One Day, 1.35 Million Covid Infections: US Reports Shocking Record Cases

Reuters: U.S. Reports 1.35 Million COVID-19 Cases In A Day, Shattering Global Record 
The United States reported 1.35 million new coronavirus infections on Monday, according to a Reuters tally, the highest daily total for any country in the world as the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant showed no signs of slowing. The previous record was 1.03 million cases on Jan. 3. A large number of cases are reported each Monday due to many states not reporting over the weekend. The seven-day average for new cases has tripled in two weeks to over 700,000 new infections a day. (Shumaker, 1/11)

In New York and Florida, omicron's peak may already be here or coming soon —

Bloomberg: Omicron Covid-19 Cases May Have Hit Peak In New York
New York’s Covid-19 infections may have reached a peak, about a month after the city’s first case of the omicron variant was identified. The seven-day average of people visiting New York emergency departments with Covid-like illness has dipped significantly in all five boroughs since the end of December, according to data from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The Bronx saw the biggest drop, with the 7-day average retreating 35% in the week through Friday. (Levin, 1/10)

Health News Florida: UF Researchers Say Omicron Cases Will Peak Sooner Than Expected 
According to a report released by the University of Florida, the COVID-19 omicron variant will peak sooner than expected. In December, UF researchers predicted the omicron wave would reach its peak in February, but with the recent surge they’re now predicting the variant will peak within the next two weeks in the state. UF infectious disease expert Thomas Hladish said omicron continues to spread faster than other COVID variants. (Blake, 1/10)

In covid updates from California —

Los Angeles Times: 6 Million COVID-19 Infections In California, Most In The U.S.
More than 6 million cumulative coronavirus cases have now been reported in California, according to data compiled by The Times, as the Omicron variant continues its staggering spread. The record-setting pace of infections is putting pressure on hospitals, schools and other institutions, which are struggling to maintain full services even as some employees take time off to deal with COVID-19. (Money, Lin II and Evans, 1/10)

Los Angeles Times: More Than 3,800 California Prison Staffers Have Coronavirus Amid Massive Surge This Month
California’s prisons have seen a huge surge in the number of employees testing positive for the coronavirus, with 3,845 active infections Monday, a 212% increase so far this month. In the last two weeks there have been 3,912 new coronavirus cases among state employees working inside California’s prisons, coinciding with the rapid spread of the Omicron variant throughout the state’s population. (Winton, 1/10)

CNN: 62,000 Los Angeles Students And Staff Test Positive For Covid Ahead Of Return To School 
As Los Angeles students and staff prepare to return to school Tuesday, about 62,000 have tested positive for Covid-19, school district data show. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is requiring all students and employees to show a negative test result before returning. It is the nation's second largest district, with more than 640,000 students in grades K-12. (Mossburg, 1/10)

In other news about the spread of the coronavirus —

CNN: 5 Reasons You Should Not Deliberately Catch Omicron To 'Get It Over With' 
The question hung in the air like a bad odor, silencing the small group of fully vaccinated and boosted friends and family at my dinner table. "Why not just get Omicron and get it over with? It's mild, right? And it can boost immunity?" The fully vaccinated, boosted, well-educated friend who asked was sincere, echoing opinions heard on many social platforms. The idea of intentionally trying to catch Omicron is "all the rage," said Dr. Paul Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, with an exasperated sigh. (LaMotte, 1/11)

The Washington Post: CDC Weighs Recommending Better Masks Against Omicron Variant
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering updating its mask guidance to recommend that people opt for the highly protective N95 or KN95 masks worn by health-care personnel, if they can do so consistently, said an official close to the deliberations who was not authorized to speak publicly. With the highly transmissible omicron variant spurring record levels of infections and hospitalizations, experts have repeatedly urged the Biden administration to recommend the better-quality masks rather than cloth coverings to protect against an airborne virus, and to underscore the importance of masking. (Sun and Roubein, 1/10)

AP: US Rep Mace Of South Carolina Has COVID For Second Time
Republican U.S. Rep Nancy Mace of South Carolina has contracted COVID-19 for a second time, saying Monday the infection is milder than her first and that she has been fully vaccinated since last spring. Mace said she knew she had contracted the virus and opted to test after one of her children had tested positive. Her infection comes amid a resurgence of the pandemic fueled by the omicron variant. (Kinnard, 1/11)

Fox News: Deltacron: A New Variant Of COVID-19 Or A Lab Contamination Mishap?
Deltacron, the reported new variant of COVID-19 said to combine both delta and omicron variants, has sparked a reaction of skepticism from world health experts. Scientists have expressed their doubts about its existence to various media platforms, saying that deltacron is likely the result of a lab contamination error. However, on Monday, the scientist behind the discovery defended his findings. A Cyprus researcher discovered deltacron, according to a report in Bloomberg News Saturday. (McGorry, 1/8)

CBS News: T-Cells From Common Colds Could Help Scientists Make The "Holy Grail": A Variant-Proof COVID Vaccine 
T-cells generated as part of the body's natural immune response to the common cold may help protect against serious illness from COVID-19, according to a study carried out in the U.K.  Researchers at Imperial College London told CBS News the findings could help scientists create vaccines that remain more effective against new variants of the coronavirus. (Ott, 1/10)