(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.8 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 925,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 64.5% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Feb 16, 12:44 pm
Updated mask guidance from CDC could come next week
Updated mask guidance from the CDC is expected to come as early as next week, officials confirmed to ABC News.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky did not elaborate on the timing at Wednesday’s White House briefing, only saying the CDC could “soon” update its guidance.
“We are looking at all of our guidance based not only on where we are right now in the pandemic, but also on the tools we now have at our disposal — such as vaccines, boosters, tests and treatments — and our latest understanding of the disease,” Walensky said. “We want to give people a break from things like mask wearing when these metrics are better and then have the ability to reach for them again should things worsen.”
Walensky added, “Omicron cases are declining and we are all cautiously optimistic about the trajectory we are on … but we want to remain vigilant to do all we can so that this trajectory continues.”
Walensky also stressed that it is still critical for Americans to continue to wear masks if they are symptomatic, have been recently exposed or if they are 10 days post-COVID-19 diagnosis.
-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty and Arielle Mitropoulos
Feb 16, 11:47 am
Deaths projected to drop in weeks to come
Forecast models used by the CDC suggest that daily COVID-19 fatalities will finally begin to fall in the U.S. in the weeks to come.
The ensemble model estimates that only eight states have a greater than 50% chance of having more deaths over the next two weeks compared to the past two weeks, and two states and territories have a greater than 75% chance of seeing an increase.
The models predict the U.S. death toll will be at approximately 968,000 by March 12.
The CDC obtains the forecasts from the COVID-19 Forecast Hub at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where a team monitors and combines forecasting models from the nation’s top researchers. The team then creates an ensemble — displayed like a hurricane forecast spaghetti plot — usually with a wide cone of uncertainty.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos
Feb 16, 10:50 am
Deaths increasing in 15 states
The U.S. daily case rate has dropped to 144,000 — an 81% drop since the peak about one month ago, according to federal data.
But experts continue to caution that the pandemic is not over, with the country reporting millions of new cases every week and 97% of counties still reporting high transmission. Experts also point out that many Americans are taking at-home tests and not submitting their results, so case totals may be higher than reported.
Deaths — a lagging indicator — remain high.
The U.S. is reporting an average of 2,200 lives lost to COVID-19 each day.
Fifteen states are reporting at least a 10% increase in daily death rates over the last week: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos
Feb 16, 10:00 am
Report highlights mounting evidence vaccines can significantly reduce risk of developing long COVID
A new report from the United Kingdom’s public health agency highlights mounting evidence that getting vaccinated can significantly reduce the risk of developing long COVID.
Most people recover fully from COVID-19 but some experience symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath and brain fog for months after infection.
The U.K. report summarizes the results of 15 previously published studies on long COVID from around the world. Collectively, these studies suggest that people who have been vaccinated are far less likely to develop long COVID.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos, Sony Salzman
Feb 16, 7:37 am
WHO: Weekly global number of COVID-19 cases fell by 19%
The global number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases fell by 19% during the week ending on Feb. 13, compared to the previous week, according to a weekly epidemiological update released Tuesday by the World Health Organization.
Meanwhile, the number of newly recorded deaths from the disease that week remained similar to that of the previous week. Just over 16 million new cases and just under 75,000 new fatalities were reported worldwide during the week of Feb. 7 to Feb. 13, the WHO said.
All WHO regions reported decreases in the number of weekly cases except for the Western Pacific region, which reported an increase of 19%. The number of new weekly deaths increased in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the Western Pacific region, the African region and the region of the Americas, while it remained similar to that of the previous week in the European region and decreased in the Southeast Asia region, according to the WHO.
Remember that contest where someone would be paid $1,100 to listen to 24-hours of heartbreak anthems? Well, the results are in, and they show if you want to get over a breakup, you better listen to Destiny’s Childand Post Malone.
FinanceBuzz hired Cristin Sauter, a musician and psychotherapist, as their DJ of Heartache. She was tasked with listening to the biggest breakup songs of all time and organizing them into playlists coinciding with the five stages of grief: denial, anger, relapse, depression and acceptance.
Taylor Swift snags the title of having the most breakup anthems out of any other artist.
The DJ of Heartache was also tasked to rate each song’s ability to help a listener get over a heartbreak. The songs were scored between one and 10, with 10 being the highest, in their ability to offer “emotional relief through the different stages of a breakup,” per the company’s description.
Although Taylor has the lion’s share of heartbreak anthems, her music only achieved a 5.7 out of 10 on the emotional relief rating scale, or E.R.R. Fleetwood Mac scored the highest, with an E.R.R of 9.5, while second place went to Post Malone and The Beatles, who both earned a nine. Destiny‘s Child took third with an overall E.R.R. of 8.5.
Also making it into the top 10 were Shawn Mendes, James Bay, James Arthur, Lewis Capaldi and Adele, whoall achieved an E.R.R of eight.
As for the artists with the least effective songs, Daughtry and Backstreet Boys both achieved a score of three, while Miley Cyrus earned a 2.2. Fifth Harmony also made it into the bottom 10, earning a mediocre score of two.
(NEW YORK) — Alaska Airlines announced its first-ever subscription-based offering, Flight Pass, which offers travelers with varying budgets and lifestyles a chance to travel along many West Coast routes for a year.
The program, launched Wednesday offering members up to 24 roundtrip flights a year to the most popular routes within California, including nonstop service from California airports to select Nevada and Arizona destinations for a fixed monthly rate.
There are two annual plans for Flight Pass subscribers to choose from based on the best value or most flexibility; the key difference is in the length of the required advanced booking time.
The first plan starts at $49 per month and Flight Pass Pro starts at $199 per month but allows for booking as early as 90 days in advance as well as same-day booking up to two hours before departure.
✈️🎟 NEW! Ready to choose your own travel adventure within California, Nevada or Arizona? With an Alaska Flight Pass subscription, you’ll land frequent, flexible flights for one flat fee. It’s your ticket to more tickets! Get started: https://t.co/iuSq6pqRSlpic.twitter.com/gfSWdxJacf
Alaska Airlines called its flight subscription plan an opportunity for travelers to “lock in main cabin deals for a full year” offering subscribers “lower than average fares on eligible flights.”
“After two years of staying close to home, guests are ready to travel again and with 100 daily flights from 16 airports throughout California and between California to Reno, Phoenix and Las Vegas, Flight Pass will take them there,” Alex Corey, managing director of business development and products for Alaska Airlines, said in a statement.
According to the airline, travel trend reports show that “most Americans are planning domestic travel in 2022, particularly to warm-weather and beach destinations, and some are even more willing to be spontaneous and flexible on future trips.”
Pick a preferred plan: The best value Flight Pass, which requires booking at least 14 days before travel; or the most flexible Flight Pass Pro, which allows same-day booking.
Choose the number of roundtrips you would like annually: 6, 12 or 24 roundtrip flights.
Redeem your credits and book your trip on an eligible flight.
Choose from 100 daily flights connecting 13 California airports to each other and to Reno, Phoenix, and Vegas.
Enjoy your flight.
Neil Thwaites, regional vice president of California for Alaska Airlines, said the company is “uniquely positioned to help our West Coast guests experience more with direct access to destinations near and far from our expanding hubs.”
Flight Pass subscribers can also earn miles toward Mileage Plan elite status.
If you’re a BTS fan who can’t travel to Seoul, South Korea, to watch the group make their grand return to the stage, worry not! A worldwide live streaming event is scheduled to stream in theaters, giving fans an immersive experience while chowing down on big buckets of popcorn.
TS Permission to Dance on Stage – Seoul: Live Viewing will simultaneously premiere in theaters in over 60 countries beginning March 12 at 4:30 p.m. EST. You can check the website for showtimes.
The performance not only marks their first concert since BTS went on an “extended period of rest” late last year, it also will be the first time the Grammy winners held a concert in South Korea since 2019.
Mindy Kaling has just announced a partnership with Amazon Publishing to launch Mindy’s Book Studio, “a boutique story studio” that will publish books “from emerging and established diverse voices” that have been selected by The Office vet, producer, and bestselling author.
Mindy’s Book Studio aims to release, “fresh romantic comedies and poignant coming-of-age stories to make readers laugh — and cringe — to suspenseful dramas with unforgettable female protagonists,” according to a release.
The production shingle will also have an eye to adapting those works into television and film projects exclusively for Amazon Studios, which produced Mindy’s recent comedy series Late Night, starring Kaling and Emma Thompson.
Kaling, who released her hit essay collection Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes) through Amazon, will release her 2023 debut novel, described as, “a comedic and twisty page-turner,” through her brand-new endeavor, which Amazon calls the “first-ever book studio.”
The Monsters at Work star said in a statement, “I’m passionate about bringing unique stories to readers and viewers, and I can’t wait to help discover and support talented new voices through Mindy’s Book Studio.”
Garth Brooks’ ongoing Stadium Tour just got a new date, and it’s a venue the singer knows very well.
He announced on Wednesday that he’ll play South Bend, Indiana’s Notre Dame Stadium on May 7, making good on a promise he made over three years ago. In late 2018, Garth played to a crowd of more than 80,000 fans, also filming a concert television special called Garth: Live at Notre Dame.
At the time, Garth promised his Hoosier State fans that he’d be back, and he originally hoped to return to Notre Dame for the conclusion of the Stadium Tour, but the COVID-19 pandemic had other plans. Now, three-and-a-half years later, Garth will make his triumphant return.
It’s the only 2022 Stadium Tour stop in Indiana, Michigan or Illinois. Tickets go on sale February 25 at 10 a.m. ET, and as always for a Garth Stadium Tour show, it’ll be in-the-round seating.
After pausing the Stadium Tour rollout due to the rise of the omicron COVID-19 variant last year, Garth has resumed setting dates for the trek, and he’s been breaking ticket sales records and selling out massive stadium venues.
This spring, he’s got sold-out shows booked in San Diego, Fayetteville, Arkansas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Tickets are still available for his March 26 Orlando date.
Biffy Clyro has announced a new documentary called Cultural Sons of Scotland.
The film, which will premiere on Amazon Prime Video next Friday, February 25, tells the story of the Scottish trio’s latest album, 2021’s The Myth of the Happily Ever After, which they recorded in their home country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve been pretty much everywhere in the world,” frontman Simon Neil says in the doc’s trailer. “That’s helped contextualize why [Scotland] is really important to our band.”
Cultural Sons of Scotland will also screen in select U.K. theaters on February 24. For more info, visit BiffyClyro.com.
Biffy Clyro will launch a U.S. tour in support of The Myth of the Happily Ever After in April.
Veteran Scottish hard-rockers Nazareth will release their 25th album, Surviving the Law, on April 15.
The 14-track collection can be pre-ordered now, and will be available on CD, vinyl, cassette and digital formats.
Nazareth has released the album’s lead track, “Strange Days,” as an advance digital single. A music video for the tune has premiered at the Frontiers Music label’s official YouTube channel.
The band’s current lineup features original bassist Pete Agnew; guitarist Jimmy Murrison, who joined Nazareth in 1994; drummer Lee Agnew, Pete’s son, whose been a member of the group since 1999; and lead singer Carl Sentence, who replaced founding frontman Dan McCafferty in 2015 after McCafferty was forced to retire for health reasons.
Surviving the Law is the second studio album the current Nazareth lineup has recorded, following 2018’s Tattooed on My Brain. The new project features songwriting contributions from all four band members.
Nazareth is best-known in the U.S. for their top 10 cover of the Everly Brothers hit “Love Hurts,” and the classic rock staple “Hair of the Dog,” which both appeared on the band’s 1975 album, Hair of the Dog.
Here’s the full track list of Surviving the Law:
“Strange Days”
“You Gotta Pass It Around”
“Runaway”
“Better Leave It Out”
“Mind Bomb”
“Sweet Kiss”
“Falling In Love”
“Waiting for the World to End”
“Let the Whisky Flow”
“Sinner”
“Ciggies and Booze”
“Psycho Skies”
“Love Breaks”
“You Made Me”
(NEW YORKI) — The United States continues to warn that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day” amid escalating tensions in the region.
More than 150,000 Russian troops are estimated to be massed near Ukraine’s borders, President Joe Biden said Tuesday, as U.S. officials have urged all Americans to immediately leave Ukraine.
Biden said that the U.S. has “not yet verified” claims by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin that Russia was withdrawing some troops from near Ukraine’s borders.
ABC News has learned Putin had told his military forces to be ready to invade by Wednesday, but it remains unclear whether he has made a decision to attack his neighbor. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for a national day of unity Wednesday.
Russia has denied it plans to invade and has demanded the U.S. and NATO bar Ukraine from joining the military alliance.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Feb 16, 12:43 pm
Moscow claims concern Kyiv preparing for attack against Donbas
Moscow is concerned that Kyiv might use the current situation to launch an attack against the Russian-controlled areas in the Donbas region of southeastern Ukraine, according to Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The events of recent weeks allow us to state with confidence that the goal of this campaign was to create an information curtain to pump up the Kyiv regime with arms,” Zakharova said during a press briefing in Moscow on Wednesday. “There is an understanding that this situation will be used by the Kyiv leadership for a suicidal aggression against Donbas.”
Zakharova said if there is “political will,” the Minsk peace agreements — which were signed in 2014 and 2015 in an unsuccessful effort to end the ongoing conflict between the Ukrainian army and the Russian-backed separatists forces in Donbas — can be implemented within “a few months.” But she warned that “any sudden move” in Ukraine could have “fatal consequences.”
“The hysteria fanned by the West has put severe psychological pressure on the population of Ukraine, but it is up to them to deal with it,” she told reporters. “We are concerned about another thing. It is a country in a hot phase of an internal conflict and, therefore, people’s condition, including their mental state, is important. Because any sudden move, including on the contact line, any shot, any provocation may ultimately lead to some fatal consequences.”
Zakharova noted that Moscow is “no longer interested in” statements made by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, whom she called a “NATO has-been.” She was referring to an announcement earlier this month that Stoltenberg will become Norway’s new central bank chief — all but confirming that he will leave his current post as head of the Western defense alliance.
“He is not a person whose statements Moscow would consider serious arguments,” Zakharova told reporters. “We will be focused on a serious conversation if our Western partners are ready for it.”
-ABC News’ Tanya Stukalova
Feb 16, 11:37 am
NATO defense ministers ‘gravely concerned’ by Russian military buildup
In his opening statement ahead of the NATO Defense Ministers meeting on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed signals from Russia that they’re willing to continue to engage in diplomatic talks — but said NATO officials “have not, so far, seen any sign of de-escalation on the ground.”
NATO Defense Ministers issued a statement after their meeting concluded saying they are “gravely concerned by the very large scale, unprovoked and unjustified Russian military build-up in and around Ukraine and in Belarus.”
“We urge Russia, in the strongest possible terms, to choose the path of diplomacy, and to immediately reverse its build-up and withdraw its forces from Ukraine in accordance with its international obligations and commitments. We remain committed to our dual-track approach to Russia: strong deterrence and defence, combined with openness to dialogue,” the defense ministers said in a statement.
They wrote that NATO is deploying additional land forces in the eastern part of the Alliance, as well as additional maritime and air assets, and has increased the readiness of forces.
“Our measures are and remain preventive, proportionate and non-escalatory. We are prepared to further strengthen our defensive and deterrent posture to respond to all contingencies,” the statement said. “Our commitment to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty is iron-clad. We stand united to defend each other.”
-ABC News’ Christine Theodorou
Feb 16, 9:30 am
US condemns Russian parliament vote to recognize Donbas
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has condemned a vote by Russia’s parliament to call on Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize two Russian-controlled breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent.
The Russian parliament passed a law on Tuesday that is a formal appeal to Putin to recognize the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics, in an area of southeastern Ukraine known as the Donbas, where Russian-backed separatists forces have been battling the Ukrainian army since 2014. Such recognition would open a path for Russia to formally annex the two regions as it did the Crimean Peninsula almost eight years ago.
However, Putin indicated Tuesday that he will not immediately recognize the regions.
“To be clear: Kremlin approval of this appeal would amount to the Russian government’s wholesale rejection of its commitments under the Minsk agreements, which outline the process for the full political, social, and economic reintegration of those parts of Ukraine’s Donbas region controlled by Russia-led forces and political proxies since 2014,” Blinken said in a statement Wednesday. “Enactment of this resolution would further undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, constitute a gross violation of international law, call in further question Russia’s stated commitment to continue to engage in diplomacy to achieve a peaceful resolution of this crisis, and necessitate a swift and firm response from the United States in full coordination with our allies and partners.”
Blinken did not specify what that response would be.
Feb 16, 8:52 am
Blinken: US has seen ‘no meaningful pullback’ of Russian forces
While the Russian Ministry of Defense said some of its troops positioned near Ukraine’s border would begin returning to their bases, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told ABC News’ Good Morning America on Wednesday that the U.S. has seen “no meaningful pullback” and described the situation as “deeply, deeply concerning.”
“On the contrary, we continue to see forces, especially forces in the vanguard of any renewed aggression against Ukraine, continuing to be at the border, to mass at the border,” Blinken said, emphasizing the choice to deescalate is squarely on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“President Putin’s put in place the capacity to act on very short notice,” he said. “He can pull the trigger — he could pull it today. He could pull it tomorrow. He could pull it next week. The forces are there if he wants to renew aggression against Ukraine.”
Amid some tensions between U.S. and Ukrainian officials over the level of urgency here, Blinken defended Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying the former comedian is “taking it very seriously. He’s trying to maintain calm. He doesn’t want his people to panic. That’s the right thing to do. But I think the Ukrainians are taking it very, very seriously.”
ABC News Anchor George Stephanopoulos asked Blinken directly if the threat of attack in Ukraine is “today greater than it was yesterday.”
“From day to day, George, you can’t say it’s higher or lower. It’s there. It’s there. It’s real. We haven’t seen a pullback. We’d like to see one. If we see one, we would welcome it,” Blinken said. “We’re prepared for diplomacy. We’re prepared for aggression prepared either way.”
Feb 16, 8:31 am
Kremlin reacts to Biden’s speech on Russia
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Russia has “grown tired” of listening to “threats,” referring to U.S. President Joe Biden’s speech the previous night.
“We’d prefer not to listen to various sorts of threats as to what would happen to us if we did something that we have no intention of doing,” Peskov told reporters during a daily call.
If the United States did not issue warnings about a Russian invasion of Ukraine and threaten consequences, then perhaps the Russian people would like Americans more, Peskov said.
“We have pretty much grown tired of [the threats],” he added. “If we heard such messages that would be free of threats, the Russian people would probably like them much more.”
Peskov noted that Russia hopes it would be able to begin a “negotiating process” with the U.S. over the Kremlin’s demands for security guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO, as well as confidence building measures such as limits on missile deployments and troops exercises.
Biden during his speech Tuesday night again ruled out any guarantee on Ukraine’s potential NATO membership, saying the U.S. will not sacrifice fundamental principles and that countries have a right to choose their alliances. The Biden administration, however, has offered to engage with Russia on the confidence-building measures, which Western nations have put forward in the hope of persuading the Kremlin to choose a diplomatic route out of the crisis.
Feb 16, 7:48 am
Kremlin criticizes ‘Western hysteria’ around possible invasion
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that while he expects the “hysteria” in Western media outlets about the threat of a Russian invasion to continue, he hopes foreign journalists will ultimately admit that they were wrong.
During a daily call with reporters, Peskov was asked whether Western media reports that Russia would attack Ukraine on Wednesday could be described as the culmination of “information hysteria.”
“Frankly, the way the Western hysteria is developing indicates there is still a long way until culmination. There won’t be a remission any time soon, we should be patient,” Peskov said. “Still, it is very important that Western media outlets, in this case, the British ones, say at least at the end of every day that their predictions have been wrong.”
Feb 16, 6:55 am
Russia says some troops returning to base after loading up tanks
The Russian Ministry of Defense said Wednesday that troops from its Western Military District massed near Ukraine have completed loading their tanks and are now returning to their bases, some 1,000 kilometers (over 620 miles) away.
“Personnel of the units of the Western Military District’s tank army have finished loading their tanks and tracked armored hardware onto flatbed railcars and have embarked on a 1,000-kilometer march using various means of transportation back to their permanent bases upon completion of their routine drills,” the defense ministry said in a statement.
Russia has currently deployed forces from all of its military districts near Ukraine. The Russian military has said that the Western and Southern Military Districts are returning to their bases. Meanwhile, units from Russia’s Eastern Military District remain in Belarus, having traveled some 10,000 kilometers (over 6,200 miles) there.
Feb 16, 6:33 am
NATO: ‘Russia continues their military build-up’
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Wednesday that Russia has still shown no signs of de-escalation on the ground, despite claims of withdrawing troops from near Ukraine.
“We have heard the signs from Moscow about the readiness to continue diplomatic efforts, but so far we have not seen any de-escalation on the ground,” Stoltenberg said during a press conference outside NATO headquarters in Brussels. “On the contrary, it appears that Russia continues their military build-up.”
NATO continues to monitor the situation “very closely,” as it remains unclear whether Russia is pulling back, according to Stoltenberg.
“What we see is that they have increased the number of troops and more troops are on their way,” he told reporters. “So, so far, no de-escalation but of course, we hear also the message about diplomacy and we are ready to engage in diplomatic efforts with Russia.”
Stoltenberg explained that the Russian military has “always moved forces back and forth.”
“So, just that we see movement of forces of battle tanks doesn’t confirm a real withdrawal,” he said. “It has been a big up and down, back and forth, all the way, but the trend over the last weeks and months has been a steady increase in the Russian capabilities close to Ukraine’s borders. So Russia retains the capability of a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine without any warning time.”
As of Wednesday morning, there were still approximately 100,000 Russian troops at Ukraine’s borders, including in Belarus, according to Stoltenberg, who said he hopes the dialogue with Russia will continue and that the claims of withdrawal are true “because nobody has any interest in confrontation or war in Europe.”
“We are at a pivotal moment in the history of Ukraine, Europe and global stability,” he added. “We look forward to seeing evidence of the withdrawal of troops on Russia’s part, but we need to prepare for any eventuality, with that significant escalation of Russian troops that we have seen over the last weeks and months.”
Stoltenberg’s comments came ahead of a meeting of the military alliance’s defense ministers, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, to discuss the current crisis.
Feb 16, 5:36 am
Russia releases video showing more troops leaving Crimea
The Russian military released more videos on Wednesday morning purportedly showing troops pulling back from Moscow-annexed Crimea.
The footage aired on Russian state media, with one video showing a trainload of armour being carried across the Russian-built bridge that connects the Russian-controlled Crimean Peninsula to Russia’s mainland. Another video shows military trucks driving out of Crimea across the bridge, which Russian state media described as support troops leaving “exercises.”
However, officials in the West and regional analysts continue to caution that they have not yet seen significant movements of Russian troops pulling back from near Ukraine’s borders.
Meanwhile, massive military exercises continue in neighboring Belarus and are not due to finish until Sunday. Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said Wednesday that “not a single” Russian soldier will remain in the country once those drills end.
Feb 16, 5:05 am
Zelenskyy wishes Ukrainians ‘a happy day of unity’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wished citizens “a happy day of unity” on Wednesday.
Zelenskyy had said on Monday evening that instead of Feb. 16 being “the day of the attack,” he would make it “the day of unity” and declared an impromptu national holiday.
ABC News has learned that Russian President Vladimir Putin had told his military forces to be ready to invade Ukraine by Wednesday, but it remains unclear whether he has made a decision to attack the neighboring country.
“We are all united by our wish to live, to live in peace, to live a happy life with our families, parents and children. We have the full right to all of this, because we’re at home here, in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in an address on social media Wednesday morning. “Nobody will love our home as much as we do, and nobody can defend our home as we can. I wish you a happy unity day, my blue-yellow ones, a happy day of unity of Ukraine, in the east and west, in the south and north. It works only together, and when it works, we’re strong.”
(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.8 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 925,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 64.5% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Feb 16, 10:50 am
Deaths increasing in 15 states
The U.S. daily case rate has dropped to 144,000 — an 81% drop since the peak about one month ago, according to federal data.
But experts continue to caution that the pandemic is not over, with the country reporting millions of new cases every week and 97% of counties still reporting high transmission. Experts also point out that many Americans are taking at-home tests and not submitting their results, so case totals may be higher than reported.
Deaths — a lagging indicator — remain high.
The U.S. is reporting an average of 2,200 lives lost to COVID-19 each day.
Fifteen states are reporting at least a 10% increase in daily death rates over the last week: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos
Feb 16, 10:00 am
Report highlights mounting evidence vaccines can significantly reduce risk of developing long COVID
A new report from the United Kingdom’s public health agency highlights mounting evidence that getting vaccinated can significantly reduce the risk of developing long COVID.
Most people recover fully from COVID-19 but some experience symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath and brain fog for months after infection.
The U.K. report summarizes the results of 15 previously published studies on long COVID from around the world. Collectively, these studies suggest that people who have been vaccinated are far less likely to develop long COVID.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos, Sony Salzman
Feb 16, 7:37 am
WHO: Weekly global number of COVID-19 cases fell by 19%
The global number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases fell by 19% during the week ending on Feb. 13, compared to the previous week, according to a weekly epidemiological update released Tuesday by the World Health Organization.
Meanwhile, the number of newly recorded deaths from the disease that week remained similar to that of the previous week. Just over 16 million new cases and just under 75,000 new fatalities were reported worldwide during the week of Feb. 7 to Feb. 13, the WHO said.
All WHO regions reported decreases in the number of weekly cases except for the Western Pacific region, which reported an increase of 19%. The number of new weekly deaths increased in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the Western Pacific region, the African region and the region of the Americas, while it remained similar to that of the previous week in the European region and decreased in the Southeast Asia region, according to the WHO.
