(Reuters) – Australia’s Victoria state said it had gone 24 hours without detecting any new COVID-19 cases, while U.S. Vice President Mike Pence campaigned despite a COVID-19 outbreak among his aides as the United States set records for daily infections.
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.
* Eikon users, see COVID-19: MacroVitals https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and summary of news.
EUROPE
* The Czech government will almost certainly have to tighten its anti-coronavirus measures again as current curbs have not halted a surge in infections, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said.
* Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said he had a “general malaise” after testing positive for coronavirus and would stay at home for now for any treatment.
* Britain’s government is looking at how long those exposed to COVID-19 need to quarantine, Northern Ireland minister Brandon Lewis told Sky News, commenting on reports that the self-isolation period could be reduced from 14 days.
* Slovakia’s pilot testing in coronavirus hotspots attracted tens of thousands people over the weekend, showing an infection rate of 3.87%, government data showed.
* The Irish government expects to be able to begin to vaccinate vulnerable people against COVID-19 in first quarter or first half of 2021.
* Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a new state of emergency in an effort to curb soaring infections.
* Italy on Sunday ordered bars and restaurants to close by 6 p.m. and shut public gyms, cinemas and swimming pools to try to halt a rapid coronavirus resurgence.
AMERICAS
* The United States in the past two days has registered its highest number of new COVID-19 cases – about 84,000 on Friday and about 79,900 on Saturday. Meanwhile New York became the fourth state to surpass half a million coronavirus cases
* U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the Trump administration was reviewing the latest plan for more COVID-19 relief over the weekend and that she expected a response on Monday, adding that she was still optimistic a deal could be reached.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* China reported the highest number of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases in nearly seven months, following a mass infection of an unknown origin in the northwestern Xinjiang region.
* Australia’s Victoria state said on Monday it had gone 24 hours without detecting any new COVID-19 cases, a milestone last achieved four months ago, raising hopes that a stringent lockdown of Melbourne will be eased.
* India’s central bank Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Sunday he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Qatar has signed an agreement with drugmaker Moderna Inc to buy its potential COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is approved and released for global use, state news agency QNA quoted a health official as saying on Sunday.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on Sunday it would be clear whether a COVID-19 vaccine was safe and effective by early December, but that more widespread vaccination would not be likely until later in 2021.
* Israel will begin human trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by a research institute overseen by the Defence Ministry on Nov. 1 after receiving regulatory approval, the ministry said on Sunday.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* Asian shares got off to a subdued start on Monday as surging coronavirus cases in Europe and the United states threatened the global outlook, while China’s leaders meet to ponder the future of the economic giant. [MKTS/GLOB]
(Compiled by Frances Kerry and Amy Caren Daniel; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
