The U.S. reported a record 107,258 COVID-19 hospitalizations Dec. 10, according to data from The COVID Tracking Project.
The nation also reported more than 3,000 new deaths for the second consecutive day. This daily death toll surpasses the roughly 2,900 Americans who died on 9/11 and the 2,400 people who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
"Probably for the next 60 to 90 days we're going to have more deaths per day than we had at 9/11 or we had at Pearl Harbor," CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD, said during a Dec. 10 event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, according to The Hill.
Four more updates:
1. The FDA's vaccine advisory committee on Dec. 10 voted in favor of granting emergency approval to Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA is expected to grant the vaccine emergency use authorization Dec. 12, according to The New York Times.
2. A senior CDC official said she was told to delete an email showing White House officials tried to interfere with the publishing of a scientific report on COVID-19 during testimony before a House subcommittee Dec. 7, reports Politico. Charlotte Kent, MD, editor-in-chief of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, said she believes the order came from CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD. The allegation is outlined in a Dec. 10 letter that Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., sent to Dr. Redfield and HHS Secretary Alex Azar.
3. Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline pushed back the timeline for their COVID-19 vaccine after it failed to offer protection in some older adults, the drugmakers said Dec. 11. If approved, the vaccine would now not be available until the end of 2021.
4. Virginia, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania rolled out tighter COVID-19 restrictions this week as case counts rose. Virginia is implementing a modified stay-at-home order that will take effect Dec. 14, while Oklahoma has limited public gatherings to 50 percent capacity. Pennsylvania banned indoor dining for three weeks starting Dec. 12.
Snapshot of COVID-19 in the U.S.
Cases: 15,618,685
Deaths: 292,192
Recovered: 5,985,047
Counts reflect data available as of 8:35 a.m. CST Dec. 11.
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