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Coronavirus updates: US reports more than 90K new cases in a day, yet COVID-19 is not top issue for Americans

Many signs suggest a fall surge may be in full swing as the United States reports more than 90,000 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday for the second time since the onset of the pandemic. 

While 21 states set records for new cases in a week, CNN exit polls suggest COVID-19 isn't a top issue for Americans this election year, with only 1 in 6 voters citing the pandemic as most important to their vote. In comparison, one-third of voters named the economy as their most critical issue and 1 in 5 cited racial equality. 

Ballots continue to be counted in one of the election's most contested states, Wisconsin, where health officials reported a record 5,771 new cases and 52 more deaths. In addition to being a battleground state, Wisconsin has also been one of the nation's COVID-19 hotspots the last few weeks, and officials are concerned about a 44% average rise in daily cases. See live election results here. 

Here's what to know today:

  • Across the Atlantic, new restrictions are in place in Austria, Greece and Sweden. Germany imposed a partial shutdown Monday, with Italy, France, Kosovo and Croatia also implementing tighter measures. England is scheduled to go back into lockdown on Thursday, though schools and universities are expected to stay open. 
  • A Republican candidate for state legislature in North Dakota, who died Oct. 5 after he had been sick with COVID-19, won a seat as state representative for District 8 on Tuesday.
  • The group that represents cruise lines with 95% of global ocean-going capacity said Tuesday that its members have agreed to extend the suspension of U.S. sailing operations for the rest of 2020.
  • The world has reached 48 million coronavirus cases. The last 1,000,000 cases were reported in less than 36 hours — a rate of 7.8 cases every second, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows.

📈Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 9.4 million cases and 233,600 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: more than 48 million cases and 1.22 million deaths.

🗺️ Mapping coronavirus: Track the U.S. outbreak in your state.

This file will be updated throughout the day. For updates in your inbox, subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter.

Two possible COVID-19 vaccines could be ready by December, scientists say

The chair of Britain’s coronavirus vaccine task force says data evaluating the efficacy and safety of the two most advanced candidates should be available in early December.

Kate Bingham told a Parliamentary committee on Wednesday that data on the two vaccine candidates — developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and Pfizer and BioNTech — should be available by then. After that, the vaccine candidates will need regulatory approval, Bingham says.

“If we get that, we have the possibility of deploying by year end,” she says.

Oxford Vaccine Trial Chief Investigator Andrew Pollard said results from late-stage trials could be presented by then, Reuters reported. The National Health Service in England is preparing to start distributing a possible vaccine before Christmas, just in case one is ready by then.

21 states set weekly COVID-19 case records

A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Tuesday shows 21 states set records for new cases in a week while three states had a record number of deaths in a week.

New case records were set in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.

Record numbers of deaths were reported in Montana, North Carolina and South Dakota.

For the second time since the onset of the pandemic, U.S. daily cases exceeded 90,000 on Tuesday when 91,530 new infections were recorded. Daily cases peaked Oct. 30 with 99,321 new infections. For context: The height of the summer surge saw 77,378 new daily cases reported on July 16.

Meanwhile, 40 states had more cases in the latest week than in the week before, an analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. Forty-one states had a higher rate of people testing positive on testing than the week before, an analysis of COVID Tracking Project data shows.

– Michael Stucka

China bars entry for residents from Britain as cases rise in United Kingdom

China is suspending entry for most foreign passport holders who reside in Britain, reacting to a new surge of coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom.

The suspension covers those holding visas or residence permits issued prior to Nov. 3, with exceptions for diplomats and some others. Foreign nationals wishing to visit China for emergency needs may apply for special case visas.

The Chinese Embassy in London says the suspension will be “assessed in accordance with the evolving situation and any adjustment will be announced accordingly.”

China has largely contained the spread of coronavirus within the country but continues to record imported cases, including another 20 reported Thursday. Chinese officials require all people arriving in China to undergo two weeks of quarantine.

North Dakota legislature candidate who died of COVID-19 wins election

North Dakota election officials say Republican candidate David Andahl, who died on Oct. 5 after he had been sick with COVID-19 for several days, won a seat as state representative for District 8 on Tuesday.

Andahl, 55, remained on the ballot, in part because early voting had begun weeks before his death. His mother, Pat Andahl, told the Bismarck Tribune that she was unsure how he contracted the virus because he had been "very careful."

Republicans are set to choose Andahl's replacement by using a committee to make an appointment, according to previous statements by North Dakota's attorney general. But voters could call for a special election.

The pandemic hit has hit North Dakota hard in recent months. Last month, the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation called out the state for its alarming death rate following a well-documented lax approach to health mandates in the state.

– Joel Shannon

Louisville-Virginia college football game postponed

Louisville's football game against Virginia on Saturday has been postponed. 

The Cardinals, who missed nine players in last week's game against Virginia Tech due to coronavirus-related issues, will not play the Cavaliers this weekend. Instead, the game will be moved to Nov. 14, replacing the Cardinals' originally scheduled bye week. 

Louisville athletics director Vince Tyra said the football program is dealing with 15 COVID-19 cases with seven more people in quarantine, for 22 virus-related issues total. Ten players have COVID-19, with five more in quarantine. The team's support staff has had five positive tests, with two more in quarantine. No members of the coaching staff tested positive or are quarantined, Tyra said. 

— Cameron Teague Robinson, Louisville Courier Journal

Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford returns to NFL's COVID-19 list

Matthew Stafford is back on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and this time his stay could cost him at least one start. The Detroit Lions placed the starting quarterback on the list Wednesday for the second time this season.

Stafford first went on the list Aug. 1, as the Lions reported to training camp, but returned three days later with what the team said was a false positive.

The Lions declined Wednesday to specify whether he tested positive for the virus or whether he is in quarantine after being in close contact with a person who had been infected.

It is not clear whether Stafford will be cleared in time to play Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings.

— Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press

UK to roll out rapid COVID-19 testing in Liverpool

A half-million people in the English city of Liverpool will be regularly tested for COVID-19 in Britain’s first citywide trial of widespread, rapid testing that the government hopes will be a new weapon in combating the pandemic.

Testing will begin later this week at sites throughout the city using a variety of technologies, including new methods that can provide results in an hour or less, the government said in a statement Tuesday. Everyone who lives or works in the city in northwestern England will be offered the test, regardless of whether they have symptoms.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes mass testing will provide a way out of the coronavirus crisis, which has killed more than 46,000 people across the U.K. in Europe’s deadliest outbreak. England is scheduled to go into a second national lockdown on Thursday as the government struggles to control a second wave of infections that risks swamping hospitals and emergency rooms.

Liverpool has one of the highest infection rates in England, with more than 410 cases per 100,000 people, compared to 225 per 100,000 for the nation as a whole.

Associated Press

Fox college football hosts to miss Saturday pregame show

Viewers of Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" college football preview show will be greeted with a different set of faces Saturday. 

Fox announced Wednesday night that host Rob Stone and analysts Brady Quinn, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and Urban Meyer will not be on Saturday's broadcast "in accordance to CDC guidance, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health safety guidelines — and out of an abundance of caution for our team." 

Though coronavirus was not explicitly mentioned in Fox's statement, the New York Post's Andrew Marchand confirmed that the group's absence is due to following COVID-19 protocols. Fox did not tell the Post if any of the on-air talent tested positive for COVID-19. 

— Jace Evans

COVID-19 resources from USA TODAY 

Contributing: The Associated Press

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