(NEW YORK) – The United States faces a wave of COVID-19 this summer as the most contagious delta variant spreads.

More than 634,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while more than 4.4 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns University Hopkins.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 60.8% of Americans aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Here’s how the news unfolds on Friday. Every hour in the East:

August 27, 6:34 p.m.
Delta more likely to cause hospitalization in unvaccinated than alpha: study

A new peer-reviewed study estimates that the delta variant doubles the risk of being hospitalized if you’re not vaccinated compared to the alpha variant.

The study – an analysis of more than 40,000 cases of COVID-19 in the UK – mainly included unvaccinated people, so the results do not apply to vaccinated people with breakthrough infections.

Vaccines significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death for alpha and delta variants.

-Sony Salzman of ABC News

August 27, 3:14 p.m.
7 southern states have intensive care units over 90% full

Seven states, all in the South, have intensive care units over 90% full, according to federal data: Alabama (100%), Florida (94.98%), Georgia (94.68%), Louisiana ( 90.15%), Mississippi (92.07%), Oklahoma (91.68%) and Texas (93.86%).

The United States continues to see its largest and largest increase in hospitalizations in seven months, according to federal data. As of Wednesday alone, more than 12,800 patients were admitted to hospital with COVID-19, marking the highest number of patients seeking care in a 24-hour period since January.

-Arielle Mitropoulos from ABC News

August 27, 3:14 p.m.
7 southern states have intensive care units over 90% full

Seven states, all in the South, have intensive care units over 90% full, according to federal data: Alabama (100%), Florida (94.98%), Georgia (94.68%), Louisiana ( 90.15%), Mississippi (92.07%), Oklahoma (91.68%) and Texas (93.86%).

The United States continues to see its largest and largest increase in hospitalizations in seven months, according to federal data. As of Wednesday alone, more than 12,800 patients were admitted to hospital with COVID-19, marking the highest number of patients seeking care in a 24-hour period since January.

-Arielle Mitropoulos from ABC News

August 27, 1:48 p.m.
50% of adolescents now vaccinated

Half of all young Americans aged 12 to 17 have received their first vaccine, White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients told Friday’s briefing, which he called “critical progress.”

“The vaccination rate among adolescents is increasing faster than any other age group,” Zients added.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said a new CDC report for Los Angeles County showed schools following health agency guidelines had 3.5 times fewer cases during the winter peak compared to community case rates. (This study did not take into account the delta variant).

Even when communities were experiencing high levels of COVID transmission, in the LA County study, diaper prevention measures in schools provided a protective shield, helped keep COVID out of school, and reduced the spread when cases occurred, ”Walensky said.

She continued, “I want to make a strong appeal to districts that have not implemented prevention strategies and encourage them to do what it takes to protect the children in their care.”

-Cheyenne Haslett from ABC News

August 27, 1:05 p.m.
Judge rules Florida governor to stop banning mask warrants in schools

A Tallahassee judge on Friday ruled that Florida school boards can issue mask warrants for students, against Gov. Ron DeSantis, who in July issued an executive order that sparked a public row with school districts.

Judge John C. Cooper found that a blanket ban on face masks in schools “did not meet constitutional requirements” and ordered the Florida Department of Education to stop enforcing a state rule that requires districts to allow parents to withdraw from mask mandates.

Cooper, for about two hours, separated the state’s defense, saying the science presented during the week-long trial did not support the state’s argument against hiding children.

Ten Florida school districts adopted mask mandates for students this month. Two – Broward and Alachua – were sanctioned by the Florida education commissioner, who said he would start withholding salaries from board members who voted to demand masks.

DeSantis “will immediately appeal” the decision, the governor’s press secretary Christina Pushaw said in a statement. “This decision was made with inconsistent justifications, not based on science and the facts,” Pushaw said.

A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education said, “We are extremely disappointed that today’s Second Judicial Circuit ruling rejects the rule of law. This decision conflicts with the fundamental and established rights of parents to make private decisions about health care and education for children. … We are committed to the fundamental rights of parents and we will appeal to ensure that this foundation of democracy is respected.

– Will McDuffie of ABC News

August 27, 9:20 a.m.
Kentucky has third highest day of cases

As Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced the state’s third highest day of COVID-19 cases, he said at a press conference on Thursday: “I’ll admit up front today that I’m a little emotional and a little raw. “

“Seeing nearly 5,000 cases and 65 Kentuckians that we have lost in a single one-day report is difficult,” the governor said, adding “it is completely preventable.”

Hospitalizations have increased daily for the past 42 days, he said.

On July 14, there were 60 people in intensive care units. As of Wednesday, they were 549, he said.

At the start of the summer, Kentucky’s positivity rate fell to 1.79%. It has now climbed to 13.16%, he said.

Aug 27, 4:27 a.m.
Houston sees 5 times more COVID-19 vaccinations

Houston’s COVID-19 vaccinations more than quintupled on Thursday as the city launched a new incentive program.

The Houston Department of Health is now providing up to $ 150 in gift cards to get vaccinated against COVID-19. A total of 740 doses of the vaccine were administered at eligible health department sites on Thursday, the first day of the program, marking a 51% increase from Wednesday’s total of 121 doses.

Of the total injections given on Thursday, 658 were first doses and 82 were second dose, according to a press release from the health department.

August 26, 10:29 p.m.
SCOTUS suspends the moratorium on evictions

The United States Supreme Court suspended the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s national moratorium on evictions in an unsigned 6-3 notice on Thursday night

“There is no question that the public has a strong interest in combating the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant. But our system does not allow agencies to act illegally, even in the pursuit of desirable ends, ”the court wrote. “It’s up to Congress, not the CDC, to decide whether the public interest deserves further action here.”

“If a moratorium on evictions imposed by the federal government is to continue, Congress must specifically authorize it,” he continued. “The request for cancellation of stay presented to the HEAD OF JUSTICE and by him referred to the Court is granted. “

Liberal judges Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan have expressed their dissent.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki lamented the Supreme Court’s ruling, saying the CDC’s moratorium “has saved lives by preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.”

“As a result of this decision, families will face the painful impact of evictions, and communities across the country will face an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19,” Psaki said in a statement, before to reiterate President Joe Biden’s call for states, communities, landlords and local courts to do what they can to prevent evictions.

The Biden administration has repeatedly called on Congress to act on the moratorium on evictions, but Republicans opposed the proposals.

The CDC had extended the moratorium by 60 days in the first week of August after the previous one expired on July 31.

August 26, 6:37 p.m.
Each state now reports high community transmission

Every state in the country is now reporting high community transmission of COVID-19, according to recently updated federal data.

As of mid-June, no state was reporting high transmission and only six states were reporting heavy transmission. Now, 10 weeks later, all 50 states are in that category, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The development comes as the delta variant has also spread rapidly. In June, the highly contagious variant accounted for only 26.4% of all new COVID-19 cases in the United States; today, it represents nearly 99%, according to the CDC.

August 26, 4:07 p.m.
US reports more than 800 deaths per day, marking highest average in 5 months

The United States continues to experience its largest increase in hospitalizations for COVID-19 since the winter of 2020, with more than 101,000 patients now hospitalized, according to federal data. This is the highest number of patients in seven months.

Eight weeks ago, less than 12,000 patients were receiving care.

The daily average of deaths in the country has risen to more than 800 deaths per day. This is a jump of 317% in the past seven weeks and marks the highest average since mid-March 2021.

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