FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

* The first batch of BioNTech's vaccine arrived in Taiwan, helped by the involvement of two of the world's most important tech firms after months of heated political and diplomatic wrangling. AMERICAS * Canada will donate more than 1.3 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine to three African countries through the COVAX vaccine-sharing facility, GAVI said. * More than half of U.S. companies are planning to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the work place by year-end, with almost a quarter considering vaccination a condition for employment, according to a national survey of nearly 1,000 employers.

Some Asia-Pacific countries reported higher daily COVID-19 cases and Australian doctors warned their hospitals were not ready for reopening plans, while in the United States, Moderna sought a nod for a third vaccine dose. 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

* Norway will begin to offer COVID-19 vaccines to children aged 12 to 15, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said . * Britain will give severely immunosuppressed people a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine to help them generate a stronger immune response.

* Oxford University professor Sarah Gilbert, biologist Catherine Green and the team behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine were named heroes of the year during the GQ Men Of The Year Awards. * Italy broadened usage of Green Pass health documents, making them obligatory for anyone travelling on high-speed trains, planes, ferries and inter-regional coaches.

* Spain said 70% of its population had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, fulfilling a goal set by the government for August, while the incidence rate kept the decreasing tendency of the past month after a big surge. ASIA-PACIFIC

* India reported the biggest single-day rise in COVID-19 cases in two months, amid worries over the virus spreading from the most-affected state, Kerala, the reopening of schools and the start of the festival season. * Thailand's health ministry said its COVID-19 vaccine regimen of China's Sinovac followed by British-developed AstraZeneca was safe and successfully boosted immunity among its first 1.5 million recipients.

* Moderna and Takeda Pharmaceutical said they are working with Japanese authorities to recall three batches of COVID-19 vaccine after an investigation found stainless steel contaminants in some vials. * The first batch of BioNTech's vaccine arrived in Taiwan, helped by the involvement of two of the world's most important tech firms after months of heated political and diplomatic wrangling.

AMERICAS * Canada will donate more than 1.3 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine to three African countries through the COVAX vaccine-sharing facility, GAVI said.

* More than half of U.S. companies are planning to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the work place by year-end, with almost a quarter considering vaccination a condition for employment, according to a national survey of nearly 1,000 employers. MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Abu Dhabi will remove the quarantine requirement for all vaccinated travellers arriving from international destinations starting Sunday, the Abu Dhabi government media office said on Twitter on Thursday. * An arrangement whereby Johnson & Johnson was shipping COVID-19 vaccine doses to Europe that had been packaged in South Africa has been suspended, African Union envoy Strive Masiyiwa said.

* South African drug manufacturer Aspen Pharmacare is in talks with Johnson & Johnson to expand its production in South Africa of the latter's vaccine. MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* Pfizer and Merck announced new trials of their experimental oral antiviral drugs for COVID-19 as the race to develop an easy-to-administer treatment for the potentially fatal illness heats up. * Moderna has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to allow the use of a third booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine.

ECONOMIC IMPACT * Record-high world stocks slowed their charge on Thursday as concerns grew over the Chinese economy after a run of soft data, while the risk of a sub-par U.S. payrolls report kept the dollar on the defensive.

(Compiled by Veronica Snoj and Uttaresh.V; Edited by Shounak Dasgupta and Bernadette Baum)