(Reuters) – Advisers to the U.S. health regulator backed the emergency use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine even as President-elect Joe Biden’s top coronavirus adviser warned against Christmas parties and the Japanese government urged people to spend a “quiet” year-end.
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
* Sweden saw a record number of daily COVID-19 cases and France ruled out reopening cultural venues.
* Every secondary school student in several London boroughs will be tested as the government tries to tackle a rise in cases.
* Spain’s death toll between March and May was almost 70% higher than the official count at the time, data showed.
* Berlin’s mayor said the city wants to close shops and extend the school Christmas holidays as Germany reported a new record number of cases.
* Denmark will expand lockdown measures announced earlier this week to more cities.
AMERICAS
* House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Congress could work on a COVID-19 relief package until Dec. 26, the day after Christmas, when a range of emergency aid programs are set to expire.
* The first 30,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine are set to arrive in Canada soon, allowing authorities to kick off a campaign to crush a second wave.
* Cyber attacks have been waged against COVID-19 vaccine distribution infrastructure, including a cold-chain storage company, U.S. Senator Gary Peters said.
* Doses of a COVID-19 vaccine made by China’s Sinovac Biotech are rolling off a Brazilian production line, drawing interest around the country and across Latin America from governments struggling to procure costlier vaccines.
* Russia has agreed with Argentina to supply 10 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine.
* United Parcel Service and FedEx Corp plan to deliver millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines before holiday gifts. Walmart is also readying to administer vaccines.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* South Korea will mobilise military forces in the capital Seoul to help frontline health workers deal with a surge in coronavirus.
* Japanese Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said he wanted to see the government avoid issuing another state of emergency over the coronavirus.
* Singapore has approved Advanced MedTech Holdings’ COVID-19 kit for use in testing saliva from deep within the throat.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Egypt received its first shipment of vaccines developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) late on Thursday and will get more deliveries soon, health officials said.
* Nigeria may be on the verge of a second wave of COVID-19 infections, the health minister warned, as another official said the country expects to roll out a vaccine by April next year.
* Bahrain will provide the vaccine for free for all citizens and residents, state news agency BNA reported.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* Australia abruptly halted the production of a home-made vaccine against COVID-19 after trials showed it could interfere with HIV diagnosis, with the government instead securing additional doses of rival vaccines.
* Pfizer said it planned to file for full U.S. approval of its experimental coronavirus vaccine by April next year, even as the vaccine awaits emergency use authorization by the U.S. FDA.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* Asian shares bounced back as progress on COVID-19 vaccines boosted investor sentiment, but tricky Brexit negotiations and U.S. stimulus talks capped gains in riskier assets. [MKTS/GLOB]
* The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits increased more than expected last week as mounting new infections caused more business restrictions.
(Compiled by Aditya Soni, Devika Syamnath and Milla Nissi; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Anil D’Silva and Arun Koyyur)
