FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

* Malaysian health authorities said the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca is safe for use, three days after the Southeast Asian nation received its first batch of the shots bought through the COVAX facility. * Thai authorities are stepping up travel restrictions and other measures to combat a rapidly spreading third wave of COVID-19 infections as the country logged 11 deaths on Sunday, a daily record.

India's coronavirus cases hit a record peak for a fifth day on Monday as countries including Britain, Germany, and the United States pledged to send urgent medical aid to help tackle the crisis overwhelming its hospitals. 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 the news. EUROPE

* A top European Union official said Americans who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 should be able to travel to Europe by summer, easing existing travel restrictions. * France reported a rise in the number of patients with COVID-19 in hospital intensive care units as President Emmanuel Macron's government seeks signs of an end to the nation's third wave of infections.

* Germany's coronavirus infection rate rose at the weekend despite stricter restrictions and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said he did not expect moves to ease curbs before the end of May. * The first case of the Indian variant of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Switzerland, the Federal Office for Public Health said, as other countries introduce travel bans to contain its spread.

* The United Kingdom has reached another COVID-19 vaccination milestone with over half of the population has had at least one injection, health secretary Matt Hancock said. AMERICAS

* Children attending summer camp can get within 3 feet of each other but should wear masks to limit the spread of COVID-19, according to fresh guidance issued by the U.S. CDC. * Canada's health department said the 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine imported from Emergent BioSolutions' Baltimore facility were safe and met quality specifications.

* Mexico's top diplomat traveled to Moscow for a visit with Russian officials, amid talks to hammer out plans for Mexico to bottle Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine domestically after delays in shipments. ASIA-PACIFIC

* A long-delayed travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore will begin on May 26, the two cities said, as they moved to re-establish overseas travel links and lift the hurdle of quarantine for visiting foreigners. * Malaysian health authorities said the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca is safe for use, three days after the Southeast Asian nation received its first batch of the shots bought through the COVAX facility.

* Thai authorities are stepping up travel restrictions and other measures to combat a rapidly spreading third wave of COVID-19 infections as the country logged 11 deaths on Sunday, a daily record. * Western Australia's international arrivals cap for the next month will be halved, officials said, as the state is battling a coronavirus outbreak that forced more than two million people into a three-day lockdown from Saturday.

* The Japanese government is planning to open large vaccination centers in Tokyo and Osaka in the coming weeks in a bid to speed up its inoculation drive. * Cambodia closed all markets in the capital Phnom Penh to contain a surge in coronavirus infections and thousands of families pleaded to the government for food as a two-week lockdown continued.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA * Israel and Bahrain have agreed to recognize each other's vaccination programs and let people who have had shots travel without restriction between the countries.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS * The United States can immediately resume the use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, top health regulators said, ending a 10-day pause to investigate its link to extremely rare but potentially deadly blood clots.

ECONOMIC IMPACT * Asian stocks rose on Monday with Chinese shares near three-week highs as signs the world economic recovery was well on track bolstered risk appetite, while the U.S. dollar slipped to a two-month low.