The U.S. surpassed 19 million COVID-19 cases Dec. 26, which means at least 1 in 17 Americans have contracted the virus, according to The New York Times.
More than 333,000 people have died from COVID-19 as of Dec. 28, which equates to about 1 of every 1,000 people in the country, according to NYT.
Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has warned that increased travel and family gatherings around the holidays may create a new spike in cases.
"We very well might see a post-seasonal — in the sense of Christmas, New Year's — surge,” Dr. Fauci said on CNN’s State of the Union.
Four more updates:
1. President Donald Trump signed a $900 billion COVID-19 bill and $1.4 trillion spending bill Dec. 27. The COVID-19 relief and spending bill, passed by Congress Dec. 21, includes more funding for providers, vaccine distribution and checks to Americans. For more on the final relief bill, click here.
2. The U.S. reported a record 120,151 COVID-19 hospitalizations on Christmas Eve, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project. This figure dipped to 118,720 as of Dec. 27, with 22,447 people in intensive care.
3. Texas will stray from CDC guidelines for the next phase of vaccine distribution, reports the Houston Chronicle. The deviation will prioritize people 65 and older, as well as individuals with serious pre-existing conditions, earlier than the federal government suggests.
4. Air travel figures show many Americans are ignoring health officials' recommendations, according to data from Transportation Security Administration cited by CNN. TSA screened more than 1.1 million people at U.S. airports Dec. 26, the third-busiest day for air travel since the pandemic began, though the Dec. 26 traffic was only 45 percent of the air traffic compared to the same day last year.
Snapshot of COVID-19 in the U.S.
Cases: 19,136,761
Deaths: 333,140
Counts reflect data available as of 8:35 a.m. CST Dec. 28.
More articles on public health:
Number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, state by state
The evolution of COVID-19: 4 leaders talk symptoms, treatment & clinical trends
19 states where COVID-19 is spreading fastest, slowest: Dec. 28
Snapshot of COVID-19 in the U.S.
Cases: 19,136,761
Deaths: 333,140
Counts reflect data available as of 8:35 a.m. CST Dec. 28.