NEWS: Global Number of COVID-19 Cases Surpasses 1 Million for First Time

As the situation with COVID-19 continues to change and develop, AllEars will be bringing you the latest relevant news that could affect a theme park visit.

The COVID-19 pandemic has evolved in unpredictable ways.

Mask Rules Sign in Disney World

With the Omicron variant rapidly spreading through the United States, there has been a spike in COVID-19 cases this week that has been record breaking. On December 29th, there were more than one million positive cases reported globally, a number which breaks a record last set in April.

In fact, the record set in April has been broken two times just this week. The New York Times reports that in the United States, the case count averaged more than 300,000 new cases on the 29th. The New York Times notes that, “As dramatic as these case counts are, they are also probably an undercount because of asymptomatic cases, reporting lags due to the holiday season, lack of test availability in many places and at-home tests whose results may not be reported.”

©The New York Times

Factors such as asymptomatic cases, reporting delays due to the holidays, lack of test availability, and at-home tests not being reported suggest that the total number of cases could be much higher.

Health and safety signage at the airport.

The Omicron variant is also highly transmissible and has led to more breakthrough cases, which is reflected in the spike in cases. This week, we have seen single-day records broken in Florida as travelers come in for the holiday week.

Animal Kingdom Face Mask Signage

With the New Year’s Eve holiday approaching, health experts have discouraged large New Years celebrations or gatherings. We’ll continue to keep you updated on the latest numbers and regulations, so stay tuned to AllEars for more updates as you plan your Disney World trip.