Unvaccinated people 11 times more likely to die in COVID-19 delta surge
The unvaccinated were six times more likely to get the virus in August.
The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.
More than 722,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.8 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Just 66.5% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.
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CDC advising states to preorder Pfizer's vaccine for young children
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising states to order Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine doses for children ages 5 to 11 ahead of a vote on its authorization.
An independent Food and Drug Administration advisory panel is scheduled to discuss the vaccine on Oct. 26, and a vote is expected soon after. In planning documents posted by the CDC, the agency is advising states to order their doses in advance of the meeting, with preorders starting Oct. 20.
This is meant to "ensure that vaccine can be placed in many locations nationwide, making it easier for children to get vaccinated" and "allow for a manageable and equitable launch," the CDC said.
A decision from the CDC on recommending the vaccine is not likely until early November; the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3.
-ABC News' Sasha Pezenik
FDA panel votes in support of authorizing Moderna booster
The independent FDA advisory panel on Thursday voted unanimously to authorize Moderna vaccine boosters for Americans 65 and older, anyone 18 and older with underlying conditions and those frequently exposed to the virus through work or home life.
The recommendation is in line with what the FDA and CDC authorized for Pfizer booster shots last month.
The FDA panel will meet on Friday on J&J boosters. Following next week's meetings from the CDC’s independent advisory group, Moderna and J&J boosters could be authorized and recommended for specific populations as soon as Oct. 22.
-ABC News' Sasha Pezenik, Cheyenne Haslett
White House to donate 17 million J&J doses to African Union
When President Joe Biden meets with his Kenyan counterpart in the Oval Office Thursday, he'll announce a one-time donation of over 17 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the African Union. This is in addition to the 50 million doses the U.S. has already donated to the African Union.
"We are hopeful this donation will help AU countries build vaccination programs and get shots into arms," the White House said.
The doses will ship immediately.
-ABC News' Sarah Kolinovsky
Region sees hospitalizations at highest point in nearly 10 months
Alaska currently has the country's highest infection rate, followed by Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, West Virginia and Idaho, according to federal data.
In the Department of Health and Human Services' Mountain Region – which includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming -- hospital admissions are at their highest point in nearly 10 months, according to federal data.
In the last five weeks, Michigan daily cases have nearly doubled and Minnesota daily cases have nearly tripled, according to federal data.
In New Hampshire and Vermont, daily cases are up by 40% and 43% respectively in the last month.
Over the last month, the U.S. has reported more than 47,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, including nearly 9,000 deaths recorded in the last week, according to federal data.
But hospital admissions have dropped by about 9.2% in the last week.
-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos