The Johns Hopkins COVID Dashboard for Thursday, December 17, at 5:28 a.m.:

Worldwide cases:    74,467,555       Worldwide deaths: 1,652,906

U.S. cases: 17,011,532   U.S. deaths: 308,098

According to the Dashboard, the reported worldwide case report increased by 797,645  in the last 24 hours.  Deaths worldwide increased by 13,484.

According to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard, the United States has added 274,469 cases in the last 24 hours.

In the last day, the number of people who have died in the U.S. from  COVID-19 increased by 3,676.

Hospitalizations of people with severe cases of COVID-19 around the country have been growing at a steady rate.  The COVID Tracking Project reports that 113,069 people were hospitalized nationwide with COVID-19 as of yesterday.  Hospitalization rates on the mainland have been increasing at an alarming rate, with some hospitals getting close to being overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients.    Health officials say that as hospitalization rates go up, deaths will continue to also increase.

Right now,  the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee of the FDA is meeting to review Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, reviewing all the safety and efficacy data to consider  whether it should  get an FDA Emergency Use Authorization.   FDA scientists on Tuesday endorsed the Moderna vaccine.  To view the meeting, click here.  It is scheduled to continue till around 1 p.m. HST.  It was scheduled to begin at 4 a.m. HST.