More than 34 million people have been confirmed infected with the virus, and 1.015 million have died.
Here are the latest developments from around the world overnight.
Europe
United Kingdom
Britain’s parliament approved on Wednesday the extension of emergency laws that give government sweeping powers to impose restrictions to halt the spread of COVID-19, after ministers defused a rebellion by Conservative lawmakers.
Parliament voted 330 to 24 in favour of renewing the Coronavirus Act, which some lawmakers of the governing party had complained not only deprived people of their civil liberties but were also being imposed by diktat.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the British people to obey the rules, cautioning that otherwise a tougher lockdown could follow.
New cases of COVID-19 are rising by more than 7000 per day in the United Kingdom.
“I know that some people will think we should give up and let the virus take its course despite the huge loss of life that would potentially entail,” Johnson said.
“I have to say I profoundly disagree and I don’t think it’s what the British people want. I don’t think they want to throw in the sponge, they want to fight and defeat the virus,” he said.
Northern Ireland reported a record number of daily cases of COVID-19 for the fourth time in six days on Wednesday, a day after the regional government introduced less strict closing times for pubs than the rest of the United Kingdom.
The smallest of the UK's four nations reported 424 new infections, almost matching the five-month high in daily cases reported across the open border in Ireland on Sunday.
Ireland, however, has almost three times the population.
Netherlands
The Dutch government reversed course on Wednesday on its long-held position against recommending the use of face masks in public places, as new coronavirus cases hit record highs and a parliamentary majority appealed for decisive action.
"What we wish to do is give the whole of the Netherlands some clear, urgent advice: from now on, wear a non-medical mouth-and-nose mask in public spaces," Prime Minister Mark Rutte said during a debate in parliament in which members of his own coalition had called for the change.
The move comes after the country's second wave of COVID-19 infections climbed above 3000 new cases per day this week.
Asia
India
India’s government on Wednesday allowed states to reopen schools and other educational institutions in a phased manner, as well as movie theatres, even as the coronavirus cases continue to rise daily in the South Asian country.
India reported nearly 80,500 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, taking its tally to 6.23 million, government data showed. Deaths from COVID-19 stood at 97,497.
Americas
United States
New York City's Mayor on Tuesday threatened to fine anyone caught in public without a mask.
Bill de Blasio said the city will fine residents or visitors up to $1000 if they refuse to wear a mask in public. The rate of positive COVID-19 tests has risen above 3 percent in New York City for the first time in months.
“We don't want to fine people, but if we have to, we will," de Blasio said at a news conference announcing the penalty, which will be enforced by police and health officials who will offer a mask to those caught not wearing one before fining them.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday reported 7,168,077 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 38,764 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 774 to 205,372.
Middle East and Africa
South Africa
South Africa will not allow tourists from countries with higher coronavirus infection and death rates, including Britain, the United States and France, to enter when its borders open up on October 1, ministers said on Wednesday.
But business travellers with scarce and critical skills including diplomats and investors from countries considered "high-risk", which also include the Netherlands, Russia and India, can enter, Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said.
"We will review the data every two weeks," Pandor told a news conference, saying the government would be guided by epidemiological data when deciding which countries were deemed high-risk.
Economic impact
One in four US working women is thinking about slowing their careers or quitting the workforce altogether because of COVID-19, research showed on Wednesday, a trend that could erase progress women have made in the ranks of business.
Women said they felt burned out, with many doing double duty on the job and at home due to the new coronavirus pandemic.
Medical advances
Hydroxychloroquine
A malaria drug taken by US President Donald Trump to prevent COVID-19 did not show any benefit versus placebo in reducing coronavirus infection among healthcare workers, according to clinical trial results published on Wednesday.
The study largely confirms results from a clinical trial in June that showed hydroxychloroquine was ineffective in preventing infection among people exposed to the new coronavirus.
Vaccine
UN chief Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday it is time for countries to start using money from their national COVID-19 response to help fund a global vaccine plan as the World Bank warned that "broad, rapid and affordable access" to those doses will be at the core of a resilient global economic recovery.
The Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator and its COVAX facility - led by the World Health Organization and GAVI vaccine alliance - has received US$3 billion, but needs another US$35 billion. It aims to deliver 2 billion vaccine doses by the end of 2021, 245 million treatments and 500 million tests.
Reuters / Newshub.
