INDIANAPOLIS — Saturday's latest headlines in the coronavirus pandemic.
Officials in Canada's most populous province have confirmed the first two known Canadian cases of of a more contagious variant of COVID-19 that was first identified in the United Kingdom.
The new variant is believed to spread more easily and faster than the original version of the disease but is not believed to be more deadly.
The New York Department of Health is investigating reports that a health care provider in the state may have "fraudulently obtained" doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Parcare Community Health Network, an Orange County provider, may have gotten doses of the coronavirus vaccine and diverted it to members of the public, against the state's immunization plans, State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in a statement Saturday.
Zucker added that Parcare may have transferred the vaccine to facilities in other parts of the state in violation of state guidelines.
New York's plan has been to administer the COVID-19 vaccine first to frontline healthcare workers, along with nursing home residents and staffers.
ISDH daily update
The Indiana State Department of Health reports 3,896 more cases of COVID-19 and 30 more deaths from the virus. Indiana has recorded 492,021 total confirmed cases of the virus and 7,461 confirmed deaths. There are another 340 "probable deaths."
The positivity rate from Dec. 13 to Dec. 19 was 11.8 percent for all tests and 23.7 percent for unique individuals.
On Christmas Day, there were 2,808 COVID-19 patients being treated in hospitals. The state reports 26.7 percent of ICU beds are still available statewide.
Mayo Clinic working to improve COVID-19 pandemic outlook in Black communities
Early in the pandemic, health care workers noted an alarming trend: people of color were dying at higher rates from COVID-19. Researchers at Mayo Clinic are working with more than 100 Black churches and community medical centers in the Twin Cities to try to close this health gap through a program called Fostering African-American Improvement in Total Health (FAITH).
During the pandemic, these efforts have included offering COVID-19 testing at churches, food distribution, and gift cards to community members for necessary purchases. There was also a social media campaign through FAITH to provide COVID-19 information. The partnership helped promote emergency preparedness and communicate risk to communities in need during a pandemic.
As with COVID-19, people of color are also more likely to have complications from the seasonal flu. Health care providers say it's especially important to get a flu vaccine this year, because the flu and COVID-19 will be circulating at the same time and cause similar symptoms.
Fishers indoor dining restrictions in effect
The City of Fishers announced all restaurants, bars, taverns, nightclubs, retail food establishments, and other establishments providing in-person food and/or drink service must be closed to indoor customers between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. beginning on Christmas Day.
Carryout business will still be allowed during those times under the order. The order will remain in effect through Jan. 8, 2021.
Click here to read the entire order.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 18.76 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States. as of 5:30 a.m. ET Saturday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 330,000 deaths in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 79.89 million confirmed cases with more than 1.75 million deaths and 45 million recoveries.
The real number of people infected by the virus around the world is believed to be much higher — perhaps 10 times higher in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — given testing limitations and the many mild cases that have gone unreported or unrecognized.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.