December 6 coronavirus news

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged the public to wear masks as coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths soar across the nation.

 “JUST WEAR THE MASK,” the CDC said on Twitter on Saturday.

“Cover your mouth AND nose,” the agency continued, citing public health precautions it has repeatedly recommended, this time with a new sense of urgency.

 The CDC recommends people stay six feet apart, wash hands and stay home when possible.

“Cases are rising fast,” the agency warned. “If we don’t act together and do what we can to slow the spread, thousands more could die.”

Germany reported 255 deaths in the past 24 hours, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases, amid a recent spike in fatalities.

It comes a day after Germany reported a near-high number of coronavirus deaths, with 483 fatalities recorded on Saturday.

The highest number of reported virus-related deaths in the country came on Wednesday, at 487 fatalities. The national death toll stands at 18,722.

On Sunday, Germany recorded 17,767 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the country’s total number of infections to 1,171,322.  

Daily coronavirus fatalities have risen sharply in Germany in recent weeks, as the country struggles to contain an ongoing surge in infections. 

After meeting with state governors this week, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced on Thursday the extension of restrictive coronavirus measures in the country until January 10, as infection rates throughout the country remain too high to allow re-opening of restaurants, bars and leisure facilities.

The United States reported 213,875 new Covid-19 cases and 2,254 virus-related deaths on Saturday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

That brings the total number of reported infections nationwide to 14,581,337. At least 281,186 people have died.

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

It's the fourth day in a row that the US has reported more than 200,000 daily Covid-19 cases. More than 1 million new cases were reported in the first five days of December and the country is seeing record high numbers of hospitalizations.

CNN is tracking the US cases here:

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Tracking Covid-19 cases in the US

There are more active Covid-19 cases in South Korea now than at any other point in the pandemic, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

There are currently 7,873 virus patients in the country.

On Sunday, South Korea reported 599 local and 32 imported cases, which were detected the previous day. Of those, 470 were from the Seoul Metropolitan Area.

That brings South Korea's national total to 37,546 Covid-19 cases and 545 deaths since the pandemic began.

The United States recorded its second-highest number of people currently hospitalized with Covid-19 on Saturday, according to the Covid Tracking Project (CTP).

There were 101,190 people hospitalized with Covid-19 on Saturday, down 86 from Friday's record high of 101,276 hospitalizations, according to the CTP.

This is the fourth consecutive day that the US has surpassed 100,000 current hospitalizations.

The highest hospitalization numbers according to CTP data are:

Hospitals across the United States are being put under immense pressure as the nation continues to hit record levels of new Covid-19 cases, adding more than 1 million new cases in the first five days of December.

Rhode Island's not alone. More than 101,200 Covid-19 patients were in US hospitals on Friday — a record high, according to the Covid Tracking Project. Hospital systems and health care workers are approaching their breaking points.

Experts fear a potential surge of infections linked to Thanksgiving gatherings that will further stress hospitals and frontline health workers.

Read the full story:

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US reported more than 10,000 Covid-19 deaths in four days. And the impacts of Thanksgiving will only make things worse, experts warn

The United States has reported more than 200,000 new Covid-19 cases for the fourth day in a row, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

As of 8 p.m. ET Saturday, 200,067 new cases and 2,189 deaths had been reported in the US.

A total of 14,567,529 cases and 281,121 deaths have been reported in the country since the pandemic began.

More than 1 million new cases were reported in the first five days of December. 

Here's a rundown of the US cases in the past four days: 

Southern California and San Joaquin Valley residents are bracing for a stay-at-home order. Intensive care unit capacity in the two regions has fallen below 15%, triggering a mandate issued by the governor earlier this week that aims to bring down the soaring number of Covid-19 hospitalizations.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced that any region that fell below the 15% ICU capacity threshold would be placed under a stay-at-home order.

The order goes into effect Sunday at 11:59 p.m. PT for the some 27 million people in the regions, which includes Los Angeles and San Diego.

That follows a proactive order issued by six San Francisco Bay Area jurisdictions on Friday for its almost 6 million residents, which also goes into effect Sunday.

Read the full story:

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Tens of millions in California under stay-at-home order starting Sunday night

More than one million new cases of Covid-19 were reported in the United States within the first five days of December, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Here's a rundown of cases in the past five days: