boat. and all of that cereal. but it looks like fun. that's all the time we have. thank you so tonight, the alarming spread of the delta variant across this country. the u.s. recording 100,000 cases in a single day. the first time in nearly six months. president biden now signaling more covid restrictions could be on the way. the u.s. daily case average now five times higher than it was just one month ago. cdc internal documents suggesting the delta variant is more contagious than the common cold, smallpox and ebola. florida reporting its highest one-day case total since the start of the pandemic as the state's governor opposes mask mandates. louisiana seeing the nation's highest case rate. in new orleans, officials reinstating the city's mask mandate. ems overwhelmed by the calls to 911.

in austin, texas, health officials running dangerously low on staffed icu beds. but tonight, progress on the race to vaccinate more americans. hours away from eviction. the federal moratorium set to expire at midnight tonight. without congressional action, millions at risk of becoming homeless. the growing fears of a looming housing crisis as the delta variant tears through the country. suspense in tokyo tonight. simone biles pulling out of two more gymnastics finals but leaving the door open. will we see her again in these games? the other american superstars dominating in the pool. the u.s. men's basketball team advancing after a rocky start. kenneth moton is in tokyo. the flash flooding threat. 9 million people across 9 states under flash-flood alerts. life-threatening waves of water in arizona. massive mudslides in colorado, and the extreme heat roasting parts of the deep south. also tonight, afghan forces fighting for control as the

taliban gains ground and american troops come home. the new attacks on key cities in afghanistan. families rushing desperately to flee the country. the titanic warning. why researchers say time may be running out for the shipwreck. and the gift from the past, the high horsepower surprise from three loving stepdaughters. good evening. thanks for joining us on this saturday. i'm whit johnson. we begin tonight with the alarming spread of the delta variant. we're just learning late today that the u.s. hit 100,000 new cases in 24 hours for the first time since february. a cdc internal document calling the delta variant as contagious as chickenpox and able to spread faster than the common cold. thisospital in missouri in one hospitalizations nationwide

jumping 101% in the past two weeks. the cdc saying the outbreak in provincetown, massachusetts, where most of those infected were fully vaccinated, was key to their decision to reverse recommendations on masks. more than 67% of those 12 and older have had at least one dose. 58% are fully vaccinated. and president biden when asked saying in all probability americans should brace for more restrictions. abc's trevor ault leads us off from new york. >> reporter: tonight, the delta variant driving america's daily covid case average five times higher than it was just a month ago, and president biden with this warning for what's ahead -- >> should americans expect more guidelines coming out, more restrictions because of covid? >> in all probability. >> reporter: with at least 47 states and territories reporting high or substantial community transmission, a startling internal cdc document obtained by abc news suggests

the delta variant is more contagious than the common cold or flu. estimating the average infected person can possibly infect as many as nine people. >> this virus is very contagious, much more than the original variant, and this is a game changer for me, and it should be for everyone in our community. >> reporter: in the past two weeks, hospitalizations across the country are up 101%. health officials in austin, texas, warning there's only nine staffed icu beds still available to cover a population of 2.3 million people. louisiana now reporting the highest infection rate in the country. in new orleans, the mayor again requiring masks indoors for everyone, saying the city's ems has become too busy to respond to 911 calls. >> we have been here before. we've seen the movie over again, and what was once unpreventable, today is preventable. >> no more masks!

>> reporter: but from nevada to georgia, many are pushing back against masks requirements. today, florida reporting its highest single day increase in cases since the start of the pandemic, but the governor is steadfast. >> there will be no restrictions and no mandates in the state of florida. >> reporter: the cdc director is sticking by the decision to again recommend masks indoors for everyone in covid hot zones regardless of vaccination status, fully aware it wouldn't be popular. >> this was not news that i expected the american people to welcome. this weighed heavily on me to have to do this. >> reporter: the cdc revealing a pivotal discovery behind that recommendation was an outbreak in provincetown, massachusetts. more than 900 people infected. three-quarters of them fully vaccinated. the town now under a strict dok mandatans in t nr te, k,an

in addition to vaccination, but i think our path out of this in the long term is vaccination. >> reporter: and there is positive momentum in the race to vaccinate. the white house noting four straight days of at least 700,000 doses. some of america's unvaccinated now rethinking their decision from a hospital bed. 39-year-old michael freedy, a father of five, dying this week in las vegas after texting his fiancee, i should have gotten the damn vaccine. >> a small fever. sick for a day is better than having your loved ones have to bury you. >> heartbreaking what so many families are still going through. trevor ault with us from a hospital here in new york. with cases and hospitalizations rising, there's been increasing questions about the need for booster shots. many health experts say right now they are not needed, but you're learning some booster trials are under way. >> reporter: that's right, whit. 150 sites across the country are now offering a third dose of the pfizer vaccine to select trial participants.

this is the same process that thorizatn,s oster he original n t aitional third dose. whit? >> something to watch in the coming months. trevor, thanks. be sure to watch "this week" tomorrow morning. jonathan karl goes one-on-one with dr. anthony fauci about the divide over vaccine and mask mandates amid the surging delta variant. now to the looming housing crisis potentially impacting millions. the federal ban on evictions expires in just hours. the house leaving for recess before congress could extend the moratorium. now americans on the verge of losing their homes. here's abc's alex presha. >> reporter: tonight, millions of americans are facing possible eviction with the federal moratorium set to expire at midnight. the house failed to pass an extension of the cdc's eviction freeze. i see the tears in your eyes. this is personal for you. >> yes. yes, it's personal for me. i lived in a car. i lived out of a car with two babies and my partner. i know what that's like. >> reporter: congresswoman cori bush camping out on the

steps of the capitol to make her point. but lawmakers now on a six-week recess. house democrats now hoping for a miracle in the senate, which is still in session. >> we are only hours away from a fully preventable housing crisis. >> reporter: but time is running out. >> this is my living room for the past five years. >> reporter: in rhode island, roxanne schaefer is on disability and lost her restaurant job during the pandemic. if evicted, she doesn't know where she'll plug in the breathing machines she needs to sleep. >> my landlord's been trying to evict me since january. i have no idea where i'll go, what i'll do. >> reporter: in north carolina, a new landlord notified low wage tenants they're no longer qualified to live here. today is their last day. >> they're basically pushing us out. every day she's been coming and saying, have y'all got anywhere to go? i'm checking to see if you're going anywhere. lady, give us time. >> reporter: congress has already set aside $47 billion to help tenants and landlords, but only $3 billion has been doled out. the backlog frustrating for people like jessica in illinois.

>> my application has been in, but it needs time to be processed. i'm still at risk of an eviction, which is the scary part. >> so much at stake here. let's get back to alex presha on capitol hill. alex, congresswoman bush and others are calling on colleagues to come back to washington and take action. but what, if anything, can be done at this late our? >> reporter: democrats are rallying behind me here on the hill to raise awareness, but the short answer is, with the house already gone, not much. the white house does support the cdc extending that moratorium, but says a recent supreme court decision has tied its hands. whit? >> alex, thank you. we move to tokyo now, and the big question of these olympics -- with simone biles dropping out of more events, will the gymnast compete again in these games. biles sharing then deleting these videos from training, landing hard on her back off the uneven bars. there you see it. she will not compete in that or

the vault, her specialty, still leaving the door open for the floor exercise and balance beam. this as americans win more golds in the pool and the men's basketball team advances. abc's kenneth moton is in tokyo. >> reporter: tonight, simone biles pulling out of two more gymnastics finals, the vault and uneven bars. >> ugh! >> reporter: the superstar posting then deleting these practice videos from tokyo on instagram, falling hard on her back. revealing she's still suffering from what gymnasts call the twisties. she wrote, literally cannot tell up from down. it's the craziest feeling ever. not having an inch of control over your body. now mykayla skinner, who placed fourth in qualifying, moving into biles' spot in the vault. tweeting, doing this for us, simone biles. in the pool, americans katie ledecky and caleb dressel adding to their medal hauls. >> katie ledecky will win her third straight olympic gold in the women's 800 free. >> reporter: and she may not be done yet. >> i want to go to paris, and i

want to keep representing our country at this level. >> caleb dressel is trying to get his second individual gold of these games and he'll do it! >> reporter: dressel breaking his own world record in the 100-meter butterfly. >> it took a world record to win the olympic final. >> reporter: but he and the rest of the inaugural mixed relay team failed to podium. jamaica sweeping the women's 100-meter dash after gold medal favorite, sha-carrie richardson, was pulled from the games after a positive drug test. elaine thompson-hera beating florence griffith joyner's 33-year-old olympic record. covid is making its mark on these games. tokyo recording over 4,000 cases today, an increase of over 200% from last week. american pole vaulter matt ludwig had just 40 hours to get to tokyo from the u.s. after his teammate, sam kendricks, tested positive for covid earlier this week. kendrick spoke to us from his hotel room, where he is in quarantine. >> i wanted to be there in the flesh cheering them on every step of the way. >> reporter: on the court, the u.s. men's basketball team

advancing to the knockout stage of their tournament. >> and k.d. is now the u.s. olympic scoring leader, surpassing carmelo anthony with that three. >> reporter: kevin durant's 23 points make him now the leading scorer in u.s. men's olympic basketball history. >> team usa making an impact. let's bring in kenneth moton right there in tokyo. kenneth, all eyes are on simone biles again tonight and her decision whether or not to compete, but she's not yet closing the door on other events. >> reporter: no, she's not, whit. simone biles can still compete on the floor exercise and balance beam in a couple of days, and she can decide up until the last minute. usa gymnastics is praising simone biles for her courage and grace, saying she will continue t be evaluated. whit? >> so many people cheering her on. kenneth, thank you. we turn now to the dangerous weather threats here at home. 9 million people across 9 states under flash flood alerts.

these images from grand falls arizona, after torrential rains sending those massive amounts of water just cascading off the normally dry cliffs. crews across the west clearing roads following damaging mudslides. this from southern california. let's get to meteorologist brittany bell from wabc here in new york. where is the greatest threat happening tonight? >> reporter: that flash flood threat stretches from california all the way to montana. this july in tucson was the wettest month on record. also more storms will form sunday and that can spark additional mudslides. on top of that, some of that lightning from these storms could spark wildfires. that's why we have a red-flag warning. and it is hot. a heat advisory in effect and an excessive heat warning. actual high temperatures climbing into the triple digits. some relief on the way in the south due to a cold front. heat index temperatures dropping down into the 80s across the mid-south tomorrow.

whit? >> brittany, thank you. good to have you tonight. now to afghanistan and the battle for control as american troops head home. the taliban rapidly gaining ground. half the country's roughly 400 districts now in their hands. the u.s. is frantically processing thousands of visa requests from those who worked with american forces. here's abc's julia macfarlane. >> reporter: tonight, the taliban on the march, launching fresh attacks on three afghan cities. militants targeting key areas like kandahar that could be devastating for the government to lose as american troops head home. >> i have been deeply concerned by the events that have played out over the last six or seven weeks. >> reporter: thousands of afghans fleeing for their lives, many lining up for passports as security deteriorates. the u.s. evacuating the first afghan interpreters and their families who've applied for special immigrant visas out of 20,000 in total. 2,500 afghans are to be resettled in the u.s. a small number of whom arrived

in virginia this week. our martha raddatz in afghanistan last month speaking to one interpreter who was side-by-side with u.s. marines in helmand province. he says his family's lives are on the line. >> if they take over kabul, then they will come and they will behead us all. they will kill us. >> reporter: tonight, the afghan government is fighting to keep control, but the taliban have been gaining momentum, capturing more than half the country's 400 districts. whit? >> julia macfarlane, our thanks to you tonight. and in france, thousands turning out against the government's new health pass. some of the protests turning violent. police clashing with demonstrators in paris. starting august 9th, the pass will be needed to prove businesses. cases and hospitalizations are surging now in france. there is much more ahead on "world news tonight" this saturday. the rapid spread of the delta variant leading some major companies to put the brakes on their office re-opening plans. stay with us.

[sfx: radio being tuned] welcome to allstate. ♪ [band plays] ♪ a place where everyone lives life well-protected. ♪ and even when things go a bit wrong, we've got your back. here, things work the way you wish they would. and better protection costs a whole lot less. you're in good hands with allstate. click or call for a lower auto rate today. i've got moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. now, there's skyrizi. ♪ things are getting clearer. ♪ ♪ i feel free to bare my skin yeah, that's all me. ♪ ♪ nothing and me go hand in hand nothing on my skin, ♪ ♪ that's my new plan. ♪ ♪ nothing is everything. ♪ achieve clearer skin with skyrizi. 3 out of 4 people achieved 90% clearer skin at 4 months. of those, nearly 9 out of 10 sustained it through 1 year. and skyrizi is 4 doses a year, after 2 starter doses.

♪ i see nothing in a different way it's my moment ♪ ♪ so i just gotta say... ♪ ♪ nothing is everything. ♪ skyrizi may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tuberculosis. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms such as fevers, sweats, chills, muscle aches, or coughs or if you plan to or recently received a vaccine. ♪ nothing is everything. ♪ now is the time to ask your dermatologist about skyrizi. the dove beauty bar makes my skin feel fresh. i've encouraged serena my best friend to switch. ♪ nothing is everything. ♪ feels moisturized and clean. my friend stefanie, her skin was dry. i'm like girl you better get you some dove. she hooked me up. with a quarter moisturising cream, dove cleans effectively and cares beautifully. my auntie called me. she said uncle's had a heart attack. i needed him to be here. your heart isn't just yours. protect it with bayer aspirin. be sure to talk to your doctor

before you begin an aspirin regimen. tonight, eff night,ts to ge employees back in the office dea t d nuerprmpans llenges.he large an deirdre bolton reports. >> reporter: many large companies tonight putting the >> all of employers are getting together, scratching their heads, trying to come up with a solution. >> reporter: that solution, increasingly, is companies like facebook, google, and disney, the parent company of abc news, mandating the vaccine for employees returning to the office. others requiring weekly testing for unvaccinated workers. mgm resorts telling those workers that part of the cost of their on-site covid test will come from their wallets, not the company's. small businesses on slimmer

margins prsu. >> i've got late t protect. i otth. vacc or not, home wo i'velad that commute wit with my children. efctive as a remote worker. >> reporter: in a recent poll, just over half of adults say they are in favor of employers requiring employees to be vaccinated. whit? >> deirdre, thank you. when we come back, an important piece of history facing an uncertain future. the new warning about the wreckage of the titanic.

age-related macular degeneration may lead to severe vision loss. so the national eye institute did 20 years of clinical studies on a formula only found in preservision. if it were my vision, i'd ask my doctor about preservision. it's the most studied eye vitamin brand. if it were my vision, i'd look into preservision. only preservision areds2 contains the exact nutrient formula recommended by the nei to help reduce the risk of moderate to advanced amd progression. i have amd. it is my vision so my plan includes preservision. this is what freedom sounds like. and this. this is what freedom smells like. ahhh, enjoy 30 days of open-road freshness. febreze car. la, la, la, la, la

life...

doesn't stop for diabetes. be ready for every moment, with glucerna. it's the number one doctor recommended brand that's scientifically designed to help manage your blood sugar. live every moment. glucerna. well, geico's 85 years isn't just about time, you know. it means experience. i mean, put it this way. if i told you i'd been jarring raspberry preserves for 85 years, what would you think? (humming) well, at first you'd be like, "that has gotta be some scrumptious jam!" (humming) and then you'd think, "he looks fantastic! i must know his skin care routine." geico. saving people money for 85 years. beg your pardon.

to the "index" tonight. a tragic update in the deadly shooting at a movie theater in southern california. police saying a second victim died early this morning at a hospital. anthony barajas. prosecutors say joseph jimenez shot him and riley goodrich in the head monday after a showing "the forever purge." goodrich died at the scene. investigators calling it a random attack. the wreckage of the titanic at the bottom of the ocean is disappearing. that's according to researchers studying the shipwreck. they say what's left of the ship of dreams is rapidly deteriorating because of bacteria and salt. one researcher calls changes to the ship's bow, quote, distinct and noticeable. when we come back, the loving gift reuniting a stepfather with a blast from his past. there's that cute guy from 12c. -go talk to him. -yeah, no.

plus it's not even like he'd be into me or whatever. ♪ ♪ this could be ♪ hi. you just moved in, right? i would love to tell you about all the great savings you can get for bundling your renter's and car insurance with progressive. -oh, i was just -- -oh, tammy. i found your retainer in the dryer. the olympics and paralympics are back. and watching our athletes will once again give the impression that america is the healthiest country in the world. we aren't. but we can be. our collective health is too important to take for granted ever again. the health of our nation cannot just be measured by the victories of our champions, must be measured nation by the health of all of us. ♪ you try to stay ahead of the mess but scrubbing still takes time. must be measured nation by the health of all of us. now there's dawn powerwash dish spray.

it's the faster way to clean as you go. just spray, wipe and rinse. it cleans grease five times faster. dawn powerwash now available in free & clear. cranky-pated: a bad mood related to a sluggish gut. miralax is different. it works naturally with the water in your body to unblock your gut. free your gut, and your mood will follow. does your deodorant keep you fresh all day? we put dove men deodorant to the test with nelson, a volunteer that puts care into everything he does. it really protects my skin. it's comfortable and lasts a long time. dove men, 48h freshness with triple action moisturizers. you've been taking mental health meds, and your mind is finally in a better place. except now you have uncontrollable body movements called tardive dyskinesia - td. and it can seem like that's all people see. meds for mental health cacan cause abnormal dopamined. signaling in the brain. while how it works is not fully understood,

ingrezza is thought to reduce that signaling. ingrezza is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with td movements in the face and body. people taking ingrezza can stay on their current dose of most mental health meds. don't take ingrezza if you're allergic to any of its ingredients. ingrezza may cause serious side effects, including sleepiness. don't drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how ingrezza affects you. other serious side effects include potential heart rhythm problems and abnormal movements. shift the focus more on you. ask your doctor about ingrezza. it's simple. one pill, once-daily. #1 prescribed for td. learn how you could pay as little as $0 at ingrezza.com whoa, susan! ohhh... i'm looking for coupon codes. well, capital one shopping instantly searches for available coupon codes and automatically applies them. save me some cheddar! capital one shopping. it's kinda genius. what's in your wallet?

fi finally tonight, "america strong." three sisters surprising their stepdad with an unforgettable gift. >> reporter: it's the gift from the past that's touched america's heart. >> and we decided to give him something he gave up for us years ago. >> reporter: shared on tiktok with nearly 4 million views. but this 1966 yellow mustang is more than a classic car. it was daniel ipock's baby. he bought it when he was 19. >> mustangs, i've always liked mustangs. >> reporter: then, he had to sell it when he got married ten years ago to help support his new wife and her three daughters. fast forward to this summer, his oldest stepdaughter, jada, had an idea. >> 23 years old taking on three kids, that's insane, and to give

up something that means a lot. so, me and my mom kind of schemed a little bit. >> reporter: so they bought the car back, giving daniel a letter that reads in part -- "we see all the things you do for us, so we want to do the same for you." >> why is the title here? >> because it's yours. >> the car? >> mm-hmm. >> reporter: daniel overwhelmed with emotion in this now viral moment. later going outside to reunite with his old car, a gift of love and appreciation for a dad who was always there. >> i've always wanted a family. i met my wife and she had three little girls. i'm very, very blessed. i've been very blessed in my life with these kids and my wife. >> yes, you are, and from one girl dad to another, you're making us all proud. thanks for watching. i'm whit johnson in new york. i'll see you on "gma" in the morning. linsey davis back here tomorrow night. have a great night.

get a vaccine with your back-to-school supplies. the push in the bay area to get people vaccinated as the delta variant surges. three weeks after a man vanished, hundreds of people descend on the east bay park to look for him. plus, a san jose sharks player is under investigation tonight by the nhl. the serious allegations made by his wife. abc 7 news at 6:00 starts right now. how the rise in delta variant cases is changing some minds as bay area students

prepare to return to the classroom. thank you for joining us. i'm dion lynn. you're watching abc 7 news at 6:00 live here on abc 7, hulu live and wherever you happen to stream. the back-to-school countdown is on across the bay area. and for many student, it's the first time they've set foot in a classroom since the pandemic began. getting kids vaccinated is important to many variants especially with the delta variant spreading in. oakland today, the vaccine clinic offered shots and free school supplies to families. cornell bernard was there. >> i've been actually bugging my mom to let me do it. >> reporter: she just scored a free backpack, a's tickets and a target gift card after getting vaccinated at this popup clinic. but she didn't come for the free snag. swag. >> i think because i get vaccinated, i'll be able to protect other people around me.

even if i do get covid-19. >>