A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 74.8 million people worldwide and killed over 1.6 million of them, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Inmates on death row test positive

The Bureau of Prisons confirmed to ABC News that various inmates on death row have tested positive for COVID-19, although they declined to say how many, citing ongoing litigation.

They also said a staff member has tested positive.

"We can confirm that inmates in the Special Confinement Unit (SCU) at the United States Penitentiary (USP) in Terre Haute, Indiana, have tested positive for COVID-19," a BOP spokesperson said in a statement.

They added that as inmates in the SCU continue to be tested, those who are positive and/or symptomatic "are being placed in isolation until they are considered recovered by medical staff as determined by CDC guidelines." Many inmates, they said, are either asymptomatic or exhibiting mild symptoms. 

"Our highest priority remains ensuring the safety of staff and inmates," the BOP spokesperson said.

The BOP's statement came after it was announced Thursday that Dustin John Higgs, a federal prisoner scheduled to be executed just days before President-elect Joe Biden takes office, tested positive for the virus.

75 cases linked to church Christmas event in North Carolina

The Henderson County Department of Public Health said Thursday that it has identified 75 positive COVID-19 cases associated with the Hendersonville First Baptist Baptist Church in North Carolina.

The Henderson County Department of Public Health said the holiday event took place on the weekend of Dec. 5.

"To date, the Health Department has identified 75 individuals who have tested positive as a result of the event," they said in a statement. "The Health Department is working to identify any additional close contacts of these individuals. The CDC defines close contact as being within approximately six feet of an infected person with COVID-19 for a cumulative 15 minutes."

The news comes as Henderson County continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases linked to parties, family gatherings and social events.

Congress to have access to vaccine starting now

All members of Congress can get vaccinated now, according to a letter from the Capitol Hill attending physician obtained by ABC News.

In the letter, sent Thursday night to all members of Congress and staff, Dr. Brian P. Monahan said he was notified by the National Security Council that Congress will be provided with a specific number of COVID-19 vaccine doses to meet "long-standing requirements for continuity of government operations."

"The small number of COVID19 vaccine doses we will be provided reflects a fraction of the first tranche of vaccines as it is distributed throughout the country," he said in the letter.

Monahan told members of Congress to call to schedule their vaccines in advance.

"My recommendation to you is absolutely unequivocal: there is no reason why you should defer receiving this vaccine. The benefit far exceeds any small risk," he said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi both already announced Thursday that they will be getting the vaccine soon based on Monahan's guidance.

Members will get vaccinated first, then "we will follow a process to identify the continuity-essential staff members in the various divisions of the Capitol community in the coming weeks," Monahan said in his letter.

After that, "the appointing process will then continue until the small vaccine supply is exhausted. A second dose scheduling process will then begin later."
 

New cases, hospitalizations reach all-time highs in US

The U.S. reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases and current hospitalizations on Thursday, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

There were 241,620 new cases, 3,438 new deaths, and 114,237 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19. 

With over 42,000 deaths, December is already the second deadliest month of the pandemic, according to the project.

"For the second week in a row, more COVID-19 deaths were reported in the United States than at any other time in the pandemic," it said Thursday in its weekly analysis.