FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

The city of Shanghai on Tuesday announced two new rounds of mass COVID-19 testing of most of its 25 million residents over a three-day period, citing the need to trace infections linked to an outbreak at a karaoke lounge.

The city of Shanghai on Tuesday announced two new rounds of mass COVID-19 testing of most of its 25 million residents over a three-day period, citing the need to trace infections linked to an outbreak at a karaoke lounge. 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. ASIA-PACIFIC

* Macau has locked down one of the city's most famous hotels, the Grand Lisboa, after more than a dozen COVID-19 cases were found there on Tuesday, with infections spreading rapidly in the world's biggest gambling hub. * China's major financial hub of Shanghai reported 15 new domestically transmitted asymptomatic coronavirus cases for July 5, up from 5 a day earlier, while local symptomatic cases rose to 9 from 3 a day earlier, the city government said.

* Hong Kong will look into shortening COVID-19 quarantine requirements for travelers, while still aiming to curb the spread of the virus and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, the city's new leader John Lee said.] * Wuxi Biologics, a Chinese company that makes ingredients for AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, maybe a step closer to being taken off a U.S. trade list that it landed on five months ago.

EUROPE * CureVac has filed a patent lawsuit in Germany against BioNTech over its use of mRNA technology, marking one of the first known cases of a company going to court amid the fierce competition to develop a vaccine against the coronavirus. * Ireland expects to run an extensive vaccine drive against COVID-19 and flu ahead of a potentially worrying winter surge that could lead to the reimposition of mask wearing in certain settings, Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Tuesday.

AMERICAS * Mexican Finance Minister Rogelio Ramirez de la O tested positive for COVID-19 Monday, the minister said on Twitter Tuesday afternoon.

* The fast-spreading BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages of Omicron are estimated to make up a combined 70.1% of the coronavirus variants in the United States as of July 2, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday. AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

* Mecca's crowded streets provided merchants in the holy city with much-needed relief as pilgrims returned to the annual haj after two years of pandemic-related disruption. MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* Chemicals group Wacker Chemie has commissioned construction firm Exyte to build a plant for mRNA components, a medical technology first widely used in COVID-19 vaccines, in an investment of 100 million euros ($103 million). ECONOMIC IMPACT

* Asian stocks fell and the dollar stood by a two-decade high on the euro on Wednesday as investors' fears deepened that the continent is leading the world into recession, while oil and European equity futures made a wobbly attempt to steady. * China will set up a state infrastructure investment fund worth 500 billion yuan ($74.69 billion) to spur infrastructure spending and revive a flagging economy, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.