U.S. Passes 12 Million Confirmed Cases of COVID-19

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now surpassed 12 million in the United States, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Pool / Getty Images

Cases of the virus are expected to continue to rise over the coming weeks with many traveling home for the holidays. “Travel may increase your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19,” the CDC said on Thursday. “Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year.”

More than 255,000 people have died in total. 195,000 new confirmed cases and 1,878 deaths were reported Friday.

Donald Trump Jr. announced that he was among those diagnosed with the coronavirus earlier this week: “Got the Rona. I’m totally asymptomatic,” he wrote on Instagram. “Going to give it a couple days of quarantine and follow the protocols then get retested in case it was a false positive as I feel and have felt totally fine.”

Singer Jeremih also tested positive for COVID-19 recently and was placed on a ventilator. He was taken into the Intensive care unit, but is since doing much better and has been released from the ICU.

In positive news, these figures come just as both Pfizer and Moderna have announced vaccines with over 90% efficiency rates.

[Via]