FACTBOX-Latest on worldwide spread of the coronavirus

China reported the biggest rise in daily COVID-19 cases in more than five months as Heibei province authorities imposed stricter curbs, while Japan moved ahead with plans to impose a month-long state of emergency for Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures.

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 * Some doctors' practices in England will be able to offer the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University from Thursday.

* First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is under pressure to postpone the Scottish election after British PM Boris Johnson said polls in England are under review, the Telegraph reported. AMERICAS

* Mexico saw one of the biggest daily rises in cases and deaths, while health authorities said a doctor who had a serious allergic reaction after receiving Pfizer Inc and BioNTech's vaccine remained hospitalised. * Brazil is ready to begin vaccinating its population this month, and the country has assured a total of 354 million vaccine doses for 2021.

* Canada's Quebec province will impose a curfew starting on Saturday and extend an existing lockdown through Feb. 8, while the country will start inoculating its federal prison inmates beginning Friday. * Peruvian president Francisco Sagasti said his interim administration had negotiated vaccine supply deals with Sinopharm Group and AstraZeneca.

ASIA-PACIFIC * Australia is on course to begin administering the first COVID-19 vaccines in February, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

* Indonesia's highest Muslim clerical council aims to issue a ruling on whether a vaccine is permissible under Islam before the country is due to start inoculations. * Japan on Thursday postponed upcoming exhibitions of the Tokyo Olympics torch around the capital city.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA * Tunisia recorded 2,820 new confirmed coronavirus cases, a record since the start of the pandemic.

* Morocco's health ministry approved the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University for emergency use. MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* German biotech firm CureVac has agreed to an alliance with drugmaker Bayer to get global support in seeking approval for its experimental COVID-19 vaccine and distribution, the daily Bild reported. * The European drugs regulator could shortly approve an amendment to its approval of Pfizer's vaccine that would permit the extraction of six doses from a vial instead of five, an EU official said.

ECONOMIC IMPACT * Bonds nursed losses and stock markets rose on Thursday in anticipation of a big borrowing and big spending Democrat administration driving growth, following runoff elections that gave the party control of both houses of U.S. Congress.

* Economic stimulus approved in the United States and Japan at the end of last year will help to power a recovery in their economies in the second half of 2021, IMF's chief economist said. * U.S. private companies shed workers in December for the first time in eight months.