(Reuters) – Germany issued coronavirus warnings for Belgium and much of France, while a study showed the prevalence of infections in England is much higher than August-end but there are signs that the growth in infection rate is slowing.
DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
* For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread of COVID-19, open https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/ in an external browser.
* For a U.S.-focused tracker with a state-by-state and county map, open https://tmsnrt.rs/2w7hX9T in an external browser.
* Eikon users, see MacroVitals cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and summary of news.
EUROPE
* Germany declared regions in 11 European countries to be areas where there was an elevated risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus, while existing warnings about parts of Belgium were extended to cover the entire country.
* The Balearic Islands’ regional authorities decided to impose new restrictions on the tourism hotspot city of Ibiza.
AMERICAS
* U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made progress on COVID-19 relief legislation, and the House of Representatives postponed a vote on a $2.2-trillion Democratic coronavirus plan to allow more time for a bipartisan deal to come together.
* Ontario could reach 1,000 new COVID-19 cases a day in the first half of October, projections released on Wednesday showed.
* Peru will restart international flights to some regional countries.
* Cuba said it was lifting the curfew and partial lockdown in Havana, in place since Sept. 1.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* India’s tally of COVID-19 infections increased by 86,821 in the last 24 hours to 6.31 million by Thursday morning and deaths by 1,181 to 98,678.
* Japanese business sentiment improved in July-September from an 11-year low hit three months ago, a key central bank survey showed.
* Australia’s coronavirus hotspot state Victoria reported its 800th death on Thursday, but low case numbers raised the prospect of a “COVID-normal” 2021 without lockdowns or social restrictions, said the state premier.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* South Africa will not allow tourists from countries with higher infection and death rates, including Britain, the United States and France, to enter when its borders open up on Oct. 1, ministers said.
* The United Arab Emirates saw its highest daily total of infections since the start of the outbreak, with 1,100 new cases.
* Jordan warned it could be forced to return to a full lockdown, potentially devastating its fragile economy, after recording 1,767 new cases, its highest daily tally since the start of the outbreak.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has broadened its investigation of a serious illness in AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine study and will look at data from earlier trials of similar vaccines developed by the same scientists.
* Malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, taken by U.S. President Donald Trump to prevent COVID-19, showed no benefit in prevention, according to a study.
* Fujifilm Holdings said it had signed a manufacturing contract agreement with U.S.-based VLP Therapeutics for a COVID-19 vaccine formulation.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* Global shares tried to extend gains on Thursday on renewed hopes for fresh U.S. stimulus measures, but mounting uncertainty ahead of America’s presidential election and technical glitches in Japan’s market kept gains in check. [MKTS/GLOB]
* Britain suffered a record collapse in economic output in the second quarter, though the decline was slightly smaller than first estimated.
* Brazil’s unemployment rate rose to 13.8%, the highest in at least eight years.
* India is staring at a ballooning fiscal deficit as the coronavirus shrinks jobs and hits tax collection.
(Compiled by Devika Syamnath, Milla Nissi and Uttaresh.V; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Sriraj Kalluvila and Subhranshu Sahu)
