COVID-19 live updates: TSA screened 1.2M at US airports Sunday; some CA stay-at-home orders expected to be extended

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The COVID-19 pandemic is having a major impact across the world and also in cities across Northern California. The latest number of confirmed cases in the U.S. can be found at the CDC's 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the U.S. page. (The CDC updates the webpage on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.)

Join anchor Kristen Sze for ABC7's daily interactive newscast about the novel coronavirus outbreak in the Bay Area and other hot topics. You can check here to stream the show Monday-Friday at 3 p.m.

• GET HELP: Resources and information about COVID-19


• CA REOPENING TIERS: Map shows which counties can, can't reopen under Newsom's new 4-tier system


• COVID-19 HOLIDAY RISK CALCULATOR: Quiz yourself on the safest, most dangerous things you can do as CA reopens


• LATEST LOCAL CASES: Updated number of COVID-19 cases, deaths in San Francisco Bay Area

Here are the latest developments on the respiratory illness in the U.S.:

1 p.m.
Gov. Newsom expects to extend regional stay-at-home orders amid COVID-19 surge
Gov. Gavin Newsom expects California to extend regional stay-at-home orders in two large swaths of the state, he said in a press conference. The stay-at-home order in the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California would have been eligible to expire as early as Monday, but with ICU capacity at 0% in both regions, the restrictions are set to be extended. Newsom said Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly would likely make the announcement on Tuesday. Read more from the governor here.

11 a.m.
Santa Clara Co. gives COVID-19 update
Santa Clara County officials provided a COVID-19 status update and urged strict adherence to all state and county directives related to gatherings and social distancing ahead of New Year's Eve holiday.

10 a.m.
Bay Area reaches more than COVID-19 257,000 cases
The Bay Area has reached 257,945 COVID-19 cases and total deaths now stand at 2,517.

5:25 a.m.
TSA screens 1.2M at US airports Sunday
The TSA screened 1,284,599 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, Sunday, Dec. 27. It is the highest checkpoint throughput since the pandemic hit. It is also the 6th day in the last 10 that volume has surpassed 1 million.

5:10 a.m.
CVS to administer vaccine at CA long-term care facilities
Starting today, CVS will administer COVID-19 vaccines to people at California's long-term care facilities. Nearly 700,000 residents and staff at 15,000 facilities across the state are expected to be vaccinated. Vaccinators will visit each location at least three times for boosters and check-ups within 12 weeks. After this phase, CVS says it will move to vaccinating the next tier, which includes essential workers, Americans 75 and up, and people with chronic illnesses.

8:30 p.m.
Pop-up COVID-19 testing site in Palo Alto to offer free tests on Tuesdays
Free pop-up COVID-19 testing will be available each Tuesday starting this week, Palo Alto officials announced. Testing will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot at the Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto.

The free self-administered testing, available for both insured and uninsured individuals, is offered by local firm Curative, which also is serving similar programs in Menlo Park and East Palo Alto. Documentation status is neither required or reported.

Visit the city's website here for more information and the link to sign up for an appointment.

Additional testing will be offered at the location every other Wednesday starting Jan. 13.

Testing is also available by-apppointment twice a month at the Mitchell Park Community Center in partnership with the County of Santa Clara. See more pop-up testing locations in Santa Clara County here.

7 p.m.
Health officials fear next COVID-19 surge as Bay Area travelers return from holiday trips
Despite the pandemic and pleas from public health experts, millions of holiday travelers are returning from family get-togethers across the country and here in the Bay Area. Michael Garrick from San Leandro just arrived back in the Bay Area wearing a mask and face shield, after a trip to LA to spend Christmas with family.

"It was different, we didn't see friends outside our bubble, still had a really good time," said Garrick. Read the full story here.

5 p.m.
December deadliest month in US since COVID-19 pandemic began; January projections 'nightmarish,' expert says
December has been the nation's deadliest month since the COVID-19 pandemic's start -- with more than 63,000 Americans lost to the virus in the past 26 days. In comparison, the entire month of November saw about 36,964 deaths, CNN reported.

The grim death toll comes on the heels of several brutal months for the US, with COVID-19 ravaging communities from coast to coast, crippling hospital systems and prompting new widespread restrictions. The authorization of two COVID-19 vaccines earlier in December offered some hope of a light at the end of the tunnel. But experts continue to warn that while the end is in sight, the pandemic is not over and another surge stemming from the Christmas holiday could be on its way.

"We very well might see a post-seasonal -- in the sense of Christmas, New Years -- surge," Dr. Anthony Fauci said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday morning, pointing to holiday travel and private gatherings taking place despite the advice of health experts.

Read more here.

12:30 p.m.
CA reports more than 50,000 new cases in 1 day
California reported another 50,141 cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, according to the latest data. The state now has more than 2.1 million cases. A total of 24,220 Californians have died of the virus, with another 237 deaths on Saturday.

California's seven-day virus positivity rate stands at 11.4% and 19,237 remain hospitalized with COVID-19. The Bay Area's ICU capacity is at 11.1%. The San Joaquin Valley and Southern California regions have no ICU beds available, as of Saturday.

10:15 a.m.
Air travel spikes on day after Christmas
The U.S. saw a big spike in air travel on Saturday compared to Christmas Day, but there were still nearly half as many travelers compared to the same day 2019. According to the TSA, 1,128,773 people traveled by air in the U.S. on Saturday, while on Dec. 26, 2019, more than 2.4 million traveled.

11:45 a.m.
More than 30,000 new cases reported in CA, CDPH say
The California Department of Public Health says there were 30,375 newly recorded confirmed cases Friday. The state has 2,072,665 confirmed cases to date. the agency added.
The 7-day positivity rate is 11.3%. The 14-day positivity rate is 12.1%.
As we reported yesterday, state officials say the Bay Area stay-at-home order will likely to be extended.

The earliest dates that regions may be eligible to exit are:
San Joaquin: December 28
Southern California: December 28
Greater Sacramento: January 1
Bay Area: January 8

Current available ICU capacity by region:
Bay Area: 11.3%
Greater Sacramento: 16.9%
Northern California: 33.9%
San Joaquin Valley: 0.0%
Southern California: 0.0%

See latest case numbers and ICU capacity rates in the Bay Area here.

9:45 a.m.
TSA screens more than 600,000 travelers on Christmas Day
The TSA screened a total of 616,469 people at airport checkpoints in the U.S. on Christmas Day, a significant drop from the number of travelers seen in the year prior.

"Christmas day isn't typically a very busy day for air travel, however the day or two afterward are usually busier as people head home after the holiday. If you choose to travel, please mask-up," Lisa Farbstein, TSA spokesperson, said on Twitter today.

The travel seen on Christmas Day this year compares to more than 2.5 million travelers on the holiday in 2019.

5 p.m.
Bay Area stay-at-home order likely to be extended, state officials say
Stay-at-home orders currently in effect in the Bay Area and three other California regions likely will remain in place past the minimum three-week duration, state officials affirmed Friday.
The state's stay-at-home order is triggered when a region's average intensive care unit capacity falls below 15%. The Bay Area, greater Sacramento, the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California are under the order at present, the California Department of Public Health said.

10:15 a.m.
U.S. to require negative COVID-19 test for UK travelers
The United States will require airline passengers from Britain to get a negative COVID-19 test before their flight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced late Thursday. The U.S. is the latest country to announce new travel restrictions because of a new variant of the coronavirus that is spreading in Britain and elsewhere.

2 p.m.
California has 2,003,146 confirmed COVID-19 cases
California has 2,003,146 confirmed coronavirus cases to date, with 39,070 newly-recorded confirmed cases Wednesday. The 7-day positivity rate is 12.1% and the 14-day positivity rate is 12.4%.

8:30 a.m.
More than half of ICU patients in California hospitals are infected with COVID-19. Statewide, available capacity has dipped to 1.1%. All of Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley have been out of regular ICU capacity for days. The Bay Area has 11.4% ICU availability.

12:30 p.m.
COVID-19 pandemic reaches Antarctica, last untouched continent
The pandemic has finally reached every continent on Earth. Chilean authorities announced that at least 58 people that were at two military bases in Antarctica or on a navy ship that went to the continent tested positive for the new coronavirus. So far no other country with a presence in Antarctica has publicly reported any other cases. Here's the full story.

11:50 a.m.
COVID-19 projected to be 3rd leading cause of death in Santa Clara Co.
COVID-19 is projected to be the third leading cause of death in Santa Clara County this year, behind only cancer and heart disease. The data was released by health officials as the county passed a grim milestone this week with 632 cumulative deaths reported to date. As the holiday season continues, county health officials are reminding residents to avoid all non-essential activities, wear face coverings and avoiding gatherings with those outside of their household.

11:30 a.m.
Santa Clara Co. give COVID-19 update
Santa Clara County officials are giving a COVID-19 update and urge strict adherence to all state and county directives related to gatherings and social distancing ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays.

5:20 a.m.
New pop-up testing site in SF's Mission District
A new pop-up test site will be opening at San Francisco's Mission District. The testing site is free and will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.