FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

Cases of the novel coronavirus continued to surge globally, with Mexico and Brazil reporting record jumps in daily case numbers, while Australian authorities said the country should brace for more deaths for the next few weeks.

Cases of the novel coronavirus continued to surge globally, with Mexico and Brazil reporting record jumps in daily case numbers, while Australian authorities said the country should brace for more deaths for the next few weeks. 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

* The European Union drugs regulator said pharmaceutical companies should work on more than one upgraded COVID-19 shot, not only tailored to the fast-emerging Omicron variant but also versions that address a combination of variants. * France has registered 464,769 new COVID-19 infections over the last 24 hours, official data showed on Tuesday, the highest ever-recorded tally since the start of the pandemic.

ASIA-PACIFIC * China reported the lowest daily count of local confirmed COVID-19 infections in two weeks on Wednesday after cities sealed up areas of virus risk quarantined infections, and conducted mass testing.

* Japan was poised to widen COVID-19 controls to cover half its population as the Omicron variant drives new infections to record levels. * Australia threw out an invitation to backpackers, seeking reinforcements for a workforce crippled by an Omicron outbreak as the country's health system creaks under the pandemic's strain with more deaths predicted in the weeks ahead.

AMERICAS * The U.S. government's new COVIDTests.gov website, set up for American households to order four free COVID-19 tests, is up and running ahead of its official launch on Wednesday, the White House said.

* Global health charities the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust each pledged $150 million to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to fund its COVID-19 pandemic response and help put it on better footing for the future major health crises. * British Columbia will allow gyms to open from Thursday, but other restrictions will stay in place until Feb. 16.

* Mexico posted a fresh record of new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, reporting 49,343 infections in a single day. * Brazil reported a record 137,103 new cases in the past 24 hours.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST * Namibia's pandemic-ravaged tourism sector launched a campaign to encourage its employees to get inoculated as vaccine hesitancy threatens to derail the sector's revival.

* Israel will continue to offer a fourth vaccine shot despite preliminary findings that it is not enough to prevent Omicron infections, the Health Ministry said. MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* COVID-19 vaccines made using mRNA technology do not cause pregnancy complications for expectant mothers and their babies, the European Union's drug regulator said. * Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said they had signed an agreement with the United Nations Children's Fund to supply up to 3 million courses of their antiviral pill.

ECONOMIC IMPACT * Asia's share markets struggled on Wednesday as U.S. Treasury yields hit fresh two-year highs and a global technology stock sell-off, unsettled investors, worrying about inflation and bracing for tighter U.S. monetary policy.

* A measure of Australian consumer sentiment slipped in January as a surge in cases filled up hospitals and soured the national mood, curbing spending and mobility in what is typically a holiday-heavy month. * There is scant downside risk to the Indian economy in the last months of this financial year from the Omicron variant, according to economists polled by Reuters who said New Delhi should focus on fiscal prudence in its February budget.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)