November 27 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton, Melissa Macaya and Veronica Rocha, CNN

Updated 2:08 a.m. ET, November 28, 2020
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6:53 p.m. ET, November 27, 2020

Los Angeles County issues new stay-at-home order and bans all gatherings as Covid-19 cases surge

From CNN's Sarah Moon

The outdoor patio at Roccos WeHo on Santa Monica Blvd., remains open on November 25 a few hours before a Covid-19 curfew closes LA County restaurants.
The outdoor patio at Roccos WeHo on Santa Monica Blvd., remains open on November 25 a few hours before a Covid-19 curfew closes LA County restaurants. Robert Gauthier/ Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

All public and private gatherings with people outside a single household will be prohibited for three weeks in Los Angeles County starting Monday to curb an unprecedented spread of coronavirus, the Department of Public Health announced in a news release.

“As new Covid-19 cases remain at alarming levels and the number of people hospitalized continue to increase, a temporary Los Angeles County health officer order will be issued to require additional safety measures across sectors,” the county's health department said Friday. 

The order comes days after the county reported a record number of new Covid-19 infections, the highest number of deaths in months, and increased hospitalizations.

County health officials are urging all residents to stay home as much as possible and to wear face coverings when they are outside, even when exercising at parks and beaches.

While beaches, trails, and parks remain open, only gatherings from a single household will be allowed. Under the new order, playgrounds and cardrooms will also be closed.

According to the news release, the maximum occupancy for essential businesses will be reduced to 30%. Occupancy will be shrink to 20% for nonessential businesses, personal care services, and libraries. Businesses operating outdoors, including fitness centers, zoos, botanical gardens, and batting cages, will be reduced to 50% maximum capacity.

The new health order will be in effect until Dec. 20.

6:50 p.m. ET, November 27, 2020

Former Miami-Dade County mayor says he has tested positive for Covid-19

From CNN’s Rosa Flores 

Former mayor of Miami-Dade County Carlos Gimenez speaks during a news conference at a new self-swab Covid-19 drive-thru testing site at Tropical Park in Miami, Florida on July 27.
Former mayor of Miami-Dade County Carlos Gimenez speaks during a news conference at a new self-swab Covid-19 drive-thru testing site at Tropical Park in Miami, Florida on July 27. Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Carlos Gimenez, Miami-Dade County's former mayor and congressman-elect, tweeted that he and his wife have tested positive for Covid-19.

Gimenez said he will continue to attend New Member Orientation virtually until he can resume a normal schedule.

Gimenez also thanked all “the incredible health care workers who are tirelessly dedicated to their patients.”

Prior to winning the 2020 election for Congress, Gimenez was the mayor of Miami-Dade County. Gimenez will now serve Florida's 26th congressional district.

6:26 p.m. ET, November 27, 2020

Transportation Department finalizes airline traveler protection rule

From CNN's Greg Wallace

After a spike in complaints about airline refunds when the Covid-19 pandemic first struck, the US Department of Transportation unveiled on Friday a rule that will impact how travelers claim mistreatment.     

The rule formally defines the words “unfair” and “deceptive” – two legal terms governing how airlines and ticket agents may interact with customers. It also says passengers need not prove an airline’s intent when claiming a violation. The Transportation Department said the rule formalizes the way it has interpreted those words in the past.  

The rule matters because it now gives travelers specific language to cite in their claims.  

Airlines had asked for the rule and said a formal definition would provide regulatory certainty. Southwest said the rule would benefit the economy. Spirit Airlines said with the lack of a rule, “the Department can levy punitive fines on carriers for practices allegedly violating ill-defined regulations.” However, the carriers did ask for changes the Transportation Department did not incorporate. Spirit, for example, asked for regulators to change a word to make the rule less subjective.  

But the department also noted consumer advocacy groups, several lawmakers, and two members of the Federal Trade Commission argued the definitions “were either unnecessary or weakened consumer protection.” The FTC shares jurisdiction over travel agents with the Transportation Department.  

The rule change got underway in February 2019, more than a year before formal claims against airlines spiked as the pandemic spread and flights were canceled. Customers said the airlines resisted refund requests and only provided vouchers for a later flight or avoided providing compensation by changes to the fine print. 

4:58 p.m. ET, November 27, 2020

US surpasses 13 million Covid-19 cases

From CNN's Amanda Watts and Jamiel Lynch

Individual hospital beds are lined up in a corridor with curtains at the new temporary hospital at the DCU in Worcester, MA on November 25. The hospital is being set up for a second time within a year.
Individual hospital beds are lined up in a corridor with curtains at the new temporary hospital at the DCU in Worcester, MA on November 25. The hospital is being set up for a second time within a year. David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe/Getty Images

There have been at least 13,047,202 cases of coronavirus in the United States and at least 264,624 people have died from Covid-19, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins recorded the first case of coronavirus in the US on Jan. 21.  

  • 98 days later, on April 28, the US hit 1 million cases
  • 44 days later, on June 11, the US hit 2 million cases
  • 27 days later, on July 8, the US hit 3 million cases
  • 15 days later, on July 23, the US hit 4 million cases
  • 17 days later, on Aug. 9, the US hit 5 million cases
  • 22 days later, on Aug. 31, the US hit 6 million cases
  • 25 days later, on Sept. 25, the US hit 7 million cases
  • 21 days later, on Oct. 16, the US hit 8 million cases
  • 14 days later, on Oct. 30, the US hit 9 million cases
  • 9 days later, on Nov. 8, the US hit 10 million cases
  • 7 days later, on Nov. 15, the US hit 11 million cases
  • 6 days later, on Nov. 21, the US hit 12 million cases
  • 6 days later, on Nov. 27, the US hit 13 million cases

Eleven other countries in the world have reported over 1 million total Covid-19 cases. They are:

  • India has over 9 million total cases.
  • Brazil has over 6 million total cases.
  • France and Russia have over 2 million total cases.
  • Spain, United Kingdom, Argentina, Italy, Colombia, Mexico and Germany all have over 1 million total cases each.
5:18 p.m. ET, November 27, 2020

CDC advisers meeting to vote on their recommendations for first vaccine recipients 

From CNN’s Maggie Fox

Advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called an emergency meeting Tuesday so they can vote on recommendations for the first people to get a coronavirus vaccine once one gets emergency authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration, the committee’s chair told CNN Friday.

“We are meeting because the FDA, the Operation Warp Speed, have asked states and other jurisdictions to please submit their plans on Friday of this coming week,” Dr. Jose Romero, chair of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, told CNN.

“We foresee imminent authorization if this vaccine is shown to be effective and safe in the near future and we want to be at the point where we are providing appropriate guidance to the states and jurisdictions for the use of these vaccines,” said Romero, who is Secretary for Health for the Arkansas Department of Health.

“This is not something that is being rushed. We have already discussed the groups within the first tier. We are simply going over the data once again and having a vote primarily on the first tier group 1a – health care providers and the people in the long-term, congregate facilities.” 

ACIP met on Monday to discuss the priority groups for receiving any vaccine that may get emergency use authorization from the FDA. The CDC has already recommended that the first group – designated as 1a – should be frontline health providers and support personnel, as well as residents of long-term care facilities who have been hardest hit by the pandemic.

“It is important because these are the individuals that are really at the front line providing the care,” Romero said.

Vaccine maker Pfizer has submitted to the FDA for emergency use authorization, or EUA, for its vaccine and biotech company Moderna is expected to do so, also. The FDA has scheduled a meeting of its own vaccine advisers for Dec. 10.

Romero said it was important for ACIP to hold a public meeting and a public vote.

4:31 p.m. ET, November 27, 2020

NFL postpones Ravens-Steelers game for second time due to Covid-19 outbreak

From CNN's Cesar Marin

Members of the Pittsburgh Steelers warm up before the start of their game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on November 01 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Members of the Pittsburgh Steelers warm up before the start of their game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on November 01 in Baltimore, Maryland. Patrick Smith/Getty Images

The NFL announced on Friday that it will move the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers to Tuesday out of an “abundance of caution to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel.”

The game was originally scheduled to be played on Thanksgiving Day, but was then moved to Sunday after several Ravens players tested positive for coronavirus in consecutive days. Now the league is moving the game for a second time.

Baltimore has sent 12 players to the Reserve/Covid-19 list this week, including MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Ravens currently have 14 players on the list overall, according to the Ravens’ website.  

The NFL describes the Reserve/Covid-19 list as being for players who either test positive for Covid-19 or who have been quarantined after having been in close contact with an infected person or persons. 

The Ravens were set to host the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday but the NFL also announced that game has now been moved to Dec. 7.

 

4:22 p.m. ET, November 27, 2020

More than 264,000 people have died from Covid-19 in the US

From CNN's Jamiel Lynch and Amanda Watts

A Miami-Dade County resident creates a symbolic tombstone for a relative at a memorial cemetery for those lost to Covid-19 in Liberty City, Florida on November 24.
A Miami-Dade County resident creates a symbolic tombstone for a relative at a memorial cemetery for those lost to Covid-19 in Liberty City, Florida on November 24. Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald/Getty Images

At least 12,993,261 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the US and at least 264,241 people have died from virus, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases.

So far today, Johns Hopkins has reported 109,997 new cases and 787 deaths.

Friday marked the 25th consecutive day the US reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases.

The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases. 

4:06 p.m. ET, November 27, 2020

CDC advisers to vote next week on who gets coronavirus vaccine first

From CNN’s John Bonifield and Maggie Fox

A security guard walks on the grounds of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 14.
A security guard walks on the grounds of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 14. Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will vote Tuesday on the very first people to get a coronavirus vaccine once one gets emergency authorization.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices has scheduled an emergency meeting for Tuesday to discuss allocation of Covid-19 vaccines, according to a document obtained by CNN.

Members of the committee will discuss who should be in the first group, and clinical considerations for the group. Draft recommendations have suggested that health care workers should be in the 1a vaccine allocation group. Other possible members of the group: people most likely to catch, spread and develop severe disease from the virus such as nursing home residents.

The advisers will also discuss how to monitor safety after allocation of the vaccine, according to the document.

3:36 p.m. ET, November 27, 2020

Delta cancels more than 500 flights this week following staffing reductions due to pandemic

From CNN’s Greg Wallace and Pete Muntean

Passengers wait in line to check-in for Delta Air Lines flights at Los Angeles International Airport ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in Los Angeles, California, November 25.
Passengers wait in line to check-in for Delta Air Lines flights at Los Angeles International Airport ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in Los Angeles, California, November 25. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images

A surge in Thanksgiving demand is taxing Delta’s smaller pandemic-era workforce.  

The issue led Delta to cancel hundreds of flights this week, according to the pilot union and the airline.  

Delta ultimately canceled nearly one in every five flights it was scheduled to operate on Thanksgiving Day, and has dropped in total more than 500 flights this week. The airline said it expects its system to return to normal over the weekend.  

The union representing pilots said staffing reductions due to the coronavirus pandemic and drop-off in travel “have left a smaller pool of pilots qualified and ready to fly in the fleets that are seeing an increased demand over this holiday.”  

Delta said Wednesday that a “number of factors have pressured our ability to timely staff some of our scheduled holiday flights” but did not specify the issues.  

After distributing the November employee schedules last month, Delta added flights to its schedule and asked for volunteers to cover those flights, according to a source familiar with the situation. But when there were not enough employees to cover those legs, the airline was forced to cancel some of those.  

The airline declined to comment on that explanation. The Delta Master Executive Council at the Air Line Pilots Association said its pilots have stepped up to take on extra flights over the holiday period and receive the incentive of premium pay for picking up extra legs.  

But when demand surged this week, the heavy cuts to the aviation system due to the coronavirus began to show.  

Airline passenger traffic is currently only about 40% of what it was last year, according to data from the Transportation Security Administration, and US airlines are running 43% fewer flights.  

Delta and other US airlines responded to the drop in demand by cutting from employee ranks. Work schedules were reduced, 1,800 pilots retired early, and others were placed on inactive status or are in line for training because the model of planes they flew were retired.  

Employee unions and executives at the major US airlines have called for a multi-billion extension of a payroll support program that kept their employees on the job through September. Legislation to do that includes other stimulus and has stalled in Washington.  

The airlines have seen a relative surge in bookings this week as distanced families reunite for Thanksgiving dinner and college students are booted from university housing. More than one million people have crossed through TSA checkpoints only four times since the spring – and three of those days were in the last week.  

Travelers are also booking closer to their departure dates, airlines have said, giving the companies less visibility when arranging schedules more than a month in advance.  

The union, in a statement, said the scheduling issue cannot be attributed to crews calling out sick because of the coronavirus.