FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

* India is aiming for a fiscal deficit of 6.3% to 6.5% of gross domestic product for the next financial year, a less ambitious target than previously planned as COVID-19 infections threaten the economic recovery, three government officials said. * Shopper numbers in Britain deteriorated sharply in December, to 18.6% below 2019's level compared with November's 14.5% decline, industry data showed.

Countries are racing to vaccinate more citizens and expand vaccine mandates as an Omicron-driven surge in COVID-19 cases strains healthcare systems and disrupts businesses and events. 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

* British finance minister Rishi Sunak said a planned tax increase to fund health and social care was necessary, after reports of divisions in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government over the policy. * Britain and Israel are overhauling their COVID-19 testing policies as governments seek to ease the burden on laboratories and struggle with tight supplies of kits amid soaring infection rates fuelled by the Omicron variant.

* Italy made COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for people from the age of 50. AMERICAS

* Mexico is likely to surpass 300,000 deaths from COVID-19 this week - the fifth highest death toll worldwide - as infections rise after the holiday season, fueled by the Omicron variant and largely unrestricted tourism. * Top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci warned against complacency over Omicron, saying the sheer number of cases could strain hospitals despite signs of lower severity.

ASIA-PACIFIC * More cities in central China's Henan province imposed restrictions as infections there rose sharply.

* Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said a decision would be made on Friday on whether to declare a state of quasi-emergency in parts of Japan, including the island prefecture of Okinawa. * Indian megacities Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata are experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, although without a corresponding rise in hospitalisations, but fears are growing about a spread to rural areas in coming days.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST * Iraq has identified more than five cases of Omicron, the health ministry said in a statement.

* Africa's top public health official said on Thursday severe lockdowns were no longer the best way to contain COVID-19, praising South Africa for adopting that approach when responding to its latest infection wave driven by the Omicron variant. MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* The GAVI vaccine alliance is in talks with India's Bharat Biotech to potentially secure the company's Covaxin COVID-19 shot for the COVAX global vaccine distribution programme. * Pfizer expects by April the latest results from a clinical trial in children under the age of five of the COVID-19 vaccine it developed with BioNTech.

ECONOMIC IMPACT * Stock markets were deep in the red and some key government bond yields climbed to their highest in years on Thursday after the Federal Reserve signalled the possibility of faster-than-expected U.S. rate hikes and stimulus withdrawal.

* The Omicron coronavirus wave is unlikely to have much impact on India's economic growth, not more than of 5-10 basis points, a senior government official said. * India is aiming for a fiscal deficit of 6.3% to 6.5% of gross domestic product for the next financial year, a less ambitious target than previously planned as COVID-19 infections threaten the economic recovery, three government officials said.

* Shopper numbers in Britain deteriorated sharply in December, to 18.6% below 2019's level compared with November's 14.5% decline, industry data showed. (Compiled by Jagoda Darlak and Uttaresh.V Edited by Shounak Dasgupta and Mark Potter)

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