'Steady increase' in vaccines in past month, White House says

The U.S. saw its largest single-day increase in nearly nine months Friday.

The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.

More than 613,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and over 4.2 million people have died worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 57.9% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC on Tuesday, citing new science on the transmissibility of the delta variant, changed its mask guidance to now recommend everyone in areas with substantial or high levels of transmission -- vaccinated or not -- wear a face covering in public, indoor settings.


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Disney World brings back indoor mask requirement for all guests

Masks once again will be required while indoors at Disney World, regardless of vaccination status, the company announced Wednesday, as Florida has quickly become a COVID-19 hotspot.

Starting Friday, face coverings will be required for all guests ages 2 and up while indoors, including upon entering and throughout all attractions.

They are also required while riding Disney transportation.

Masks are still optional in outdoor common areas, the company said.

The theme park had initially dropped its mask requirement for vaccinated guests last month.

The updated rule will also go into effect Friday at Disneyland in California.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.


Atlanta to require masks indoors

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued an order Wednesday requiring everyone to wear masks indoors in public places, as the city is experiencing "substantial" COVID-19 transmission.

"Public health experts overwhelmingly agree, and data has proved, that wearing a face covering helps slow the spread of this deadly virus," Bottoms said in a statement. “As COVID-19 rates increase, we must remain vigilant, wear a mask, follow CDC guidelines and other measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our communities."

The order includes exceptions while eating and drinking and for children under the age of 10, among others. It does not say those who have been vaccinated are exempt.

Those who continue to fail to comply after an initial warning could face up to a $50 civil penalty, according to the order. 


The city's order comes as Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp took to Twitter Wednesday to say he won't issue a statewide mask mandate and urged people to "get vaccinated as quickly as possible." Just over 45% of Georgia residents ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last year, Kemp, a Republican, filed a lawsuit against Bottoms, a Democrat, for requiring face coverings and other pandemic measures that were more restrictive than his own executive orders. The lawsuit was eventually dropped.


Defense Department to require masks in Pentagon

The Department of Defense said Wednesday that, effective immediately, masks are required for everyone in the Pentagon, regardless of vaccination status.

The updated mask guidance applies to all service members, federal employees, onsite contractor employees and visitors to "installations and other facilities owned, leased or otherwise controlled by DoD in the Pentagon Reservation," the department said in a statement.

The Department of Defense had said on May 14 that fully vaccinated people no longer needed to wear masks at any of its facilities.


CDC predicts increase in cases, hospitalizations, deaths

In its weekly virus forecast, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that U.S. COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions and daily deaths will increase over the next four weeks.

Daily fatalities have increased by 30.7% in the last week.

Over 32,000 patients are now hospitalized across the country with COVID-19, a 43.2% jump in the last week. One month ago, just under 12,000 COVID-19 patients were receiving care across the country.

-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos


Delta variant leaves vaccinated, unvaccinated with similarly high viral loads: CDC 

Data shows that the delta variant leaves vaccinated and unvaccinated people with similarly high viral loads, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement Friday. 

"High viral loads suggest an increased risk of transmission and raised concern that, unlike with other variants, vaccinated people infected with Delta can transmit the virus," Walensky said.

"This finding is concerning and was a pivotal discovery leading to CDC’s updated mask recommendation" this week, Walensky said.

-ABC News’ Sony Salzman