FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of coronavirus

A surge in COVID-19 cases in Europe risks becoming a deadly double epidemic of flu and coronavirus infections, EU health officials warned on Thursday as they urged Europeans and their governments not to let their guard down. 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.

A surge in COVID-19 cases in Europe risks becoming a deadly double epidemic of flu and coronavirus infections, EU health officials warned on Thursday as they urged Europeans and their governments not to let their guard down.

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.

AMERICAS * The coming U.S. election has generated an unprecedented wave of voting-related litigation amid the pandemic, which has fuelled battles over witness signatures, U.S. mail postmarks and drop boxes for ballots.

* Costa Rica's president predicted more economic pain for the country without a major loan package from the IMF, including worsening inflation and unemployment. * Mexico's confirmed caseload rose to 710,049 on Wednesday, as deaths neared 75,000.

EUROPE * Spain's Madrid region requested urgent help to hire foreign doctors and reinforce police as they registered 1,290 new infections and considered extending a partial lockdown.

* Britain launched scaled-back job support for workers hit by the resurgence, while England's Test and Trace reported positive tests tripling since late August. * France reported that the number of people in intensive care due to COVID-19 jumped over 1,000 for the first time since June 8.

* Skiers in Austria this winter must sit at tables rather than dance on them, the government said, outlining plans to rein in apres-ski parties that have fuelled the spread. ASIA-PACIFIC

* North Korean troops shot dead a South Korean official who went missing earlier this week, before setting his body on fire in what was likely an effort to prevent a coronavirus outbreak, Seoul said. MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Iran's death toll surpassed 25,000, the highest in the Middle East, with the total reported cases spiking to 436,319. * Israel tightened its lockdown after PM Benjamin Netanyahu said surging infections were pushing the nation to "the edge of the abyss".

* The UAE will resume issuing visas to foreign visitors to all seven of its regions from Thursday, a day after it reported its highest daily number of infections since the pandemic began. * Oman said it would resume international flights on Oct. 1 with strict measures in place.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS * China's Sinovac Biotech expects to begin analysing final-stage human trial data on its vaccine candidate this year, as it hopes to supply the experimental vaccine to more South American countries by outsourcing some manufacturing procedures to a partner in Brazil.

* AstraZeneca is still waiting for the FDA to approve the restart of the clinical trial of its potential vaccine in the United States, almost three weeks after it was paused due to safety concerns. * Britain is planning to host clinical trials where volunteers are deliberately infected with the coronavirus to test vaccines, the Financial Times reported.

ECONOMIC IMPACT * Global shares fell and the dollar hit a two-month high on investor concern about another economic hit from the pandemic, ahead of key U.S. jobless data and comments from the head of the Federal Reserve.

* The EU presented plans to expand and bolster its capital market to help reboot companies hit by the coronavirus and reduce the bloc's reliance on the City of London after Brexit. * Canada's vow to double down on pandemic-related spending to keep the economic recovery under way in the face of a second wave will support activity but raises questions over the burgeoning deficit, economists say.

(Compiled by Sarah Morland; Editing by Alex Richardson)