More than 62.84 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1,464,200 have died, according to a Reuters tally.
In the meantime, Germany could face a third COVID-19 wave if citizens are careless in the coming weeks, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned.
At the same time, a U.S. official said Americans could begin receiving vaccinations before Christmas, after Moderna became the second vaccine maker likely to receive U.S. emergency authorization.
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
* COVID-19 infections have fallen by 30% during England’s month-long national lockdown, and the virus is now in retreat, a large-scale study of more than 100,000 volunteers showed.
* British minister Robert Jenrick said he was relaxing rules to allow shops to stay open for longer over Christmas and in January.
* A Russian hospital said it began civilian coronavirus vaccinations last week.
AMERICAS
* The United States recorded 10,000 coronavirus deaths and over 1.1 million new cases last week, although state and health officials have said the Thanksgiving holiday likely caused numbers to be under-reported.
* Canada on Monday will unveil new spending plans and detail the cost of its emergency support measures as a harsh second wave of infections forces renewed health restrictions across the country.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* Thailand was racing to track down about 200 people in its northern provinces to stop a potential outbreak, after three Thai nationals entered the country illegally from Myanmar and tested positive days later.
* Philippines extended partial restrictions in the capital region until the end of the year, with the government urging Filipinos to limit Christmas gatherings.
* Vietnam confirmed its first locally transmitted case in nearly three months.
* Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen banned wedding parties and gatherings of more than 20 people.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Turkey will impose a weekday curfew and a full lockdown at weekends, as the death toll hits a record high for an eighth consecutive day.
* Deaths from malaria due to disruptions during the pandemic to services designed to tackle the mosquito-borne disease will far exceed those killed by COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa, the World Health Organization warned.
* Oman will resume granting tourist visas to people visiting on trips arranged by hotels and travel companies, state media said.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* Novavax said it has pushed back the start of a U.S.-based, late-stage trial for its experimental COVID-19 vaccine and now expects it to begin in the coming weeks instead of this month.
* Russia plans to begin mass trials of its second coronavirus vaccine, EpiVacCorona, on people aged over 18 on Monday, the RIA news agency cited the consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor as saying.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* World stock markets dipped to close a record-breaking month as the prospect of a vaccine-driven economic recovery next year and further central bank stimulus measures eclipsed immediate concerns about the spiking pandemic.
* Italy approved new measures to support businesses hit by the second wave of the pandemic and Canada will unveil new spending plans.
