FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

The WHO's vaccine advisory panel recommended that people who are immuno-compromised or received an inactivated vaccine receive a booster dose, while the organisation's vaccine director warned wealthy countries may start to hoard vaccines again, threatening global supplies as they seek to shore up stocks to fight the Omicron variant. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

* Eikon users, see COVID-19: MacroVitals https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and summary of news EUROPE

* Austria's government is due to announce details of a plan to make coronavirus vaccines compulsory. * Britain implored people to obey tougher restrictions to slow the spread of the Omicron variant after revelations about alleged lockdown parties at the prime minister's residence provoked an outcry.

* Fighting the pandemic is the biggest challenge for Germany's new government and Berlin must create fiscal reserves now to be prepared for the next crisis, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said. AMERICAS

* The U.S. rushed millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses for children ages 5-11 across the nation, but demand for inoculations for younger kids has been low. * Cuba detected on Wednesday its first Omicron case in a person who had travelled from Mozambique, Cuban state media agency ACN reported.

ASIA-PACIFIC * Pakistan is investigating its first possible case of the Omicron variant.

* Japan's COVID-19 infections are falling in contrast with rebounds in other parts of Asia, baffling experts. MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Africa accounts for 46% of reported cases of the Omicron variant globally, the coordinator of the WHO's Immunisation and Vaccine Development Programme for Africa, said. * The Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine maker, let Africa down by pulling out of talks to supply COVID-19 vaccines, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control said.

* African governments will have no choice but to start imposing vaccine mandates if citizens refuse to get vaccinated, the head of the African Centres for Disease Control said. * South Africa has seen a 255% increase in infections in the past seven days, but only 6% of intensive care beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients, a WHO official said.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS * China's medical products regulator said on Wednesday it had approved the use of Brii Biosciences' antibody cocktail, the first treatment of this type given the go-ahead in the country.

* Global vaccine-sharing network COVAX is still seeing strong demand for India-made doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot, one of its backers GAVI said * BioNTech and Pfizer said a three-shot course of their vaccine was able to neutralise the new Omicron variant in a laboratory test.

ECONOMIC IMPACT * World stocks stalled at two-week highs as increased restrictions in parts of the world to contain the Omicron variant tempered optimism following encouraging news on the vaccine front.

* Oil prices eased after measures by some governments to slow the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, though losses were capped by positive comments from vaccine makers about the efficacy of their jabs. * The International Monetary Fund has approved a three-year loan deal for Niger worth around $276 million.

* Ukraine's central bank raised its main interest rate to 9% from 8.5% and said it was ready to tighten policy again next year if inflationary risks persist. * Ireland will not begin to taper its COVID-19 wage subsidy until the end of January.

(Compiled by Valentine Baldassari and Devika Syamnath; Edited by Elaine Hardcastle)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)