(Reuters) – Johnson & Johnson kicked off a final 60,000-person trial of a single-shot COVID-19 vaccine that potentially would simplify distribution of millions of doses compared with leading rivals using two doses.
DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
* For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, open https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 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
* Britain reported 6,178 new daily cases on Wednesday, the highest since May 1, as the government defended its new, stricter measures against criticism that they did not got far enough, saying it was trying to balance supporting the economy while protecting health.
* Authorities in Spain’s Madrid region requested urgent help to hire hundreds of foreign doctors and reinforce police, as they mulled widening a partial lockdown to more areas.
* Germany’s health minister urged users of a smartphone app to help trace infections to upload positive test results into the system, so that others at risk get a timely warning.
* The French government is expected to unveil tighter restrictions for Paris on Wednesday following a cabinet meeting, BFM TV and Le Parisien newspaper said.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* Organisers of the delayed Tokyo Olympics will require COVID-19 tests for non-Japanese athletes and other participants upon arrival.
* Indonesia reported 4,465 new cases on Wednesday, its biggest daily rise.
* India’s infections surged again on Wednesday, a day after hitting their lowest in almost a month.
* Australia’s coronavirus hot spot of Victoria is considering easing curbs sooner than previously flagged, as the two-week average of new infections in Melbourne dropped below 30.
AMERICAS
* Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will unveil on Wednesday what he says is a far-reaching plan to help the economy recover from the pandemic while ensuring efforts to fight the outbreak do not falter.
* Mexico’s confirmed cases rose to 705,263 on Tuesday, along with a reported death toll of 74,348.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday reported its highest daily number of infections since the start of the pandemic at 1,083 new cases.
* Ethiopia has agreed to buy 1.5 million testing kits that will be made at a factory there that has been newly built by China’s BGI Group.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* Britain will host clinical trials where volunteers are deliberately infected with the new coronavirus to test the effectiveness of vaccine candidates, the Financial Times reported. AstraZeneca and Sanofi said that they are not involved in the planned trial.
* The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration told a U.S. Senate hearing that the agency will vet the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, downplaying the role of the Trump administration in its authorization process.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* Shares dipped and the dollar ticked up near two-month highs on Wednesday as data reaffirmed lingering concerns that new restrictions will hurt the economic recovery. [MKTS/GLOB]
* Income earned from work worldwide dropped by an estimated 10.7%, or $3.5 trillion, in the first nine months of 2020, compared to the same period a year ago.
* Nearly 36,000 Japanese companies have chosen to discontinue their business so far this year, mainly due to the hit from coronavirus.
* Travel restrictions around Europe ravaged Spain’s tourism industry during the crucial month of August, as number of nights booked in hotels fell 64% last month from a year ago.
* Portugal’s budget deficit soared to 10.5% of gross domestic product in the second quarter of 2020 from 2.2% a year earlier because of the pandemic.
(Compiled by Anita Kobylinska and Linda Pasquini; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Andrew Cawthorne)
