The Johns Hopkins COVID Dashboard for Saturday, November 28 at 5:25 a.m.:

Worldwide cases: 61,818,348    Worldwide deaths: 1,445,915

U.S. cases: 13,100,386   U.S. deaths: 264,925

According to the Dashboard, the reported worldwide case report increased by 652,989  in the last 24 hours.  Deaths worldwide increased by 10,541.

According to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard, the United States has added 204,6343 cases in the last 24 hours.  Although this is a marked increase since yesterday–almost double–health statisticians have said that reporting is lagging during the Thanksgiving holiday, so a one-day spike may not be fully indicative of the situation.  However, cases are increasing throughout the country.

The COVID Tracking Project reports that 89,834 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of yesterday.  Previous high hospitalization rates in April and July were just under 60,000.  The most recent number is just slightly lower than the day before.

Many hospital systems throughout the mainland are being stressed by the number of people with COVID-19 in their facilities.  The concern is not just ICU and regular bed capacity, but healthcare workers’ ability to keep up with the situation.

In the last day,  the number of reported deaths in the U.S. from  COVID-19 increased by 1,400.

The news on the vaccine front is positive.  The FDA has scheduled a special meeting for Dec. 10 to review the first vaccine for which Emergency Use Authorization is being sought, the vaccine created by the Pfizer and BioNTech.

In addition, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has scheduled an emergency meeting for Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. EST (9 a.m. HST) to discuss the allocation for a vaccine, once approved.  The meeting will be online, and the public may attend virtually.  For more on the meeting, its agenda, and how to attend, click here.

Fox News is reporting that United Airlines is going to be flying special charter flights from a manufacturing facility in Brussels to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport to get the vaccine distributed, if/once it is approved.  According to the story, the FAA is allowing UAL to fly five times the normal amount of dry ice to keep the vaccine properly frozen, as it requires storage at -70 Celsius.

Pfizer has a Vaccine Distribution Fact Sheet online; click here for more information.  Pfizer says it plans to make its Kalamazoo, Michigan plant the center for distribution.