FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

However, countries across Europe announced new travel curbs as scientists sought to determine if the mutation was vaccine-resistant. 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 * European Union states have agreed to temporarily suspend travel to southern Africa after the detection of a new variant, the presidency of the EU said. * Belgium identified Europe's first case of the new variant in Europe, adding to those in Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong.

The World Health Organisation on Friday cautioned countries against hastily imposing travel restrictions linked to the new variant detected in South Africa, saying they should take a "risk-based and scientific approach". However, countries across Europe announced new travel curbs as scientists sought to determine if the mutation was vaccine-resistant.

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 * European Union states have agreed to temporarily suspend travel to southern Africa after the detection of a new variant, the presidency of the EU said.

* Belgium identified Europe's first case of the new variant in Europe, adding to those in Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong. * Norway will impose a quarantine on any travellers arriving from South Africa or neighbouring countries.

* Germany readied its air force to transfer COVID-19 patients from overwhelmed hospitals in the south. * Danish health authorities recommended vaccinating young children using Pfizer's vaccine.

* Ireland will make booster shots available to all adults. * The ECB is likely to stop further bond purchases under its pandemic-era support scheme from early next year but will still have other purchasing programmes in its toolkit, a German daily reported.

AMERICAS * Top U.S. advisor Anthony Fauci said a ban on flights from southern Africa was a possibility and the country was rushing to gather data on the new variant.

* France will postpone a deadline for mandatory vaccination of health workers in the French Caribbean until the end of the year, following anti-vaccination riots in Guadeloupe and Martinique. * Protests against restrictions in the French territory of Martinique intensified, after rioters injured police officers, attacked journalists and set fire to the state representative's residence.

* Brazil's health regulator is seeking restrictions for travellers coming from African countries including South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia and Zimbabwe - but President Jair Bolsonaro appeared to dismiss such measures. ASIA-PACIFIC

* Hong Kong was among the first places to identify a case of the new variant outside of South Africa and issued a travel-ban for non-residents arriving from eight southern African states. * India restarted exports of vaccines to the global vaccine-sharing network COVAX for the first time since April, and producer Serum Institute of India (SII) forecast a substantial increase in supplies from early next year.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA * South Africa's rand sank to its lowest since October 2020 and its president will convene a coronavirus council on Sunday following the detection of the new potentially vaccine-resistant variant in the country.

* Israel imposed a travel ban on most African states, after reporting early cases of the new variant. MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* Merck said updated data from its study of its experimental COVID-19 pill showed the drug was significantly less effective in cutting hospitalizations and deaths than previously reported. * BioNTech, the inventor of the western world's most widely used COVID-19 vaccine, said it expects more data on the new variant within two weeks to help determine whether its shot would have to be reworked.

ECONOMIC IMPACT * U.S. stocks tumbled as markets reopened after Thanksgiving, European shares suffered their worst day in 17 months and oil prices hit two-month lows as fears of the possibly vaccine-resistant variant sent investors scurrying to safe-haven assets.

* OPEC+ is monitoring developments around the new variant, sources said, with some expressing concern that it may worsen the oil market outlook less than a week before a meeting to set policy. * Countries need to decide swiftly on applying travel restrictions linked to the new variant and make such rules uniform, said the head of the United Nations' tourism body.

(Compiled by Alexander Kloss and Valentine Baldassari; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

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