BA.5: The 'worst variant' is here | CNN

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(CNN) Nearly two-and-a-half years since the coronavirus pandemic began, the most infectious and transmissible variant yet has arrived.

Repeated Covid-19 waves have left millions of people dead, with only vaccines helping to blunt the toll. Now the virus is spreading again — evolving, escaping immunity and driving an uptick in cases and hospitalizations. The latest version of its shape-shifting, BA.5, is a clear sign that the pandemic is far from over.

The newest offshoot of Omicron, along with a closely related variant, BA.4, are fueling a global surge in cases — 30% over the past fortnight, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

In Europe , the Omicron subvariants are powering a spike in cases of about 25%, though Dr. Michael Ryan, the executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies Program, has said that number may actually be higher, given the "almost collapse in testing." BA.5 is on the march in China , ratcheting anxieties that major cities there may soon re-enforce strict lockdown measures that were only recently lifted. And the same variant has become the dominant strain in the United States, where it accounted for 65% of new infections last week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"We have been watching this virus evolve rapidly. We've been planning and preparing for this moment. And the message that I want to get across to the American people is this: BA.5 is something we're closely monitoring, and most importantly, we know how to manage it," said Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House's Covid-19 response coordinator, in a news briefing on Tuesday.

On the same day, WHO's Emergency Committee said Covid-19 remained a Public Health Emergency of International Concern — its highest level of alert, first declared on January 20, 2020 — amid rising cases, ongoing viral mutation and increasing pressure on already overstretched health systems. In a statement, the committee, which is made up of independent experts, highlighted challenges to the ongoing global Covid-19 response, including a drop-off in testing and spotty genome sequencing, raising the question of just how accurately any nation might reasonably be able to monitor BA.5.

Official data dramatically undercount the true number of infections in the US, epidemiologists say, leaving the nation with a critical blind spot as the most transmissible coronavirus variant yet takes hold. Some experts think there could be as many as 1 million new infections every day in the broader US population — 10 times higher than the official count.

As for how to manage the new wave, Jha urged Americans aged 50 and older to get second booster shots. Adults who are up to date with vaccinations are less likely to be hospitalized than those who are unvaccinated. But only about one in four adults in the US over 50 have gotten their recommended second boosters, data collected by the CDC show.

US health officials are urgently working on a plan to allow second Covid-19 boosters for all adults, a senior White House official confirmed to CNN on Monday, amid fears that younger adults' immunity may be waning as Covid-19 cases rise with the dominance of BA.5.

What makes BA.5 different? Eric Topol, a cardiologist and professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research, has called BA.5 Eric Topol, a cardiologist and professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research, has called BA.5 "the worst version of the virus we've seen." He explained in a recent newsletter: "It takes immune escape, already extensive, to the next level, and, as a function of that, enhanced transmissibility," well beyond earlier versions of Omicron.

In other words, BA.5 can easily evade immunity from previous infections and vaccines, increasing the risk of reinfection. Though the variant does not appear to lead to more severe illness, in an interview with CNN on Monday, Topol said that given the extent of BA.5's immune evasion, he expects to see an escalation in hospitalizations, as we've seen in Europe and elsewhere that the variant has taken root. "One good thing is it doesn't appear to be accompanied by the ICU admissions and the deaths as previous variants, but this is definitely concerning," he added.

Public health experts in the US may take some solace from the trajectory of the variant in Europe. WHO's Ryan said last week that while many European countries are experiencing a jump in hospitalizations, "what we're not seeing is an increase in intensive care unit admissions, so the vaccines are very much still working and it is those gaps in immunity that are causing the problem."

But still, steep reductions in Covid-19 surveillance worldwide are hindering epidemiologists' efforts as they race to trace the virus' evolution.

"Sub-variants of Omicron, like BA.4 and BA.5, continue to drive waves of cases, hospitalization and death around the world," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a media briefing on Tuesday. "Surveillance has reduced significantly -- including testing and sequencing -- making it increasingly difficult to assess the impact of variants on transmission, disease characteristics, and the effectiveness of counter-measures."

"New waves of the virus demonstrate again that the Covid-19 [pandemic] is nowhere near over," he added.

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED.

Q: How should I protect myself amid the new Covid-19 wave?

A: At this point in the pandemic, many people may not want to plan their lives around Covid-19 anymore — especially if they're generally healthy. On the other hand, those with underlying health conditions or who have concerns about long-haul symptoms are still trying to play it safe. Given just how contagious the new Omicron subvariants are, At this point in the pandemic, many people may not want to plan their lives around Covid-19 anymore — especially if they're generally healthy. On the other hand, those with underlying health conditions or who have concerns about long-haul symptoms are still trying to play it safe. Given just how contagious the new Omicron subvariants are, avoiding infection does require some planning and consideration , CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen explains.

"I don't think that most people should have to change their daily activities, but I do think people need to be aware of their risk of contracting Covid-19 if they don't take additional precautions," Wen said. The question to ask yourself, she added, is this: How much do I want to continue to avoid infection?

For individuals who want to reduce their risk, Wen advises that they stay up to date with their boosters (in the US, everyone age 5 and older can receive a first booster, and those 50 and older can receive a second booster for a total of four shots). She also recommends wearing a high-quality N95 mask or equivalent in indoor, crowded settings, and staying outside for large gatherings as much as possible — something easier to do in the summertime.

"For those who find masks uncomfortable, I'd encourage mask-wearing in the highest-risk settings — for example, mask while in a crowded security line at the airport and during boarding and deplaning," she said.

Send your questions here . Are you a health care worker fighting Covid-19? Message us on WhatsApp about the challenges you're facing: +1 347-322-0415.

READS OF THE WEEK

First Covid vaccine mandate enforced in mainland China

Beijing last week announced a Covid-19 vaccine mandate for residents wanting to enter public venues, becoming the first city in mainland China to do so as it attempts to contain the spread of BA.5, Nectar Gan writes. Those who are "not suitable" for vaccination will be exempt from the requirement, a city official said, without clarifying how they can provide the proof needed for exemption.

The vaccine mandate comes as Beijing reported three cases of the highly contagious Omicron subvariant. Several Chinese cities have imposed new curbs after detecting BA.5. Shanghai, which only recently emerged from a two-month lockdown, identified its first case on Friday and will perform two rounds of Covid tests this week. An outbreak of BA.5 has already shut down the northwestern city of Xi'an , home to 13 million people, where entertainment, sports and religious venues have been closed, and restaurants limited to takeaway and delivery services.

Casinos in the gambling hub of Macao were ordered to shut for the first time since February 2020 because of a Covid outbreak, sending shares of their operating companies plunging, and fears of new lockdowns in Shanghai undermined the broader China market. Chinese stocks remained under pressure after Monday's sell-off fueled by the threat of new Covid restrictions, especially the tech sector, Laura He reports.

People stand in line at a coronavirus testing site in Beijing on July 4.

Drug-resistant infections and deaths have risen among hospital patients

The US had made significant progress in fighting drug-resistant infections in recent years. But those gains were largely erased during the Covid-19 pandemic, with hospital-acquired infections and resulting deaths rising 15% in 2020, according to new data, Deidre McPhillips reports.

A special report released Tuesday by the CDC found that more than 29,400 people died from antimicrobial-resistant infections in the first year of the pandemic — nearly 40% of those deaths were among people who got the infection while in the hospital. The full number is probably even higher, given that data for half of the 18 pathogens identified as threats are unavailable or delayed.

WHO has called antimicrobial resistance a "silent pandemic," and drug-resistant infections were linked to nearly 5 million deaths globally in 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic probably contributed to the increased risk in the US, particularly because many people delayed care or left infections untreated — either because of closed clinics or fear of exposing themselves to Covid-19 — which can increase the risk of developing drug resistance.

Pulse oximeters don't work as well for people of color

Often when Dr. Thomas Valley sees a new patient in the intensive care unit at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, he clamps a pulse oximeter on their finger — one of the many devices he uses to gauge their health and what course of care they require, whether they are a child having seizures, a teenage car accident victim or an older person with Covid-19.

But recently, Valley, an assistant professor in the University of Michigan's Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, realized that the small device may yield less accurate oxygen readings in patients with dark skin. If the device isn't calibrated correctly, the darker pigmentation can affect how the light is absorbed by the sensor, leading to flawed oxygen readings and patients being discharged when they shouldn't.

The findings of Valley and his colleagues add to a growing body of research -- dating back to the 1980s -- that suggests flawed pulse oximeter readings among Black and brown patients can be a real and life-threatening issue in medical care. But the public has only recently been made more aware of this health disparity, and US health officials have announced plans to investigate the accuracy of pulse oximeters , Jacqueline Howard reports.

TOP TIP

Advice for anxious new moms

Edith Bracho-Sanchez, director of pediatric telemedicine and assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, didn't think she'd be an anxious mom. But that changed when she had her son. "I stress over every decision I make for William. I make long pro and con lists, I discuss everything with my partner, sleep on things and ultimately, I pray," she wrote in a recent column for CNN.

Knowing how difficult it is to make decisions — big and small — she said she understood why some parents might struggle with the choice to vaccinate their children against Covid-19. This is why she says she did it, and her advice to anxious new moms like her

First, Covid-19 is an unpredictable illness. While most children have minor symptoms and recover well, many have landed in hospitals and emergency rooms, and to date, more than 400 children under the age of 5 have died from the illness in the US alone, according to the CDC. We also don't yet fully understand the long-term effects of the disease.

Second, I know the vaccine is in the body for a short period of time and with a specific mission. It instructs the body to make protective antibodies against Covid-19, and the body's own cellular mechanisms quickly break it down soon after. Because of this, there really is no plausible way it will interfere with my little William's development, something about which I am constantly thinking.

LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST

5 things to know for July 8: Shinzo Abe, Parade shooting, Brittney ...

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(CNN) Summer travel is heating up, but understaffed airlines are struggling to avoid melting down. American Airlines this week agreed to pay its pilots triple their normal rate after thousands of flights were left without pilots . Several other major airlines are also offering salary increases for pilots who fly on peak days, as flight cancellations during holiday periods continue to be a regular occurrence.

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1. Shinzo Abe

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died at age 67 after being shot during a speech today in Nara, Japan, doctors who were treating him have confirmed. The shocking act of violence has rattled the country with one of the world's lowest rates of gun violence . Abe died from excessive bleeding and was pronounced dead at 5:03 p.m. local time, doctors at the Nara Medical University hospital said during a press conference. The doctors said the bullet that killed the former Japanese leader was "deep enough to reach his heart" and a team of 20 medical professionals was unable to stop the bleeding. Police have arrested a Nara resident in his 40s in relation to the shooting, public broadcaster NHK reported. Messages from world leaders , past and present, have flooded in, expressing condemnation of the shooting. Abe was the longest-serving Japanese Prime Minister in history.

2. Parade shooting

New details have emerged describing the scene as a gunman opened fire during a Fourth of July parade in a Chicago suburb where seven people were killed and dozens of others were wounded. Concealed on a rooftop, the gunman shot at paradegoers with a semi-automatic rifle, authorities said. His position made it difficult for officers to quickly find him when the parade turned to chaos, officials said. Separately, an 8-year-old boy who was attending the parade with his parents and twin brother was shot and is now paralyzed from the waist down , a family spokesperson told CNN. In a voluntary statement, the gunman admitted to authorities that he emptied two 30-round magazines before loading his weapon a third time and firing again. If convicted, he faces a life sentence in prison.

JUST WATCHED Gunman's father claims no responsibility over shooting Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Gunman's father claims no responsibility over shooting 02:40

3. Brittney Griner

Two-time US Olympic basketball gold medalist Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Russian court near Moscow, her lawyers confirmed to CNN on Thursday. Griner, whom the US State Department has classified as wrongfully detained, faces up to 10 years in prison under the charge. Supporters of the Phoenix Mercury player have called for her release over fears she is being used as a political pawn amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Griner's lawyers said they expect the court to take into account the 31-year-old athlete's guilty plea and hope for leniency. Griner was arrested on February 17 at a Moscow airport. Russian authorities claimed she had cannabis oil in her luggage. Her next hearing is set for July 14.

JUST WATCHED Hear Brittney Griner plead guilty to drug charges in a Russian court Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Hear Brittney Griner plead guilty to drug charges in a Russian court 02:29

4. Coronavirus

About 300,000 children under the age of five in the US have received at least one shot of the Covid-19 vaccine since it was recommended by the CDC last month, a senior White House official told CNN on Thursday. This makes up about 2% of that age group -- a number the official says aligns with the Biden administration's expectations, though the number is lower than other age groups. "We expected this to be a little bit slower even than 5 to 11, which was slower than 12 to 17, which was slower than adults. It's just kind of what we anticipated, and what we prepared for," the official said. Conversations with medical providers, according to the official, have been key to parents' decision-making more than any other effort by the White House to encourage vaccinations among this group.

5. Heat wave

The third heat wave of the still-early summer is scorching the US South , and "it will get worse... before it gets better," the National Weather Service said. Millions of people across more than a dozen states remain under heat alerts. Paired with uncomfortable high humidity, it will feel like 110 to 115 degrees in some places, forecasts show. Above-normal temperatures are forecast well into next week as well -- exceeding the average of four days. Dallas has already seen several days above 100 degrees and is expected to continue the trend through at least midweek, putting this stretch in the running for the city's longest consecutive 100-degree streak since 2011.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Las Vegas Raiders hire first Black female president in NFL history

Sandra Douglass Morgan has entered the chat. Meet the powerhouse executive who's breaking barriers throughout the league.

President Biden awards Medal of Freedom to 17 recipients

Olympic athletes Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe were among the select few who received the nation's highest civilian honor on Thursday. See the rest of the impressive list here

'Stranger Things' spinoff is in the works

The wildly popular Netflix show "Stranger Things" is coming to an end, but its upside-down stories will live on

Pringles wants a spider named after it

Pringles and spiders are probably two things you don't associate with each other -- until now. Trust me, it'll make sense once you see this photo

A photographer cataloged all 12,795 items in her house

Going from room to room, a woman going through a divorce spent almost five years documenting every single object she owns. This is what she learned

QUIZ TIME

Which iconic landmark is reportedly riddled with rust and badly in need of repairs?

A. Eiffel Tower

B. Golden Gate Bridge

C. Taj Mahal

D. Big Ben

IN MEMORIAM

James Caan, the veteran screen actor known for his work in such films as "The Godfather," "Misery" and "Elf," has died, his family said on Thursday in a statement on his verified Twitter account. He was 82 . "It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6," the statement read. "The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time." They did not disclose a cause of death.

TODAY'S NUMBER

21

That's how many years Derek Chauvin was sentenced to serve in federal prison on Thursday for depriving George Floyd of his civil rights. The former Minneapolis police officer briefly addressed Floyd's children in court. "I wish them all the best in their life and that they'll have excellent guidance in the rest of their life," he said. Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd , attended the hearing and asked the court for the maximum sentence. The killing of Floyd in 2020, which was caught on video, sparked a national outcry over police brutality and a reckoning over racial justice in America.

TODAY'S QUOTE

"Ukrainians are not ready to give away their land, to accept that these territories belong to Russia. This is our land."

-- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, telling CNN in , telling CNN in an exclusive interview on Thursday that Ukraine is unwilling to give up any of its land for peace with Russia. The war in Ukraine has now lasted for more than four months, with no sign of either side backing down soon . Last week, White House officials told CNN they are losing confidence Ukraine will ever be able to take back all of the land it has lost to Russia since the war began, even with the aid of heavier and more sophisticated weaponry that the US and its allies plan to provide Kyiv.

TODAY'S WEATHER

JUST WATCHED Heating up in the South while storms develop for parts of the Ohio Valley Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Heating up in the South while storms develop for parts of the Ohio Valley 02:51

AND FINALLY

Intricately dancing to orchestra music

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(CNN) A spot in the Southern California desert could hold the key to powering all of America's electric cars. It's called the Salton Sea -- but isn't really a sea at all. The toxic lake is the most abundant source of lithium on the planet, with enough to power all domestic EV car batteries for decades to come, energy experts say.

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1. Shinzo Abe

2. January 6

JUST WATCHED Reporter: This is why Bannon changed his mind about January 6 testimony Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Reporter: This is why Bannon changed his mind about January 6 testimony 02:43

3. Gun laws

President Joe Biden on Monday said gun violence has turned everyday places in America into "killing fields" as he marked the passage of the first significant federal gun safety legislation in 30 years. Biden said the package he signed into law last month represents "an important start," but falls far short of what he and his party had advocated for to curb the alarming rate of shootings in the US. During his remarks, Biden was interrupted by Manuel Oliver , a father whose son was killed in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. "You have to do more than that," Oliver yelled. As of today, there have been 333 mass shootings in the US since the beginning of the year, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.

JUST WATCHED Parkland victim's father interrupts Biden's speech celebrating new gun laws Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Parkland victim's father interrupts Biden's speech celebrating new gun laws 02:19

4. Coronavirus

US health officials are urgently working on a plan to allow second Covid-19 boosters for all adults, a senior White House official confirmed to CNN. Second boosters have been authorized for adults 50 and older , as well as some people with weakened immune systems, since late March. But younger adults are eligible for only one booster shot, which was authorized in November. Some experts are concerned that younger adults' immunity may be waning as Covid-19 cases rise with the dominance of the BA.5 Omicron subvariant . The CDC reports that the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants constitute more than 70% of new infections in the country. And while these subvariants may partially escape the immunity produced by the vaccine and prior infection, vaccination still likely protects against severe illness.

5. Sri Lanka

Thousands of protesters have stormed the homes of Sri Lanka's President and Prime Minister in recent days in fury over the nation's crippling economic crisis . The protesters have succeeded in forcing the leaders to resign, but refuse to leave the luxury houses until both of them have vacated their roles. Striking images show protesters sprawled on a bed in the presidential palace and barbecuing food on the property. But the most dramatic footage showed protesters swimming in the President's private pool . It remains unclear how Sri Lanka will overcome rising food costs, fuel shortages and electricity cuts as the country struggles to make debt repayments.

JUST WATCHED Video shows protesters occupying Sri Lanka's presidential palace Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Video shows protesters occupying Sri Lanka's presidential palace 02:11

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Elon Musk said "humanity will reach Mars in your lifetime"

A tomb linked to King Arthur is being excavated for the first time

Archaeologists are excavating this 5,000-year-old tomb named in honor of the mythical medieval king.

Miles Teller says he's down to do another 'Top Gun' movie if Tom Cruise gives the green light

Maverick, we're counting on you! On behalf of millions of fans, another "Top Gun" would be a total treat. Am I right? Or am I right?

K-pop group BTS is coming to Disney+ in a major streaming deal

The battle of the streaming platforms rages on. In one corner, Disney is aiming to knock out Netflix by attracting legions of BTS fans around the world.

This is the deepest view of the universe ever captured

Check out this groundbreaking image of distant galaxies captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.

TODAY'S NUMBER

33%

That's President Joe Biden's approval rating according to a new poll, leading to increased speculation about his prospects for reelection . The nationwide survey conducted by the New York Times/Siena College comes as Democratic officials and party leaders have begun to doubt that Biden is their strongest candidate to beat former President Donald Trump -- or another GOP candidate -- in 2024. But a challenge requires a challenger, and all the Democrats being discussed as potential primary opponents to Biden tell CNN they are ruling out runs

TODAY'S QUOTE

"Under the law, no matter where you live, women have the right to emergency care -- including abortion care."

-- HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the country's top health official, saying the Biden administration , the country's top health official, saying the Biden administration expects providers to continue offering abortion services , despite laws that strictly limit the procedure after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade . In the clarifying guidance announced Monday, Becerra said that the federal government can penalize institutions or providers that fail to provide abortions as needed to treat medical emergencies.

TODAY'S WEATHER

JUST WATCHED Heat remains in the South as severe storms hit the Northeast Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Heat remains in the South as severe storms hit the Northeast 02:39

AND FINALLY

Cat Needs His Own Cat-uccino To Begin His Day

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(CNN) High winds and extreme heat are fueling dangerous wildfires across the Southwest. Four states -- New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Texas -- are battling a dozen large fires that have already burned more than 320,000 acres, and triple-digit temperatures are only making matters worse.

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1. Ukraine

2. Inmate escape

The nationwide search for a former Alabama corrections officer and the inmate she disappeared with ended yesterday when Vicky White died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound , officials said. Vicky White, 56, and Casey White, 38, were captured in Evansville, Indiana, following a car chase with authorities who tracked them down following a tip that came from the public. The chase ended when a US Marshals task force member drove a vehicle into the car the pair were in. Officers were able to remove the inmate from the wrecked car, but Vicky White was pinned inside with a gunshot wound to her head. Casey White reportedly told authorities to help "his wife" who had shot herself and told them he didn't do it. The pair's capture brought to a close a lengthy manhunt that gained widespread attention.

JUST WATCHED Escaped Alabama inmate caught after chase Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Escaped Alabama inmate caught after chase 01:34

3. Philippines election

Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late dictator, is on the cusp of winning the Philippines presidential election by a landslide, preliminary and unofficial results show. With more than 95% of the votes counted, Marcos Jr. has about 30 million votes, more than double that of his closest rival, the outgoing Vice President Leni Robredo, according to a partial and unofficial tally reported by CNN Philippines . Official results, however, could take weeks to be confirmed. Known as "Bongbong" in the Philippines, Marcos Jr.'s win would return the Marcos dynasty to the Malacañang Palace 36 years after the family fled a mass uprising. His father's 21-year rule was marked by human rights abuses and widespread corruption.

JUST WATCHED Torture survivor has a warning ahead of Philippines' presidential election Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Torture survivor has a warning ahead of Philippines' presidential election 04:04

4. Stocks tumble

US stocks fell sharply yesterday , pushing the S&P 500 below the 4,000 mark for the first time in more than a year as traders anticipate a new load of bad news on inflation and earnings. The Dow fell about 654 points, or nearly 2%. The S&P 500 dropped 3.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite lost about 4.3%. The moves follow an incredibly volatile week on Wall Street and marks the fifth straight week of losses for all three major US stock indexes. "I've been in the markets for 25 years and I've never seen anything like this," said Danielle DiMartino Booth, CEO and chief strategist for Quill Intelligence, a Wall Street and Federal Reserve research firm. "It's violent not just volatile."

5. Resort deaths

Three Americans died of unknown causes at a Sandals resort on the Bahamas' Great Exuma island Friday. Officials are conducting autopsies to learn more about how the travelers -- two from Tennessee and one from Florida -- died over the course of one evening. A fourth American, the wife of the Floridian who died, was airlifted to the nation's capital of Nassau for further treatment before being transferred stateside. No signs of trauma were found on the bodies, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement to CNN, and the circumstances remain under police investigation.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Warhol portrait fetches a record $195 million

Going, going, gone! One of Andy Warhol's most recognizable works just became the most expensive 20th-century artwork ever sold at auction.

Anthony Anderson celebrates graduation from Howard University

It's never too late. The "Black-ish" actor, who is 51, credited his son for encouraging him to go back to school

Tony Awards nominations announced

Bravo! These Broadway productions received the most nods this year.

Prince Harry shows off his acting skills in new video

Ms. Markle, spill the tea! Did you give your husband some acting tips

Top 10 hotels in the world and the US for 2022, according to Tripadvisor

Calories don't count when you're on vacation, right? Imagine all of the incredible cuisine options at the world's best hotels

TODAY'S NUMBER

2.2 million

That's how many barrels per day of crude oil will be cut off to Europe if the EU bans Russian oil imports , according to the International Energy Agency. As Europe tries to wean itself off Russia's oil, Middle Eastern nations appear to be the only producers with enough capacity to compensate for the shortfall. Oil analysts, however, caution that the region may not be able to come to Europe's rescue

Meanwhile in the Middle East, a free newsletter from our experts across the region. Three times a week we'll send you an inside look at the biggest stories and trends in the Middle East and what they mean for your world. CNN has launched, a free newsletter from our experts across the region. Three times a week we'll send you an inside look at the biggest stories and trends in the Middle East and what they mean for your world. Sign up here!

TODAY'S QUOTE

"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years. It's likely that we will find additional bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead."

-- Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lt. Ray Spencer, commenting on the discovery of body in a barrel in Lake Mead earlier this month. commenting on the discovery of body in a barrel in Lake Mead earlier this month. More human remains were found over the weekend in the country's largest reservoir. Around 40 million people in the West rely on water from the Colorado River and its two largest reservoirs -- Lake Mead and Lake Powell -- where levels have plunged over the past few years amid a climate change-fueled megadrought.

TODAY'S WEATHER

JUST WATCHED Fire risk remains across the Southwest as the Central US deals with record heat Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Fire risk remains across the Southwest as the Central US deals with record heat 01:58

AND FINALLY

Window cleaner creates logos on soapy glass

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(CNN) Home should always be your happy place, but with rents surging in several popular cities, some say it's getting uncomfortable -- and downright frustrating -- to live comfortably. In February, the national median rent was up 17% from a year ago, according to a new report , marking the seventh-straight month of rents soaring by double-digit percentages.

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1. Ukraine

President Joe Biden is set to gather with world leaders in Brussels for emergency summits to respond to the war in Ukraine. Announcements on new sanctions, NATO force posture and military assistance are all expected at the sessions today , according to US and European officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly asked for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, but US and NATO officials have said that option is not on the table because it would risk provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin and spark a wider war with Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told CNN that Putin has still not achieved his goal in Ukraine, which is to eliminate the country's military potential. Separately, Russia partially reopened its stock market today after a monthlong closure and investors took part in a highly restricted trading session. The White House, however, called the market reopening a "charade."

2. Supreme Court

Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson concluded her two days of questioning late yesterday, having spent about 22 hours this week being grilled by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Throughout the hearings, Jackson has defended her experience and credentials as she faced criticism from Republican senators on her judicial philosophy and legal record. No Democratic senators have signaled they will oppose Jackson, but many Republican senators are expected to oppose the nomination . The Senate Judiciary Committee is poised to vote on Judge Jackson's Supreme Court nomination on Monday, April 4. In a 50-50 Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris would be the tiebreaker to put Jackson on the high court.

JUST WATCHED Ketanji Brown Jackson chokes up delivering message to youth Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Ketanji Brown Jackson chokes up delivering message to youth 03:29

3. Coronavirus

The CEOs of 10 airlines and cargo carriers are urging Biden to end mask mandates and Covid-19 testing requirements for international travelers. In a letter to the presiden t, the CEOs argue that federal travel restrictions -- including international predeparture testing and the federal mask mandate -- "are no longer aligned with the realities of the current epidemiological environment." Earlier this month, the White House moved the end of the transportation mask mandate to April 18 and said government agencies would consult with the CDC to determine if the mandate could expire sooner. The CEOs of Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Atlas Air Worldwide, Delta Air Lines, FedEx Express, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and UPS Airlines all signed the letter.

4. Capitol riot

More than 80 officials from law enforcement and federal agencies have testified before the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Investigators believe this will be the most extensive review yet of security failures that led to the massive breach. While much of what the Democrat-led committee has made public so far has centered around the plotting by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 presidential election, aides and lawmakers say this behind-the-scenes review might lead to the bulk of their legislative recommendations and have the most lasting impact. At the same time, Republicans have launched their own investigation into security lapses on January 6, 2021 , and plan to release their own recommendations.

5. Royal tour

Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are on a weeklong royal tour of the Caribbean , having arrived Tuesday hours after protests were held calling on the monarchy to apologize and pay reparations for its historical role in the slave trade. Prince William and Kate are visiting Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas for a series of engagements to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee year , marking 70 years on the throne. However, protests have overshadowed the trip and a royal engagement was canceled amid reported opposition from local residents. Britain and Jamaica's relationship stretches back centuries. The island was seized by the British in 1655 and remained under its rule until it gained independence in 1962 but has stayed under the Queen as head of state. The majority of Jamaicans are of African ancestry and are the descendants of slaves trafficked to the country by European colonists.

JUST WATCHED Prince William and Kate face protests in Jamaica during royal tour Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Prince William and Kate face protests in Jamaica during royal tour 01:46

IN MEMORIAM

Madeleine Albright , the first female US secretary of state and who helped steer Western foreign policy in the aftermath of the Cold War, has died. She was 84 years old. The cause was cancer, her family confirmed in a statement. Albright was a central figure in President Bill Clinton's administration, first serving as US ambassador to the United Nations before becoming the nation's top diplomat in his second term. Biden paid tribute to Albright in a lengthy statement yesterday, calling her a "force." He also ordered flags at the White House and all federal buildings to be flown at half-staff in Albright's honor.

JUST WATCHED Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright dies at 84 Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright dies at 84 04:16

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Adidas plans to take over college sports, sign endorsement deals with up to 50,000 student athletes

Interesting play call, Adidas. Instead of scrambling to nab deals with the highest-profile players, why not sign them all

A dinosaur bigger than T. rex swam and hunted its prey underwater

Arizona is the first state to accept digital driver's licenses on iPhones

It's a complicated process, but Apple is working to make the feature available in several other states as soon as possible.

DNA tests reveal Dug the giant potato is not, in fact, a potato

Mackenzie Scott has given $3.8 billion to 465 organizations since June

The billionaire philanthropist, and ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, now has an estimated net worth of $55 billion even after the sizable donations

TODAY'S NUMBER

$6.02

That's how much a gallon of gas currently costs in Los Angeles County , according to AAA. California gas prices continue to spike even as the national average has been falling -- slowly but steadily -- for the last two weeks. Prices have also crossed the $6 mark in a few mostly rural California counties, while other areas such as San Diego, San Francisco, Orange and Ventura counties, are within pennies of $6 a gallon.

TODAY'S QUOTE

"I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, but I finally started talking to a therapist after Indian Wells."

-- Professional tennis player Naomi Osaka, referencing when she was , referencing when she was heckled by a fan at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on March 12. Last year, Osaka also withdrew from The French Open after opting not to speak to the media at the grand slam event, citing her mental health. When asked by a reporter why this was the moment she decided to talk to someone , Osaka said it was because her sister was concerned for her.

TODAY'S WEATHER

JUST WATCHED Cold air moves into the East as severe storm threat wraps up Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Cold air moves into the East as severe storm threat wraps up 02:05

AND FINALLY

Toilet paper challenge

5 things to know for May 23: Biden in Asia, Ukraine, Baby formula ...

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(CNN) The megarich are getting richer. A new billionaire was minted nearly every day during the pandemic, according to a new report . At the same time, data shows growing levels of inequality and rising food prices could push as many as 263 million people into extreme poverty this year.

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1. Biden in Asia

On his first trip to Asia since taking office, President Joe Biden said today that the United States would respond militarily if China tries to take Taiwan by force. "That's the commitment we made," he told reporters in Tokyo. The President's statement caught several of his top administration officials off guard, CNN was told by multiple aides. However, this is not the first time Biden has gone further than longstanding US public policy toward the self-governing island. The US provides Taiwan defensive weapons, but has remained intentionally ambiguous on whether it would intervene militarily in the event of a Chinese attack. Following Biden's remarks, the White House issued a statement that said the US' official position remained unchanged.

2. Ukraine

Tomorrow marks three months since Russia launched its assault on Ukraine. Since then, a staggering 8 million people in the country have been displaced, the UN Refugee Agency said today. Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a "historic" joint customs control with Poland yesterday, stressing "unity of Ukrainians and Poles is a constant that no one will break." Zelensky also signed a decree introducing a new award to thank cities of partner countries that have helped Ukraine the most -- and the Polish city of Rzeszow became the first to be added to the list. On the ground, tensions remain high and Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Saturday he has ruled out a ceasefire with Russia , emphasizing Kyiv would not accept any deal with Moscow that involved ceding territory.

3. Baby formula

A shipment of 35 tons of baby formula arrived yesterday in Indiana on a US military aircraft from Germany to address the nationwide shortage -- but none of it will land on store shelves in the US, a Biden administration official told CNN. The recent batch of formula is a specialized prescription and will be fed to babies intolerant of protein in cow milk, the official said. The shipment will provide enough formula for 9,000 babies and 18,000 toddlers for one week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. As for more upcoming shipments, the White House announced yesterday that additional flights to import formula from abroad will "take place in the coming days." Biden announced Operation Fly Formula last week. His administration said the total amount of formula in the first round equals up to 1.5 million doses of eight-ounce bottles.

4. Brooklyn Half Marathon

A 32-year-old runner died Saturday after finishing a half marathon in Brooklyn where 15 others were injured, officials said. The marathoner was found unconscious, lying on the pavement, having collapsed after crossing the finish line just before 9 a.m. in Brooklyn's Brighton Beach neighborhood, an NYPD detective said. An official cause and manner of death have not been released. The runner immediately received attention from on-site medical staff, but was pronounced dead at the hospital approximately 45 minutes later, officials said. Fifteen other individuals were transported to local hospitals from the race and at least four were in serious condition. During the marathon, temperatures ranged from the low 60s to the high 70s Fahrenheit and the relative humidity was between 96% and 97%, according to the National Weather Service

5. Gas prices

The White House is exploring the possibility of tapping into an emergency diesel reserve to ease the spike in gas prices, a senior White House official said. The emergency declaration under consideration would enable President Biden to release diesel from a rarely used stockpile , but the reserve is relatively small and will only serve as a temporary solution to buy time. The national average price for diesel stood at $5.56 a gallon as of yesterday, just shy of the record of $5.58 set last week, according to AAA . Diesel is a vital fuel for the US economy, powering not only farm and construction equipment but the trucks, trains and boats that move goods across the country. Skyrocketing diesel prices often get passed down to consumers.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

'SNL' says goodbye to Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson

"Saturday Night Live" closed out its 47th season with a funny, yet emotional episode. Grab a tissue... your eyes may get a little sweaty when you watch their goodbye moments

Justin Thomas wins 2022 PGA Championship

Another tee-rific victory for 29-year-old golf star Justin Thomas . If you ask me, he's the best by par.

Manchester City produces stunning comeback to secure English Premier League title

That game goes down in history as one of the most exciting championship Sundays EVER . Talk about a dramatic ending!

Netflix released the first 8 chilling minutes of 'Stranger Things'

Season 4 will air in two parts with the first seven episodes dropping this Friday . Oh, the suspense.

A Wisconsin couple survived after a bear charged through their window and attacked them

Panic mode: activated. What would you do in this heart-racing situation

TODAY'S NUMBER

100

TODAY'S QUOTE

"Maybe I would've died. But psychologically, they never would've broken me."

-- Trevor Reed, recounting the horrifying conditions of his detention in Russia, as well as the prisoner swap that ended a nearly three-year ordeal for him and his family. Reed, an American citizen and former Marine, was sentenced to nine years in prison in July 2020 after being accused of endangering the "life and health" of Russian police officers in an altercation the previous year. He and his family have denied the charges against him. In his first television interview since returning to the United States, Reed told CNN he's feeling a little better each day since coming home less than a month ago.

TODAY'S WEATHER

JUST WATCHED Summer-like temperatures for California as severe storms hit western Texas Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Summer-like temperatures for California as severe storms hit western Texas 01:31

AND FINALLY

Rise and shine, Monday is calling you

5 things to know for June 3: Gun violence, Ukraine, Tulsa shooting ...

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(CNN) Right now is the youngest you'll ever be again... or is it? Scientists at Harvard Medical School have successfully reversed aging in mice . Now, their goal is to do the same for humans.

Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

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1. Gun violence

In a passionate address to the nation yesterday, President Joe Biden called for stricter gun laws -- including a ban on assault weapons, tougher background check laws and a higher minimum age of purchase if lawmakers cannot agree on an outright ban. His plea to lawmakers comes as many Americans remain rattled by the recent deadly mass shootings in Oklahoma Texas and New York . "How much more carnage are we willing to accept?" Biden asked during his speech, demanding Republicans end their blockade of gun control votes. Both Biden and his advisers have suggested they have exhausted their options on executive action to address guns. In Congress, the House Judiciary Committee approved a wide-ranging bill that would likely pass the Democratic-controlled House but wouldn't overcome a Republican-led filibuster in the Senate.

2. Ukraine

After 100 days of war, about 20% of Ukraine's territory is now under Russian control, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday, adding that the Donbas region is "almost entirely destroyed." About 800 people, including some children, are hiding in several bomb shelters underneath a chemical factory in Severodonetsk, which has been targeted by Russian missile attacks, the head of Luhansk region military administration said. Those in hiding are locals who were asked to leave the city but refused. Separately, the US military's hacking unit confirms it has conducted offensive cyber operations in support of Ukraine and to potentially deter Russia from conducting cyberattacks against US infrastructure.

JUST WATCHED 'A huge problem': Retired colonel identifies danger area for Ukraine's military Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH 'A huge problem': Retired colonel identifies danger area for Ukraine's military 02:18

3. Tulsa shooting

The gunman who killed two doctors and two others at an Oklahoma medical building Wednesday did so after he blamed one of the physicians for causing him pain from a recent back surgery, a police chief said yesterday. Earlier that afternoon before the rampage, the shooter purchased an AR-15 style rifle used in the slaughter, city Police Chief Wendell Franklin said. He killed himself after the shooting, Franklin added. Officials also found a letter on the shooter that "made it clear that he came in with the intent to kill [the physician] and anyone who got in his way ." The Tulsa shooting is one of the 233 mass shootings in the US this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

JUST WATCHED Tulsa gunman bought assault-style weapon the day of shooting Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Tulsa gunman bought assault-style weapon the day of shooting 02:45

4. January 6

During the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows received a series of urgent pleas from Republicans who believed then-President Donald Trump had the power to stop the violence. One of the key questions the House select committee is expected to raise during high-profile hearings next week is why Trump failed to publicly condemn the attack for hours, and whether that failure is proof of " dereliction of duty " and evidence that Trump tried to obstruct Congress' certification of the 2020 election. CNN obtained the 2,319 text messages that Meadows selectively handed over to the January 6 committee in December before he stopped cooperating with the investigation.

JUST WATCHED Reporter follows up with people who texted Meadows on Jan. 6. Here's what they said Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Reporter follows up with people who texted Meadows on Jan. 6. Here's what they said 04:03

5. Coronavirus

Covid-19 shots for kids under 5 could begin in the US as soon as June 21 , the White House said yesterday. The vaccination program for the youngest Americans would come more than 18 months after vaccines were first authorized for adults. Despite some reluctance from parents , White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha expects "the vast majority" of kids will be vaccinated by their primary care providers. The good news, Jha said, is the US has "plenty of supply" of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to start the vaccination program for kids younger than 5, and 10 million additional doses would be made available for states, pharmacies, community health centers and federal entities to order starting today.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

14-year-old wins Scripps National Spelling Bee after a historic spell-off

C-o-n-g-r-a-t-u-l-a-t-i-o-n-s are in order for Harini Logan

An opossum wanders into a bar... and gets tossed out

LeBron James is now a billionaire

A rare, 5-planet alignment will take over the sky

Calling all stargazers. Look up this weekend for a stellar sight in the night sky

Christie's to offer rare first edition 'Harry Potter' book in private sale

The auction house is inviting offers starting from $250,000 . Let me guess what you're thinking... "Maybe I have copy hidden on a shelf somewhere."

QUIZ TIME

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in Britain's history, is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this weekend. How many years has she been on the throne?

A. 30

B. 40

C. 50

D. 70

TODAY'S NUMBER

2035

That's the year Americans will stop receiving their full Social Security benefits -- which help support payouts for the elderly, survivors and disabled -- if lawmakers don't act to address the pending shortfall, according to a new report released yesterday by the Social Security and Medicare trustees. Among the changes Congress could make to improve the solvency of Social Security would be to raise revenues by one-third, cut costs by one-quarter, or some combination of the two, said Stephen Goss, chief actuary of the Social Security Administration.

TODAY'S QUOTE

"We have not yet seen how bad this energy crisis is going to get."

-- Former Obama energy adviser Jason Bordoff, on the world careening toward a , on the world careening toward a 1970s-style energy crisis -- or worse. Already, gasoline prices in the US have surged by 52% over the past year to record highs, angering the public and contributing to the nation's inflation crisis. Prices for natural gas, a vital fuel for heating homes and powering the electric grid, have also nearly tripled over the past year.

TODAY'S WEATHER

JUST WATCHED Tropical system forecast to bring flooding rains to Florida Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Tropical system forecast to bring flooding rains to Florida 02:35

AND FINALLY

Choir surprises travelers with sky-high performance

5 things to know for April 18: Ukraine, Gun violence, Taxes, North ...

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(CNN) In just a few hours, more than 30,000 people will lace up their shoes and run in the 126th Boston Marathon . Several previous champions and Olympic medalists are pumped to join the race -- but not everyone is happy. Despite qualifying, 63 runners living in Russia or Belarus were banned from participating in the marathon due to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.

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1. Ukraine

Following a weekend of heavy shelling and a slew of new missile strikes across the country, Ukrainian forces are rejecting Russia's demands to surrender in Mariupol . The besieged southeastern port city has been surrounded by Russian forces since March 1, but Ukrainian troops trapped in the city are holding out against Russia's unrelenting onslaught despite overwhelming odds. "There are still our military forces, our soldiers, so they will fight until the end and as for now they are still in Mariupol," Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said yesterday on ABC News' "This Week." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also told CNN that Ukraine is not willing to give up territory in the eastern part of the country to end the war with Russia. This comes as Ukraine continues to suffer horrific civilian casualties . At least 191 children have been killed since the start of the Russian invasion, according to Ukrainian prosecutors , with hundreds of others injured.

2. Gun violence

3. Taxes

Today is tax day and the IRS expects you to submit your 2021 return by the end of the day or file for an automatic six-month extension. If you are among the many who have put off doing your taxes until the last possible moment, don't worry -- we can help you through the process here. Some important things to remember: If you've worked remotely from a state other than the one where your employer is based, you could be subject to the income tax rules of two or more states. If you have one or more children, you should also see if you can claim the enhanced child tax credit , which could be worth hundreds -- if not thousands -- of dollars. And lastly, be patient. The IRS is dealing with millions of returns from last year that have yet to be processed, in addition to staffing issues due to Covid-19 and a lack of needed funding for the agency. If you find you need last-minute help, use the online tools provided on IRS.gov.

4. North Korea

Images published yesterday by North Korean state media showed the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, smiling and clapping as he observed his country fire projectiles into waters off the east of the Korean Peninsula . The weapons test was the country's 12th such test this year -- and a move South Korea and Japan consider extremely threatening. Immediately after the launch, South Korea's military, intelligence agencies and National Security Office held an emergency meeting to assess the situation and discuss countermeasures, according to a Joint Chiefs of Staff statement. North Korea has increased its missile tests this year, including the launch of its first intercontinental ballistic missile in more than four years on March 24, in defiance of international law.

5. Hates crimes

Hate crimes in New York City have increased 76% so far this year compared to the same period last year, according to data from the New York Police Department Hate Crimes Task Force. With a total of 194 hate crimes reported since the beginning of this year, New York City is experiencing a wave in violent crime incidents and homelessness, Mayor Eric Adams said, particularly within the subway system. Crime incidents targeted at Jewish people increased from 28 crimes last year to 86 so far in 2022, according to the data. Crimes against Black people also doubled, with the number of targeted incidents this year standing at 26 compared to 13 in the same time period last year. Hate crimes against Asians , however, were down -- with 47 last year and 32 in the same period this year, the data show.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

The White House Easter Egg Roll is today

Party at the White House! Thousands of guests, who won tickets via a public lottery, will pour through the south gates today for an epic Easter egg hunt.

Florida man watches 'Spider-Man' movie 292 times, setting world record

With great power comes great responsibility. Let's see how many lines from the movie he can recite!

Billie Eilish headlines Coachella

Once you listen to "Ocean Eyes" by Billie Eilish, you'll understand why she was named a headliner . Three words: Pure. Raw. Talent.

Let's talk about Coachella fashion

The festival is back with stellar performances... but some not-so-stellar outfits. Let's leave the boho-chic outfits and flower crowns at home next year, please.

The oldest known gorilla in the world just turned 65

Check out this gorilla celebrating her golden years . Cheers to more life!

TODAY'S NUMBER

54

That's how many new math textbooks the state of Florida has rejected from next year's school curriculum , citing references to critical race theory among reasons for the rejections. The Florida Department of Education said the list of rejected books makes up approximately 41% of submissions, which is the most in the state's history.

TODAY'S QUOTE

"Tunisia will determine the losses and will demand compensation."

-- Laila Chikaoui, Tunisia's environment minister, on the possible environmental damage caused by a merchant ship carrying up to 1,000 tons of oil that , Tunisia's environment minister, on the possible environmental damage caused by a merchant ship carrying up to 1,000 tons of oil that sank in Tunisian waters over the weekend. On Saturday, Tunisian authorities opened an investigation into the sinking, which the environment ministry said was caused by bad weather. The ministry said barriers would be set up to limit the spread of the fuel.

TODAY'S WEATHER

JUST WATCHED Rain and cold air for the Northeast as multiple storms bring drought relief to the West Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Rain and cold air for the Northeast as multiple storms bring drought relief to the West 02:12

AND FINALLY

Start your day with fresh fruit

Fauci warns omicron variant 'raging through the world': COVID ...

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker have tested positive for COVID-19 in breakthrough cases, they each announced on Twitter Sunday.

"I regularly test for COVID & while I tested negative earlier this week, today I tested positive with a breakthrough case. Thankfully, I am only experiencing mild symptoms & am grateful for the protection provided against serious illness that comes from being vaccinated & boosted," Warren wrote.

Booker tweeted: "I learned today that I tested positive for COVID-19 after first feeling symptoms on Saturday. My symptoms are relatively mild. I’m beyond grateful to have received two doses of vaccine and, more recently, a booster – I’m certain that without them I would be doing much worse."

The senators from Massachusetts and New Jersey have both been vocal proponents of the COVID-19 vaccine in Washington. Warren lost her older brother to the virus in May 2020.

The democrats are just two of several senators who have tested positive for COVID despite being fully vaccinated, including Lindsay Graham, R-SC and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo.

Warren and Booker's positive tests come amid a rise of COVID-19 cases across the nation and the omicron variant, which Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious diseases expert, said has an "extraordinary capability of spreading."

Omicron has been identified in 43 U.S. states and 89 countries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization.

Also in the news:

►Israel’s prime minister on Sunday called on parents to vaccinate their children against the coronavirus as the new omicron variant showed signs of spreading, while authorities prepared to expand a travel ban to include the United States.

►For the third day in a row, New York surpassed its all-time record of COVID-19 cases, totaling 22,478, according to New York City Councilmember Mark D. Levine.

►Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine for children 2 to 5 may not be available until the second quarter of 2022, Dr. Anthony Fauci said on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday, after trials suggested two doses weren't as effective against COVID-19 and children may require three doses.

►The NBA on Sunday postponed a total of five games involving nine teams in response to rising coronavirus numbers. Called off were three Sunday games: Cleveland at Atlanta, Denver at Brooklyn and New Orleans at Philadelphia. Also called off were Orlando's game at Toronto on Monday and Washington's game at Brooklyn on Tuesday.

►State Sen. Doug Ericksen, a staunch conservative and former leader of Donald Trump's campaign in Washington state, died Friday at age 52. Ericksen’s death came weeks after he said he had tested positive for COVID-19 while in El Salvador, though his cause of death wasn’t immediately released.

►The National Football League announced new revised COVID-19 protocols on Saturday, after an outbreak on several teams caused three games to be postponed. The protocols include a more targeted testing plan, more flexibility to have virtual meetings and a chance for a high-risk player to opt out for the rest of the season.

►Employers will be given more time to comply with a federal requirement that workers get vaccinated for COVID-19 or be regularly tested, the U.S. Department of Labor announced Saturday after a federal appeals court allowed the rule to go forward.

►Saturday Night Live canceled its live studio audience for its last show of the year "out of an abundance of caution" because of the spike in omicron cases in New York. Rising cases have also caused cancellations of performances from the Rockettes to Broadway shows.

📈Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 50.7 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 806,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 274.3 million cases and 5.3 million deaths. More than 203.7 million Americans – 61.4% of the population – are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

📘 What we're reading: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines over Johnson & Johnson. What does that mean for you? Read the full story.

Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more? Sign up for USA TODAY's free Coronavirus Watch newsletter to receive updates directly to your inbox and join our Facebook group

Dr. Fauci warns omicron variant 'raging through the world'

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious diseases expert, said Sunday that the omicron variant of the coronavirus is “raging through the world” and could possibly replace the highly transmissible delta variant as the dominant strain.

The variant has been detected in 89 countries, according to the World Health Organization, and COVID-19 cases involving omicron are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in places with community transmission.

“The one thing that’s very clear – and there’s no doubt about this – is it’s extraordinary capability of spreading,” Fauci said in an interview with Chuck Todd on Meet the Press Sunday. "It is just raging through the world."

The delta variant makes up more than 96% of coronavirus cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But omicron is quickly gaining ground, making up nearly 3% of total U.S. cases. Fauci said in certain parts of the country the omicron variant is found in about 50% of sequenced cases.

“When you have a doubling time that’s that short a period, pretty soon that isolate is going to take over," he said. “I would not be surprised if omicron bumped delta off the table.”

Leading COVID drugs may not work as well against omicron, doctors warn

Doctors are warning two standard drugs they’ve used to fight infections are unlikely to work against the omicron variant.

For more than a year antibody drugs from Regeneron and Eli Lilly have been the go-to treatments for early COVID-19, thanks to their ability to head off severe disease and keep patients out of the hospital.

But both drugmakers recently warned that laboratory testing suggests their therapies will be much less potent against omicron, which contains dozens of mutations that make it harder for antibodies to attack the virus. And while the companies say they can quickly develop new omicron-targeting antibodies, those aren’t expected to launch for at least several months.

“We’re certainly going to see hospitalizations rise,” said Dr. James Cutrell of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. “If we have a lack of antibodies that’s certainly going to contribute to that many more patients needing to be in the hospital.”

A third antibody from British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline appears to be the best positioned to fight omicron. But Glaxo’s drug is not widely available in the U.S., accounting for a small portion of the millions of doses purchased and distributed by the federal government. U.S. health officials are now rationing scarce drug supplies to states.

Biden to announce new steps in addressing COVID, omicron this winter

As Americans prepare for the upcoming holiday festivities, the White House braces for another possible winter surge in COVID-19 cases brought on by family gatherings, travel and the highly transmissible delta and omicron variants.

President Joe Biden plans to speak Tuesday on the status of the fight against COVID-19 and discuss government help for communities in need of assistance, White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted. The president will also warn about the risks for unvaccinated Americans.

Fauci told NBC the president would again urge people to get the booster shot, highlight increased availability of testing, discuss “surge teams” for besieged hospitals and explain how important it is to provide vaccines for the rest of the world.

"If we're going to deal with omicron successfully, vaccinated people need to get boosted," he said. "And obviously, people who are not vaccinated clearly need to get vaccinated now more than ever."

44 people test positive for COVID on Royal Caribbean cruise

Forty-four people on board Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas cruise that ended Saturday tested positive for COVID-19, the cruise line said.

The cruise line also notified passengers on that sailing and on two others that a passenger who sailed on that ship during an earlier itinerary tested positive for the omicron variant.

Lyan Sierra-Caro, spokesperson for Royal Caribbean, told USA TODAY late Saturday each person was quarantined quickly.

"They were found as a result of immediately identifying close contacts after a guest tested positive," she said. "Everyone who tested positive is asymptomatic, and we continually monitored their health. Six guests were disembarked earlier in the cruise and transported home. The remaining guests received assistance today upon our arrival."

All passengers age 12 and older were required to be fully vaccinated and to test negative to board the cruise which departed from Miami on Dec. 11. Children ineligible for the vaccine were required to test negative, too.

– Morgan Hines, USA TODAY

Latest surge in New York City cases isn't swamping hospitals, so far

Soaring COVID-19 case numbers, long testing lines and event cancellations might feel a bit like déjà vu, but so far New York City hospitals aren’t seeing a repeat of the surges that swamped emergency rooms early in the pandemic.

The state reported Saturday that nearly 22,000 people had tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday – eclipsing the previous day’s mark for the highest single-day total for new cases since testing became widely available. More than half of the positive results were in the city.

But new hospitalizations and deaths – so far – are averaging well below their spring 2020 peak and even where they were this time last year, during a winter wave that came as vaccinations were just beginning, city data shows.

At least so far, “we’re seeing a lot more treat-and-release” coronavirus patients than in earlier waves, Dr. Eric Legome, who oversees two of Mount Sinai Health System’s emergency rooms, said.

Florida is now a 'high transmission' state as cases double over a week

COVID-19 cases across Florida more than doubled over the course of a week, according to data released by the Florida Department of Health on Friday.

From Dec. 10 to Dec. 16, Florida had 29,568 COVID-19 cases and 134.6 cases per 100,000; the week prior, Florida had 13,530 COVID-19 cases and 61.6 cases per 100,000. This makes for an increase of 16,038 COVID-19 cases and 73 cases per 100,000 in the span of one week.

The increase in the new case positivity rate saw parallel increases: From Dec. 10 to Dec. 16, Florida had a case positivity rate of 5.4%, up 2.8% from the previous week.

The increase in cases coincides with the highly-contagious omicron’s arrival in the Sunshine State. Wastewater sampling in Orange County found the omicron variant that has swept other parts of the globe to be the main strain of COVID-19 found in the county’s sewage samples.

– Amira Sweilem, Florida Today

Contributing: The Associated Press

Omicron has overtaken delta in the US. But it's not all bad news.

Although details about the omicron variant are sketchy, a picture is starting to emerge – and it's not all bad news.

As the omicron variant sweeps across the world and pushes out the delta variant that preceded it, scientists rush to understand how it might change the coronavirus pandemic, entering its third year.

Omicron is highly contagious – roughly twice as contagious as delta and four times more than the original virus.

Experts worry that even if it's less virulent, which isn't clear, it could cause enough hospitalizations to overwhelm health care systems here and abroad.

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But this is not 2020. Back then, only a handful of people on Earth had been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Everyone's immune system was unprepared.

Today, the majority of Americans have either contracted COVID-19 or been vaccinated once, twice or three times against it. That should – though there are no hard numbers to confirm it – provide people protection against severe disease and death.

"I think we should reassure people that if they've been vaccinated with two doses or naturally infected, they're likely protected against serious illness," said Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatric infectious disease expert and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

What's not clear is how people who have never been vaccinated or contracted COVID-19, or whose protection has waned, will fare if they catch omicron.

An experiment in hamsters, which should see results as soon as Tuesday, will provide the first indication of how people far from an infection or vaccination may fare if they are infected, said Galit Alter, an immunologist and virologist at Harvard Medical School and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard.

More vaccinated or previously infected people are contracting omicron than they did earlier variants, data shows. Vaccinated people, and perhaps those who've already been infected, are probably less likely to pass the virus to others.

It's still the unvaccinated and unprotected who are providing opportunity for the pandemic to continue, Offit said.

"You have a critical percentage of the population who are unvaccinated and shedding this virus," he said.

South Africa's experience

Data out of South Africa, where omicron hit early and which has tracked cases carefully, is incomplete but encouraging.

There, hospitalization rates are much lower than in previous waves of infection, and the people hospitalized are not as sick as those infected with the beta or delta variants, said Salim Abdool Karim, a South African epidemiologist and infectious diseases specialist and member of the Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness.

Only 2% to 4% of infected people are ending up in hospitals, compared with about 20% during the beta and delta waves, Karim said. Before, two-thirds of those hospitalized had severe cases; now about one-quarter meet that criteria. Death rates are one-tenth as high as they were with previous variants.

"The clinical picture we are seeing is one of substantially less severe disease," he said.

Karim said he doesn't have information on how many hospitalized patients had been previously infected or vaccinated, though he expects to get that soon.

Anecdotally, Karim said, "there's a preponderance of unvaccinated" in hospitals, probably about 75% of patients. "Is it more severe in that group? What's the picture? I can't tell at this point because I don't have that data."

The department of public health in South Africa decided people exposed to an infected person but not infected themselves do not have to quarantine.

Karim said he recommended his government reinstitute mandates to minimize crowds. Officials didn't take his advice. But the general public has followed with their feet.

"Theaters are empty. Restaurants are half-empty with just a handful of people," he said. "People have come to that conclusion themselves. … Indoor gatherings? No. No."

Omicron is more contagious than other variants, he said: There were 35,000 to 45,000 cases in South Africa in the first month of the beta and delta waves and 133,000 cases in the first month of omicron.

Denmark has seen similarly high rates of transmissibility and low rates of serious disease.

Unlike other variants, which slowly made their way from country to country, omicron is exploding around the world simultaneously, said Jacob Lemieux, an infectious diseases staff physician at Massachusetts General Hospital.

"In prior waves, we had a few weeks to watch what was happening in Western Europe and other places to know what we were in store for," he said. Not this time. "We're not going to have the luxury of watching what's going to unfold in our country elsewhere in advance."

The US outbreak

Although it's still early days in the American experience with omicron, the variant has overtaken delta in the USA. As of Saturday, the omicron variant accounted for 73.2 % of new COVID-19 infections in the nation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported, up from 12.6% the previous week.

"It's clear we're now waist-deep in the omicron wave," Lemieux said. "The question is how severe is it going to be?"

It may follow South Africa's pattern that the majority of people get nothing worse than a bad head cold. Or it may cause more hospitalizations, particularly among those who have waning or no protection, potentially overwhelming the health care system, which was already dealing with a wave of delta infections, he said.

At Texas Children’s Hospital, doctors are waiting to confirm how many cases are omicron versus delta, but pediatric COVID-19 hospitalization rates have more than doubled in four days, and the number of patients is in the double-digits.

The rate of positive tests jumped from well below 5% five days ago to 15% Monday, according to James Versalovic, co-chair of the Texas Children’s Hospital COVID-19 Command and the hospital’s pathologist-in-chief.

“These are signals that tell us we have a surge beginning,” Versalovic said. “Every indication now is pointing in the same direction.”

It’s not clear whether children will react differently to omicron than they did to delta. Nor does the hospital know the vaccination status of the children over 5 (vaccinations are not authorized for those younger than 5), their parents’ vaccination status or whether any of the children was previously infected with COVID-19, he said.

Dr. Eric Topol, of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, said he hears anecdotal descriptions that omicron infections differ from delta. People don't appear to be losing their smell or taste the way they did with earlier variants.

If true, that would be extremely good news, Topol said, because it would mean this variant isn't entering the brain and would take off the table the risk of neurological problems.

Omicron appears not to get into the lung cells, according to studies from Hong Kong and the U.K. "That was the most distinguishing feature (of COVID-19) until now," Topol said, and the reason it caused so much lung damage. "I know of a few people who had really high fevers (with omicron)," he said. "No one's had pneumonia."

Looking ahead

What will happen with the virus remains uncertain.

"The virology community is kind of split 50-50 on whether this creature has big surprises in store for us or whether we've seen most of what it can do," Dr. Jeremy Luban, another member of the Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness, said Monday.

He and others were surprised to see how many differences omicron has from its predecessor variants – without any obvious intermediate changes. "The virus may be doing things that are not under our magnifying glass and we can't actually see," he said.

It may have given up some of its ability to cause harm when it became more transmissible, Luban said.

Eventually, a variant will become so dominant that no other will be able to outcompete it and the pace of change will slow down, Karim said. Some experts thought delta had reached that point. He expects there are several variants left to come.

Until then, and to combat the lingering uncertainties of omicron, everyone should get vaccinated and boosted, wear masks, open windows and avoid crowds, he and others said.

"We've learned the same lesson again and again," Luban said. "The virus is transmitted in enclosed spaces with lots of people congregating. And masks work."

Contact Karen Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com.

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