The Johns Hopkins COVID Dashboard for Thursday, December 10, at 5:26 a.m.:

Worldwide cases: 69,069,399    Worldwide deaths: 1,572,565

U.S. cases: 15,412,133   U.S. deaths: 289,970

According to the Dashboard, the reported worldwide case report increased by 655,277  in the last 24 hours.  Deaths worldwide increased by 11,935.

According to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard, the United States has added 225,889 cases in the last 24 hours.

In the last day,  the number of reported deaths in the U.S. from  COVID-19 increased by 3,509.  This is the highest number of deaths from COVID-19 in a 24-hour period since the virus surfaced in the U.S. last February.

The COVID Tracking Project reports that 106,688 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.   On the Big Island, Hawaii County Civil Defense reported on Wednesday that 1 person is hospitalized with COVID-19.  Kona Community Hospital on Wednesday confirmed there is one COVID-19 patient in the COVID-19 unit, not in the ICU, and not on a ventilator.

Hawaii has had 18,741 total cases of COVID-19.  The Big Island had 12 new cases yesterday, with 1,664 total cases.

The FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is meeting right now in a review of the request by Pfizer/BioNTech for an Emergency Use Authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine.  If approved, distribution will start immediately, although the supply will be limited at first.  The FDA is scheduled to review the Moderna vaccine EUA request on Dec. 17.  Click here for more information, and for the link to the FDA meeting.