FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

As the number of reported coronavirus infections nears 5 million and the race to develop a vaccine heats up, Thailand and a U.S. immunotherapy company reported promising results of tests on mice and guinea pigs, with the Thai authorities saying they expect to have a vaccine ready next year.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS * More than 4.94 million people have been reported to have been infected globally and 323,323 have died, according to a Reuters tally, as of 1337 GMT on Wednesday.

* For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, open https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser. * For a U.S.-focused tracker with state-by-state and county map, open https://tmsnrt.rs/2w7hX9T in an external browser.

EUROPE * Spain's fragile left-wing coalition sought support from political foes to extend a state of emergency as public protests simmered over the crisis' damage to the economy and tough social restrictions.

* Russia's case tally, the second highest in the world, passed 300,000, but a representative from the World Health Organisation said the situation was starting to stabilise. * Luxembourg began mass testing this week with the goal of covering all of its 600,000 people as soon as possible to stave off a second wave of infections following the easing of lockdown.

* Germany will tighten up rules on abattoirs, banning the subcontracting of meatpacking work through agencies after a rash of outbreaks, labour minister said. AMERICAS

* U.S. immunotherapy company Inovio Pharmaceuticals said its experimental vaccine was shown to produce antibodies and immune system responses in mice and guinea pigs. * The United States, Mexico and Canada said on Tuesday they would extend a ban on non-essential cross-border travel by another 30 days.

* Venezuela imposed new curfews in a handful of towns along its borders with Colombia and Brazil as cases jump, which officials attribute mainly to returning migrants, information minister said. * Mexico registered 2,713 new cases on Tuesday, the health ministry said, its biggest daily increase yet, bringing its overall tally to 54,346.

* Brazil's daily death toll jumped to a record 1,179 on Tuesday as President Jair Bolsonaro doubled down on chloroquine as a possible remedy while Donald Trump said he was considering banning travel to and from Brazil. * Colombia's mandatory quarantine has been extended by a further week until May 31, President Ivan Duque said.

ASIA-PACIFIC * The novel coronavirus is behaving differently in patients in northeast China who have contracted it recently compared with early cases, indicating it is changing as it spreads, a prominent doctor said.

* Work may have to be halted at Kazakhstan's giant Tengiz oilfield if management and local authorities fail to curb the spread of coronavirus among workers, country's chief sanitary doctor said. * Thailand expects to have a vaccine ready next year, a senior official said, after finding positive trial results in mice.

* Japanese economy minister said that the nation was on a path towards containing the coronavirus. * Indonesia reported 693 new infections, its biggest daily rise and taking the total number of cases above 19,000.

* Cambodia has lifted a ban on entry of visitors from Iran, Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the United States, the health ministry said. MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Burundians voted in their first competitive presidential election since a civil war erupted in 1993 despite simmering political violence and the pandemic. * Egypt on Tuesday registered 720 new coronavirus cases, its highest daily toll since detecting the first case in February.

* Wealthy countries are failing Africa, with pledges of financial support and debt relief falling well short of the continent's needs as it battles the pandemic, several African presidents said on Tuesday. ECONOMIC FALLOUT

* Global stocks rose as investors regained hopes of recovery from a coronavirus-fuelled recession, while oil prices also strengthened. * Listed companies in the European Union should state the uncertainties they face due to the coronavirus pandemic in their half-yearly reports and explain why they can stay in business, the bloc's securities watchdog said.

* Britain's inflation rate sank in April to its lowest since August 2016 as the pandemic pushed down global oil prices and clothing stores slashed prices. * Polish employment fell much more than expected in April as what had until recently been a fast-growing jobs market posted its first decline since 2013.

* Greece's economy may shrink 10 to 13% this year following a lockdown, but the government will take steps to mitigate the impact, the country's finance minister said. * Swedish banks could see credit losses of up to 3% of lending if the central bank's scenario of a near 10% drop in GDP this year happens, Riksbank governor said.

* Spain's cement consumption has plummeted and was down by 50% year-on-year in April, the Spanish cement industry association said. * Australian retail sales slumped in April after a record surge the previous month as restrictions hit demand for clothing, travel and dining out.

* Expectations for second- and third-quarter corporate profits are deteriorating further in Europe, Refinitiv data showed. (Compiled by Anita Kobylinska; Edited by Tomasz Janowski)