| By Edward Deitch, NBC Nightly News |
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| Good Wednesday afternoon. As coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths soar to record or near-record levels, new jobless benefit claims increased again, while President-elect Joe Biden notes the shared sacrifices Americans are making this Thanksgiving. |
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As virus spread continues, cases and deaths soar |
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| The U.S. added more than one million coronavirus cases in each of the last two weeks for the first time since the outbreak started. Until this month, weekly cases numbers had not exceeded 500,000. Health experts say the soaring numbers reflect both increased testing and the spread of the disease. |
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| And yesterday was reportedly the deadliest day in the pandemic in more than six months, with almost 2,100 deaths reported, according to a Washington Post analysis. |
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| There have been 12,673,402 confirmed cases in the United States, with 261,008 deaths, based on a count by NBC News. |
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| Despite the CDC’s warning to Americans last week to stay home for Thanksgiving, millions of people have flown anyway, causing new concerns about the spread of the virus. |
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| The NFL announced that tomorrow night’s Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers game has been postponed until Sunday. The move comes after several Ravens players tested positive for Covid-19. |
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| Thanksgiving rush is underway despite warnings from health officials |
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New restrictions take effect |
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| Starting tonight, Los Angeles County, the country’s largest by population, will shut down all dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars for the next three weeks. They will still be able to offer takeout, drive-thru and deliveries. The county’s health department said the aim is “to reduce the possibility for crowding and potential for exposures in settings where people are not wearing face coverings.” |
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| Beginning today, travelers going through Los Angeles International and Van Nuys airports and L.A.’s Union Station will be required to sign a form acknowledging California’s recommended 14-day self-quarantine. |
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| Pennsylvania is banning alcohol sales in bars and restaurants starting late this afternoon until Thanksgiving morning in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19. Gov. Tom Wolf said “the biggest day for drinking is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.” He added that “when people get together in that situation, it leads to an increase in the exchange of fluids, that leads to an increase in infection.” |
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CDC to change quarantine guidelines |
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| The CDC is finalizing plans to shorten the recommended length of quarantine for people exposed to Covid-19. Admiral Brett Giroir said today in an interview with Andrea Mitchell that the CDC is examining the safety of shortening the quarantine period to seven or 10 days, with testing, adding that the CDC is "not going to advise anything that isn’t safe.” The current quarantine recommendation is 14 days after exposure to the coronavirus. |
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Economic impact of pandemic deepens |
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| For a second straight week, the number of first-time claims for unemployment benefits rose, with another 778,000 Americans applying for the benefits last week. Economists had predicted about 730,000 new claims. Before the pandemic, claims averaged 200,000 a week. |
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Biden gives Thanksgiving address |
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| In his first presidential-style address to the nation, the president-elect spoke of unifying the country, saying that “together we will lift our voices in the coming months and years, and our song shall be of saved lives, breaches repaired, a national made whole again.” He spoke of the continuing impact of the coronavirus pandemic, saying “we find ourselves again facing a long, hard winter.” |
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| Biden transition officials said the president-elect will announce his economic team and other key nominees next week and will receive his first presidential daily intelligence briefing on Monday. |
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| Exclusive: One-on-one with Biden in first post-election interview |
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Soccer legend Diego Maradona dies |
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| The Argentine midfielder and manager was considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time. Maradona died of a heart attack in his home in Buenos Aires at age 60. |
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Meghan Markle opens up about pregnancy loss |
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| In an extraordinary first-hand account in The New York Times, the Duchess of Sussex describes the loss of her second child in July and puts it in the context of a year in which so many have experienced loss. Click here for more reporting and resources about pregnancy loss. |
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| Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app. |
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