The United States has reported more than 2,000 deaths from Covid-19 today, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The country has reported at least 2,081 new fatalities so far on Tuesday.
This is the 21st time that the US has added more than 2,000 new deaths in a day. These are the highest new death numbers the US has seen since May.
Per JHU data, the US has also reported at least 169,766 new infections so far today, bringing the nationwide total to 12,587,994 confirmed cases and at least 259,860 virus-related fatalities.
The FDA won’t authorize a vaccine just "on the basis of a press release," commissioner says
From CNN Health’s Lauren Mascarenhas
A health worker injects a person during clinical trials for a Covid-19 vaccine at Research Centers of America in Hollywood, Florida, on Sept. 9, 2020. Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images
While the efficacy results recently reported by coronavirus vaccine makers are impressive, “the FDA doesn't authorize vaccines or approve any medical product, just on the basis of a press release,” Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, said Tuesday.
Pfizer submitted an application to the FDA last Friday requesting emergency use authorization of its coronavirus vaccine. So far, it’s released data only in a news release, but says the vaccine was 95% effective in preventing infection.
“Our scientists are going to pour over the data -- and remember, this is a study of over 44,000 individuals -- so we're going to look at all the patient data and be very careful about number crunching to make sure that we agree with the conclusion regarding safety and efficacy,” Hahn told South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott in an interview posted to Instagram.
The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will meet on Dec. 10 to discuss the data. Hahn said the public will be able to watch the meeting virtually, and a summary of the data will be available online.
“That committee is going to report back to us, and then after we hear their recommendations, we're going to move forward,” he said.
Hahn emphasized the FDA will not hesitate to make a decision “either up or down” based on the information available.
"We're going to use that process for every other application that comes forward, no matter what," he added.
7:55 p.m. ET, November 24, 2020
US sets record for Covid-19 hospitalizations
From CNN’s Virginia Langmaid
Medical staff members treat a patient suffering from the coronavirus disease in the Covid-19 intensive care unit at the United Memorial Medical Center on November 19 in Houston. Go Nakamura/Getty Images
The United States set a record for the number of people currently hospitalized with Covid-19 on Tuesday, according to the Covid Tracking Project.
As of Tuesday, 88,080people are currently hospitalized with Covid-19, according to CTP. This is the highest number of Covid-19 hospitalizations the nation has ever experienced.
According to CTP data, the highest hospitalization numbers are:
Nov. 24: 88,080
Nov. 23: 85,836
Nov. 22: 83,779
Nov. 21: 83,232
Nov. 20: 82,150
7:37 p.m. ET, November 24, 2020
Los Angeles County reports highest number of Covid-19 deaths in months amid alarming surge
From CNN's Jon Passantino
Los Angeles County is reporting the highest number of coronavirus-related deaths in more than two months, an alarming new toll as the region sees an unprecedented surge of new infections ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported 51 new deaths on Tuesday, the highest number since Sep. 9. The number of people hospitalized with coronavirus has also nearly doubled in the last two weeks, with 1,575 now being treated. More than a quarter of those hospitalized are in intensive care.
“Covid-19 hospitalizations continue to accelerate at alarming speed,” the health department said in a statement, urging residents in the nation’s most populous county to only leave home for essential needs.
The toll comes a day after the county reported its highest daily number of new infections since the start of the pandemic and as officials order all restaurants to close outdoor dining starting Wednesday evening to curb spread of the virus. The county is also planning to issue a new stay-home order in the coming days.
“People mixing with others not in their household has driven the Covid-19 pandemic in L.A. County to dangerous levels,” County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “Because L.A. County reached a five-day average case rate over 4,500 new cases, Public Health is working with the Board of Supervisors on additional safety measures to reduce transmission of the virus.”
7:23 p.m. ET, November 24, 2020
Gyms and indoor dining likely to close again in New York City, mayor says
From CNN's Josiah Ryan
People wearing masks walk by people dining at a restaurant in the Meatpacking district on November 21 in New York City. Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images
More restrictions are likely returning to New York City, including restaurant and gym closures, as the coronavirus crisis deepens, Mayor Bill de Blasio warned today.
"In the next week or two we should see some substantial restrictions," he told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "I think indoor dining will be closed. Gyms will be closed. I'm not happy about it. No one is happy about it but that's what's coming."
De Blasio, who has taken a criticism for opening the city's public schools in the fall, only to close them again this week, said his administration is working on a plan to reopen but that it will take “immense logistical effort" and a lot more testing.
“I know we can come back," he said. "It’s going to take a lot of testing, but we’re going to come back."
6:29 p.m. ET, November 24, 2020
White House testing czar: US faces "dangerous point" in pandemic
From CNN's Josiah Ryan
CNN
Adm. Brett Giroir, the White House's coronavirus testing czar, today warned that as winter approaches, the US faces a perilous moment in the pandemic, but he emphasized the worst outcomes could be avoided if Americans take proper precautions.
The US is at a "critical and very dangerous point in this pandemic where cases are rising in nearly every jurisdiction and our hospital capacity is ... really getting challenged by this," Giroir told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
"It does not have to be this way," he continued, recommending physical distancing, the universal wearing of masks in public spaces, proper hygiene and frequent testing. "…If you don't do those simple things all those [worst] statistics are going to be be a reality."
"It's a dangerous situation ... but it's reversible," he added.
Giroir, the assistant secretary for health at the US Department of Health and Human Services, also discussed the White House coronavirus task force's consideration of whether to reduce the recommended quarantine period from 14 days, saying Americans are more likely to abide by a shorter quarantine.
"People are much more likely to listen to a 10-day quarantine than they are a 14-day quarantine, so if we can shorten it safely with no risk ... that might actually improve our public health responses."
"We are looking at it ... It's not an announcement that it's happening ... it may change but it may not," he said.
Watch:
6:11 p.m. ET, November 24, 2020
Almost all US Navy installations across US are raising their health protection measures due to Covid-19
From CNN's Barbara Starr
Almost all US Navy installations in the continental US are having their health protection measures against Covid-19 tightened Tuesday to protect the force and military families, according to a US Navy official.
All but the Naval Air Station at Fallon in the remote Nevada desert will institute stronger measures at Health Protection Condition Level Charlie just one step below the most stringent level.
While commanders can make detailed decisions about their bases, under the so-called “Charlie” measures now imposed on naval installations, schools, daycare and community activities may be canceled. It also introduces travel restrictions and more personnel may be ordered to work from home. Additionally family activities may be restricted to homes for a prolonged period of time.
The Pentagon and military facilities in the Washington, DC, are also seeing some increased restrictions due to the rise in cases in northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC. Those restrictions call for a resumption in increased teleworking, smaller group gatherings and restricted dining in facilities.
There are now approximately 400 active duty military medical personnel on “prepare to deploy” orders that would result in them being sent to help civilian health care facilities in various hotspots if requested by Federal Emergency Management Agency. While there have been medical personnel on this status for some time, in the last few weeks the timeframe for many of them to be ready to deploy has been cut to as little as 48 hours, according to two defense officials. In the last few weeks military medical teams have already deployed to El Paso, Texas, and North Dakota.
5:58 p.m. ET, November 24, 2020
Colombia's first lady tests positive for Covid-19
From CNN’s Tatiana Arias
Maria Juliana Ruiz, first lady of Colombia, attends the 2019 Concordia Americas Summit in Bogota on May 14, 2019. Gabriel Aponte/Getty Images
Colombia’s first lady Maria Juliana Ruiz has tested positive for coronavirus, according to a statement from the Office of the Presidency on Tuesday.
“At this time, she is asymptomatic and following the isolation protocols established by the Ministry of Health,” the statement said.
Colombian President Ivan Duque has tested negative, according to the statement.
7:38 p.m. ET, November 24, 2020
Florida health system is preparing to distribute Pfizer vaccine
From CNN's Lauren Mascarenhas
Dr. Lilian Abbo, chief of infection prevention and control at Jackson Health System. CNN
Jackson Health System in Miami, Florida, is currently making preparations to receive and distribute Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine, Dr. Lilian Abbo, chief of infection prevention and control at Jackson Health System, said Tuesday.
“Jackson Health System is one of five hospitals in the state and the only one in Miami who will get the vaccine in the first phase,” Abbo told CNN’s Erica Hill. “There are plans to distribute it across the other hospitals and the health systems.”
Abbo said that plans are being developed to ensure everyone who needs the vaccine will have the opportunity to take it.
“We will be starting with health care workers, and people that are at high risk, frontline providers, following the guidelines from the health department and the state,” she said.
She added that the amount of vaccine each state will receive is still unknown.
“We have plans already in place,” Abbo said. “We have been working on this for several weeks, and that includes the refrigeration that this vaccine needs,” she added.
Abbo added that they are educating staff about safety and potential side effects of the vaccine.
