In this March 16, 2020 file photo, a patient receives a shot in the first-stage safety study clinical trial of a potential vaccine for COVID-19, at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. (TED S. WARREN / AP)

LIMA / MEXICO CITY / RIO DE JANEIRO / TEGUCIGALPA / KHARTOUM / GENEVA / LONDON / PARIS / CAPE TOWN / UNITED NATIONS / ABIDJAN / PRAGUE / MOSCOW -  The World Health Organization (WHO) is drawing up plans to help decide who should be prioritized for a vaccine against COVID-19 once an inoculation has been approved, its chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Thursday.

The framework to ensure "fair and equitable access" would give priority to three group: frontline workers such as medics and the police, vulnerable people over 65 years old or at higher risk due to illness, and those in higher-transmission settings such as meat factories, prisons or care homes, she said.

The scientist also said the WHO was looking at interim data from its large multi-country trial of the combination of HIV drugs Lopinavir and Ritonavir to treat COVID-19 patients.

Her comments come after the WHO on Wednesday stopped testing of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in the trial of treatments for COVID-19 patients, after studies indicated it showed no benefit in those who have the disease. She said more study was needed to see whether hydroxchloroquine could prevent infection.

The WHO said that dexamethasone, a generic drug used since the 1960s to reduce inflammation in diseases such as arthritis, should be reserved for serious cases in which it has been shown to provide benefits.

"It is exceptionally important in this case, that the drug is reserved for use in severely ill and critical patients who can benefit from this drug clearly," said Mike Ryan, head of the WHO's emergencies programme.

ALSO READ: Virus: Russia says it already uses dexamethasone to treat patients

US

The coronavirus pandemic will “fade away” even without a vaccine, but researchers are close to developing one anyhow, US President Donald Trump said.

“We’re very close to a vaccine and we’re very close to therapeutics, really good therapeutics,” Trump said Wednesday night in a television interview with Fox News. “But even without that, I don’t even like to talk about that, because it’s fading away, it’s going to fade away, but having a vaccine would be really nice and that’s going to happen.”

Trump's comments came as cases spiked in Arizona and Florida on Wednesday, a day after those states and four others reported record daily increases of new infections. Florida reported over 2,600 new cases on Wednesday and Arizona more than 1,800 - the second-highest daily increase for both states. Oklahoma registered another record for single-day new cases, and California set another record in its rolling average.

COVID-19 hospitalizations are also rising or at record highs. In Arizona, 83 percent of intensive care beds are occupied, a record high, according to a state website.

In Florida, some of the increase has been linked to reopened bars. Texas has also pointed to bars as one cause of its current outbreak. 

New York City will begin phase two of reopening on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Thursday, citing continued improvements in coronavirus data.

Offices, in-store retail, outdoor dining, hair salons and barbershops are among the businesses allowed to reopen their doors during phase two.

“We’ve seen consistent progress and it is time to say to everyone get ready for phase two,” de Blasio told a daily news conference.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States surpassed 2,157,000 as of Wednesday evening, with over 117,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

UN

United Nations (UN) General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande has proposed that heads of state and government, as well as ministers, don't go to New York for this year's General Assembly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Muhammad-Bande has circulated his proposals to member states and is seeking feedback, said his spokeswoman Reem Abaza on Wednesday.

Muhammad-Bande proposed that only the president of the General Assembly and the UN secretary-general will deliver live speeches in the General Assembly Hall for the opening of the General Debate, which is scheduled for Sept 22-29, Abaza said in a virtual press briefing.

Instead of traveling to New York to address the General Assembly, world leaders will have their pre-recorded video statements played on screen in the General Assembly Hall, she said.

The world leaders will be required to limit their video statements to nothing longer than 15 minutes and submit them five days in advance.

Representatives from member states' delegations in New York will be allowed to make speeches in the General Assembly Hall. Physical presence in the hall for the General Debate and for other high-level events would be limited to one or, if the situation allows, two delegates per delegation, she said.

Global tally

The WHO said on Wednesday that more than 8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide had been reported to the organization.

The latest WHO data showed that as of 15:13 CEST (1313 GMT) Wednesday, there had been 8,061,550 confirmed cases worldwide, including 440,290 deaths.

The US is the worst-hit country, with 2,098,106 confirmed cases and 115,980 deaths, followed by Brazil, with 888,271 confirmed cases and 43,959 deaths.

West Africa

West African government ministers have proposed reopening borders between their countries in the first half of July and allowing in travelers from other countries with low or controlled levels of coronavirus spread by the end of July.

The new proposal, contained in an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) summary of a virtual meeting last week of foreign ministers and trade ministers, called for coordinated efforts to reopen cross-border trade that has been crippled by coronavirus restrictions.

A first phase consisting of opening up domestic air and land transport should be implemented this month, according to the proposal. Many governments in the region have already begun to do so.

A second phase, involving the opening of land, air and maritime borders within the region, should happen by July 15 at the latest.

A third phase, involving the opening of air and land borders to "countries with low and controlled levels of COVID-19 contamination rates", should occur by July 31 but will depend on the evolution of the pandemic.

A man gets his temperature checked before entering the Madureira market in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 17, 2020. (SILVIA IZQUIERDO / AP)

Brazil

Brazil recorded 1,269 additional COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, bringing its official death toll to 46,510, the most in the world outside the United States.

The Health Ministry also registered 32,188 new cases of the virus since its Tuesday update, for a total of 955,377 confirmed cases, also second to the United States globally.

READ MORE: Brazil surpasses UK in virus deaths, now 2nd in world

Chile

The Chilean government on Wednesday announced a tightening of lockdowns and "maximum" movement restrictions in its capital Santiago as the country's confirmed coronavirus caseload exceeded 200,000.

The total number of coronavirus cases was 220,628 cases, the Health Ministry said in a briefing, after officials said yesterday they had discovered 31,412 confirmed cases that had not been added to the tally previously, and announced 4,757 freshly-confirmed cases overnight.

In a joint briefing by the health, interior and defense ministries, the government said residents of Santiago would be granted permission to leave their homes just twice a week instead of the five times.

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic will loosen many remaining restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the coming weeks, allowing larger crowds to gather, people to mostly ditch face masks and zoos and museums to return to normal operations.

From June 22, gatherings can reach 1,000 people, up from 500. Trade fairs with up to 5,000 people will also be allowed. Pools, zoos, museums and castles and chateaus can also return to normal operations, cancelling limits on visitors.

Starting in July, pubs can stay open past 11:00 pm and filmgoers can again enjoy popcorn and other snacks in cinemas, according to plans.

Health Minister Adam Vojtech said face masks inside should no longer be mandatory from July 1 for most of the country. However, hot spots like in the capital, Prague, or the Karvina mining region in the east, where cases have been higher, would still need to use masks.

The country of 10.7 million has reported a total of 10,176 cases of the coronavirus, with 333 deaths.

Denmark

Denmark will allow citizens from European countries with low infections to enter the country from June 27, the Danish foreign ministry said on Thursday.

European Union (EU) member states, non-EU countries in the open-border Schengen area such as Norway and also the United Kingdom, which is in neither grouping, will be individually assessed based on objective criteria, the ministry said.

Looking at the number of current COVID-19 infections, this would mean that borders would reopen to the United Kingdom and all EU and Schengen countries except Portugal and Sweden, Justice Minister Nick Haekkerup told reporters.

A country would be classified as 'open' if it has fewer than 20 infected people per 100,000 inhabitants per week, the ministry said.

Travelers will only be allowed to enter Denmark on condition that they book at least six nights' accommodation.

Egypt

Egypt confirmed on Wednesday 1,363 new COVID-19 cases, raising the country's tally to 49,219, Health Minister Hala Zayed said at a press conference.

Another 84 deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 1,850, Zayed said, noting that 95 percent of the deaths were accompanied by chronic diseases.

Meanwhile, another of 411 patients were discharged from hospitals, raising the total number of recoveries to 13,141, the minister said.

EU

The EU is planning to accelerate the development of vaccines against COVID-19 through advance purchase agreements with promising medical companies, the bloc announced on Wednesday.

In order to support companies in the swift development and production of a vaccine, the European Commission will enter into agreements with individual vaccine producers, it said in a press release.

In return for the right to buy a specified number of vaccine doses in a given timeframe, the commission will finance part of the upfront costs faced by vaccines producers. Funding provided will be considered as a down-payment on the vaccines that will actually be purchased by the EU's member states.

Finland

The Finnish government on Wednesday announced that COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants and cafes would be further eased from June 22, but at the same time also warned that tougher measures could be restored if the pandemic situation worsened.

Family Affairs and Social Services Minister Krista Kiuru said at a government press conference that from next Monday, restaurants and cafes throughout the country can stay open until 2 am and sell alcohol until 1 am. Restaurants and cafes reopened on June 1, but were required to close at 11 pm and cease alcohol sales at 10 pm.

Meanwhile, the customer volume limit inside a restaurant will be raised from 50 to 75 percent of their capacities. Buffets will be allowed. Kiuru added that all capacity restrictions could be lifted in mid-July, if the situation does not worsen.

Recommendation to avoid visits in hospitals has also been withdrawn, but only safe visits are recommended to 24/7 healthcare facilities. 

According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), as of Wednesday afternoon, Finland has confirmed a total of 7,117 COVID-19 cases, with 326 deaths.

France

The number of people who died from coronavirus infection in France rose by 28 to 29,575 on Wednesday, according to the Health Ministry.

The number of new confirmed cases of the virus was at a four-day high of 458, at 158,174, and slightly above the daily average of 434 seen over the last seven days.

Germany

The reproduction factor of the virus, known as R-naught, fell to 0.86 on Wednesday, the lowest in a week, according to the latest daily report by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

There were 352 new infections in the 24 hours through Thursday morning, bringing the total to 188,604 according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Fatalities increased by 31 to 8,851. 

According to data from RKI on Thursday, the number of confirmed cases increased by 580 to 187,764 and the reported death toll rose by 26 to 8,856.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday the number of new infections in Germany had stabilized at a low level.

To avoid a new wave of infections, Germany will extend a ban on large events until at least the end of October, Merkel said.

Protests and demonstrations will continue to be allowed, but according to a government document, authorities must take steps to reduce the infection risks there.

READ MORE: Germany rolls out COVID-19 tracing app to fight second wave

Meanwhile in northern Germany, one of Germany's biggest meat processors, Toennies, said it had was shutting an abattoir in Guetersloh after 657 of its workers tested positive for the new coronavirus. The local authority closed schools and kindergartens as a precaution.

A truck leaves the Toennies meatpacking plant in Rheda-Wiedenbrueck, Germany, June 17, 2020. (DAVID INDERLIED / DPA VIA AP)

Ghana

Ghana confirmed 397 more novel coronavirus infections on Wednesday, bringing the number of cases to 12,590 on Wednesday, said the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

The GHS said the number of recoveries rose to 4,410 after 84 new recoveries were recorded.

Eight more deaths were reported, raising the death toll to 66.

Honduras

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, is undergoing treatment in hospital for pneumonia after he tested positive for COVID-19 this week, the government said on Wednesday.

Francis Contreras, a spokesman for Honduran health agency SINAGER, said that while Hernandez needed specialized medical care in a military hospital, including receiving medicines via intravenous drip, he is generally in good health. However, he said X-rays of Hernandez have revealed lung problems.

Hernandez's wife, Ana Garcia, also tested positive for the coronavirus, along with two presidential aides, but has not presented any symptoms of the disease, Contreras said.

The Central American country has ordered strict containment measures and confirmed nearly 10,000 coronavirus cases and over 300 deaths due to the COVID-19.

Italy

Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 43 on Wednesday against 34 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the daily tally of new cases increased to 329 from 210 on Tuesday.

The total death toll now stands at 34,448, the agency said, the fourth highest in the world after those of the United States, Britain and Brazil.

The number of confirmed cases amounts to 327,828, the seventh highest global tally.

People registered as currently carrying the illness fell to 23,925 from 24,569 the day before.

Mexico

Mexico's Health Ministry reported on Wednesday 4,930 newly confirmed cases of coronavirus infections and 770 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 159,793 cases and 19,080 deaths.

The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.

Morocco

Morocco on Wednesday announced 66 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the North African country to 8,997.

The number of recoveries rose to 7,993 after 56 new ones were registered, said Hind Ezzine, the head of the department of epidemic diseases of the Ministry of Health, at a regular press briefing.

The death toll grew to 213 after one more fatality was recorded in the last 24 hours, she said, adding that nine serious cases are in special care units.

This photo shows empty coaches at a bus park at the border check point between North Macedonia and Serbia in Tabanovce, North Macedonia, June 17, 2020. (TOMISLAV GEORGIEV / XINHUA)

North Macedonia

The government of North Macedonia has decided to open all border crossings as of Wednesday, according to the Interior Ministry.

North Macedonians and foreigners with regulated temporary or permanent residence can enter the country by presenting a valid negative PCR test - not older than 72 hours upon entrance - and by signing a declaration for a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine, the ministry said in a press release. Those who cannot present a valid PRC test will be sent to a 14-day state quarantine.

Foreign nationals will be allowed to transit in the country, with the transit time limited to a maximum of five hours, according to the press release.

On Wednesday, the Health Ministry reported 193 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the country's total to 4,482, with 1,803 recoveries and 210 fatalities.

Panama

Panama's civil aviation authority said it will extend a suspension of international flights by a month due to the coronavirus crisis, according to a statement on Wednesday.

The additional month of suspended flights begins on June 22 and will run through July 22.

Panama, the Central American country hardest hit by the novel coronavirus, has to date registered more than 450 deaths stemming from nearly 22,000 confirmed infections.

A medical worker holds up a pamphlet that reads in Spanish "Urgent, without medical protection equipment" during a protest outside Rebagliati Hospital amid the new coronavirus pandemic in Lima, Peru, June 17, 2020. (MARTIN MEJIA / AP)

Peru

Peru topped 240,000 total cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, surpassing hard-hit Italy, government data showed, even as the pace of infections has begun to moderate in the South American nation.

Peru has the second highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Latin America, behind Brazil, and the seventh highest globally.

Peru moved quickly to lock down its citizens as the pandemic took hold in early March. But cases nonetheless exploded in May, reaching a peak of more than 8,000 per day late in the month.

The country reported 3,752 new infections on Wednesday, down by more than half since their peak on May 31.

More than 7,000 Peruvians have died from the disease, the government reported.

Romania

The Romanian authorities announced on Wednesday that 345 new COVID-19 infection cases were recorded in the past 24 hours, the highest single-day number since May 7.

Another 14 deaths were also recorded in the same period, said the Strategic Communication Group (GCS), the official COVID-19 communication task force, in its daily report.

So far, the total COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 22,760, with 16,117 recoveries and 1,451 deaths.

Russia

Russia on Thursday reported 7,790 new cases of the novel coronavirus, its lowest daily rise in infections in six weeks, bringing the nationwide total to 561,091.

Russia's coronavirus crisis response center said 182 people had died in the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 7,660 since the crisis began.

Rwanda

Rwanda has reopened all tourism activities to visitors arriving on chartered flights and those who are confirmed free of the coronavirus 72 hours before arrival in the nation famed for endangered mountain gorillas.

“All guests are required to maintain a distance of at least 10 meters at all times while visiting primates in Nyungwe and Volcanoes National Park,” Rwanda Development Board (RDB) said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

National carrier RwandAir Ltd. said national borders remained closed to normal commercial flights and passenger services would resume once the restrictions are lifted. 

A total 639 people in Rwanda have been infected so far and 290 are yet to recover.

The RDB slashed the price of gorilla-tracking permits to US$200 from US$1,500 for Rwandans and East African Community nationals residing in the country, and US$500 for other foreign residents until the end of 2020, it said on Twitter.

South Africa

South Africa has recorded a total of 80,412 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 1,670 deaths, since the start of the outbreak in early March in the country, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday.

A total of 44,331 recoveries had been reported, accounting for 55 percent of the infections, Ramaphosa said in a televised speech to the nation.

Through a national lockdown, the country has succeeded in delaying the spread of the virus, he said. However, while the country has used the lockdown to flatten the curve, this task is far from complete, he said.

"Because as the country gradually opens up, as we resume more activities, the risk of infection inevitably increases," Ramaphosa said.

Spain

Spain on Wednesday reported an increase in the number of new coronavirus cases while the country's death toll remained unchanged for the 10th consecutive day, according to the data published by the Ministry of Health.

There were 141 new cases reported on Wednesday, taking the country's tally to 244,683.

According to the ministry, a total of 27,136 people have lost their lives to COVID-19.

Sudan

Sudan has extended a lockdown in the state of Khartoum to June 29 as it tries to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, its Security and Defence Council said on Wednesday.

Curfew hours will remain unchanged, from 3 pm until 6 am, the council said in a statement issued after approving the recommendations of its Supreme Committee for Health Emergencies.

Meanwhile, Sudan will start a process to bring back stranded expatriates through flights and border crossings starting from Sunday, according to the statement.

The country had reported 7,435 coronavirus cases as of Saturday, including 468 deaths.

Tunisia

The Tunisian Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday that one more COVID-19 death was registered, bringing the death toll in the North African country to 50.

In its daily epidemiological report, the ministry also reported three new imported cases, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 1,128.

The country has so far reported a total of 1,004 recoveries.

UK

The number of contacts of positive COVID-19 cases identified by England's test and trace system increased to 44,895 in its second week, Britain's health ministry said on Thursday.

The Department of Health said that 5,949 people who tested positive for COVID-19 had their case transferred to the contact tracing system in its second week of operation.

It said that 44,895 contacts were identified, up from nearly 32,000 last week. Of those identified in the second week, 40,690 people, were reached and advised to self-isolate.

The health ministry said Wednesday another 184 COVID-19 deaths were registered in Britain as of Tuesday afternoon, bringing the death toll in the country to 42,153.

As of Wednesday morning, 299,251 people have tested positive for the disease in Britain, a daily increase of 1,115, according to the department.

Ukraine

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has extended the country's adaptive quarantine until July 31 and plans to tighten anti-epidemic measures in some regions if necessary, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Wednesday.

During the period of adaptive quarantine, Ukrainians are forbidden to appear in public buildings and in vehicles without personal protective equipment, Shmyhal said at a meeting of the government.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has also decided to change the work schedule of central and local authorities and state enterprises, in order to avoid crowding in public transport during rush hours, he said.

Ukraine reported 758 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, its biggest daily jump since the beginning of the country's epidemic, the country's health ministry said on Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, the country has recorded a total of 33,234 COVID-19 cases, including 943 deaths and 14,943 recoveries. A total of 2,445 children and 5,650 health workers have been infected, according to official data.