire and police departments in Los Angeles have tested positive for COVID-19, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Thursday.
Currently, 505 police officers and 299 firefighters are quarantining after receiving positive results.
"These are big numbers. Numbers that are reflecting the staffing challenges that all of us face," Garcetti said during a press conference outside a fire station.
He added that five out of six employees in both departments are fully vaccinated, complying with the vaccine mandate set in place for city employees.
Garcetti said that despite the number of officers and firefighters absent from work, the city is still protected.
“Both LAPD and LAFD have maintained staffing levels that are needed to keep Angelenos safe, and we have maintained staffing levels to make sure you, your family, our communities are safe," he said.
WHO says global cases increased by 71% last week
Global cases of COVID-19 "increased sharply," the World Health Organization wrote in its weekly epidemiological update published Thursday.
Cases of the virus increased 71% during the week ending Jan. 2 compared to the previous week, meaning there were 9.5 million new infections of COVID-19 reported around the world, according to the WHO.
The Americas saw the largest increase at 100% followed by Southeast Asia at 78% and Europe at 63%.
The United States saw the most COVID-19 cases last week followed by the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy.
The WHO added that there was a 10% decrease in the number of new deaths compared to the week prior with more than 41,000 virus-related fatalities recorded.
1.3 million people in UK have long COVID, data shows
An estimated 1.3 million people in the United Kingdom are suffering from long COVID, according to new data published Thursday by the UK's Office for National Statistics.
Long COVID is a condition in which patients who recover from the virus still experience symptoms for weeks -- or even months or years -- later.
The ONS said the figure, which is based on self-reported symptoms, equates to 2% of the population living with long COVID.
Fatigue was the most common symptom, reported by 51% of those surveyed. Other common symptoms included loss of smell (37%), shortness of breath (36%) and difficulty concentrating (28%).
About 64% said their long COVID symptoms made it difficult for them to carry out day-to-day activities.
Long COVID was most commonly reported in those between ages 35 and 69, females, people living in poorer areas or those working in health care or education, according to the ONS.
US reports record 325,000 new pediatric COVID infections last week
A record 325,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 last week amid the nation's most significant COVID-19 infection surge yet, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association.
Children accounted for about 17.4% of last week's reported COVID-19 cases, down from previous weeks, when children accounted for more than a quarter of all new cases.
A total of nearly 7.9 million children have tested positive for the virus, since the onset of the pandemic.
ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos