The Johns Hopkins COVID Dashboard for Sunday, December 20, at 5:29 a.m.:

Worldwide cases: 76,437,510       Worldwide deaths:   1,688,362

U.S. cases: 17,667,545     U.S. deaths: 316,298

According to the Dashboard, the reported worldwide case report increased by 595,673  in the last 24 hours.  Deaths worldwide increased by 10,023.

According to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard, the United States has added 181,967 cases in the last 24 hours.  COVID-19 cases are increasing at a relentless rate on the mainland.

In the last day, the number of people who have died in the U.S. from  COVID-19 increased by 2,314.

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 113,929 people were hospitalized nationwide with COVID-19 as of yesterday.

Health officials say that as hospitalization rates go up, deaths will continue to also increase.  Health officials in the U.S. note that what’s happening now with the increase is the result of gatherings around the Thanksgiving holiday.