A tuk-tuk driver naps as a man walks past in an area, usually busy with tourists in Bangkok, Thailand, Aug 27, 2020. (GEMUNU AMARASINGHE / AP)

MELBOURNE / ISTANBUL / DUBAI / JERUSALEM / NEW DELHI / WELLINGTON  - Thailand is finalizing a plan that would make it possible for retired, sun-seeking Europeans to spend the upcoming winter months in the country in an effort to save its ailing tourism industry.

Although the Asian nation’s borders have been closed to most foreigners since late March to fight the pandemic, the government is now planning to grant visas to foreigners who want to stay in Thailand for up to nine months, said Boon Vanasin, chairman of Thonburi Healthcare Group Pcl, the nation’s third largest private hospital firm, which runs hospitals and retirement homes.

These long-term visitors will begin their stay with a mandatory 14-day quarantine and several virus tests in the tourist hotspot of Phuket. After three weeks on the island and negative test results, they’d be free to travel to other Thai regions, according to Boon, who said he has direct knowledge of the government’s plan and expects the arrivals to begin before winter.

While the government has approved the plan in principle, it’s still finalizing measures to reduce the risk of virus infections, government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisoranakul said.

On Saturday, the country reported one imported coronavirus infection diagnosed in a patient in state quarantine. The total case count is now 3,411, with 111 still hospitalized and fatalities at 58.

People wearing face masks exercise around the Albert Park Lake in Melbourne on Aug 26, 2020, as the city battles an outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus. (WILLIAM WEST / AFP)

Australia

New South Wales state reported 14 new COVID-19 cases, the most in more than two weeks, as a cluster centered on a gym in Sydney’s central business district.

Eight of the cases diagnosed in the 24 hours to 8 pm Friday were linked to the Sydney CBD cluster, bringing to 23 the total number of infections in that group, Dr. Christine Selvey of the New South Wales Health Ministry said in a video announcement on Saturday.

Three of the new cases involved people who attended the Tattersalls Club Fitness Centre. The NSW government asked anyone who visited the club between Aug 4 and Aug 18 to get tested. The authorities previously said those who had been at the gym on certain hours between Aug 19 to Aug 24 needed to get tested.

The authorities also flagged testing for a bowling club and two other gyms, and said a Fitness First branch on Bond Street in the city center was one location whose patrons should monitor themselves for symptoms. The Australian Financial Review reported on Thursday that three workers from JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Sydney office tested positive for COVID-19, citing unidentified people from the company.

Australia’s Victoria state on Saturday reported its lowest rise in new coronavirus cases in almost two months, but authorities warned there would be no rush to lift social distancing restrictions.

The Victorian state capital of Melbourne is four weeks into a six-week hard lockdown that was spurred by a second wave of infections in Australia’s second largest city.

State officials on Saturday reported 94 new COVID-19 infections and 18 deaths. It was the first time new daily case numbers have fallen below 100 in eight weeks, and continues a steady trajectory downward this week.

The hard lockdown has restricted most people in the city to one hour of outdoor activity per day. Even if the current measures are eased at the end of the six weeks, some restrictions are expected to remain.

Australia has recorded a total of around 25,500 cases and 601 deaths so far in the pandemic.

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India

India's COVID-19 tally was recorded at 3,463,972 as deaths reached 62,550 on Saturday, showed the latest data released by the health ministry.

As many as 76,472 new COVID-19 cases and 1,021 deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours.

Still there are 752,424 active cases in the country, while 2,648,998 have been successfully cured and discharged from various hospitals, added the ministry data.

Israel

Israel's Ministry of Health reported 1,597 new coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the tally to 112,000.

The number of fatalities reached 894, with 10 new deaths, while the number of patients in serious condition rose from 409 to 414, out of 835 patients currently hospitalized.

Iran

Iran's total number of COVID-19 cases rose to 369,911 on Friday after an overnight registration of 2,115 infections. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's tally rose to 312,924.

Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said at her daily briefing that the pandemic has so far claimed 21,249 lives in Iran, up by 112 in the past 24 hours.

Iraq

The Iraqi Health Ministry reported 4,177 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total nationwide infections to 223,612.

It also reported 74 deaths during the day, raising the death toll to 6,814, while 3,865 more patients recovered in the day, bringing the total number of recoveries to 164,874.

Kuwait

Kuwait reported 633 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 83,578 and the death toll to 525, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also announced the recovery of 798 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 75,320.

Lebanon

Lebanon's number of COVID-19 cases increased by 676 to 15,613 while death toll went up by two to 148, the Health Ministry said.

Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan said on Friday that lockdown measures did not result in lower infections as Lebanon has been registering a daily increase in the number of cases ranging between 500 and 700.

Medical staff prepare to take a COVID-19 tests at a drive through community based assessment centre in Christchurch, New Zealand, Aug 13, 2020. Health authorities in New Zealand are scrambling to trace the source of a new outbreak of the coronavirus as the nation's largest city, Auckland, goes back into lockdown. (MARK BAKER / AP)

New Zealand

New Zealand reported 13 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

According to the ministry, two cases were imported. The other 11 cases were community transmissions, 10 of whom were clearly epidemiologically linked to the existent Auckland cluster. The remaining case was still under investigation.

The total number of confirmed cases in New Zealand was 1,376, which was the number the country reported to the World Health Organization.

READ MORE: NZ has no new COVID-19 case for 16 consecutive days

Palestine 

Palestine recorded two deaths and 724 new COVID-19 cases in the Palestinian territories in the last 24 hours.

"Since the outbreak of the disease in Palestine in March, the health ministry recorded 28,110 cases, including 160 deaths, 18,983 recoveries, and 8,967 under medical care," Palestinian Minister of Health Mai al-Kaila said.

Qatar

The Qatari health ministry announced 208 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 118,196.

Meanwhile, 220 more recovered from the virus, bringing the total recoveries to 115,017, while the fatalities increased by one to 196 in Qatar.

Turkey

The daily number of deaths in Turkey due to coronavirus rose to 36 on Friday, its highest level since mid-May, while the number of daily new cases again rose above 1,500, according to Health Ministry data.

This week the level of new daily cases has risen to levels last seen in mid-June, prompting the government to impose measures to combat the spread of the pandemic.

The Health Ministry figures showed a total of 1,517 new cases on Friday, bringing the total number of cases to 265,515. The daily death toll was the highest since May 17, when it stood at 44. The total death toll in Turkey stands at 6,245.

Responding to this week’s surge in numbers, President Tayyip Erdogan has announced that all state institutions may now implement “flexible working methods” while the Interior Ministry said it was banning certain events and celebrations.

South Korea

South Korea recorded its 16th consecutive day of triple digit rises in new coronavirus cases on Saturday, extending a second wave of infections that is fanning concerns about a shortage of hospital beds in Seoul.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) posted 308 new cases as of midnight Friday, the majority of them in the capital and surrounding areas.

Outbreaks have continued to erupt at churches, offices, nursing homes and medical facilities, even after officials tightened social-distancing rules.

The spike in cases has depleted hospital facilities, with the health ministry reporting that just 4.5 percent of beds in greater Seoul were available for critical cases as of Friday, down from 22 percner a week earlier.

The resurgence in cases has brought the country’s total reported COVID-19 cases to 19,400, including 321 deaths.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian Health Ministry reported 1,069 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally of infections to 312,924, as the death toll soared to 3,813 with the addition of 28 new fatalities.

The total number of recoveries in the kingdom increased to 287,403, after 1,148 more patients recovered from the disease.

Syria 

Syria announced 59 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 2,563.

At the same time, 15 more patients recovered from the virus, taking the tally of recoveries to 548, the Syrian Health Ministry said, adding that the death toll rose to 103.

UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday announced 390 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 68,901.

At the same time, 389 more patients have recovered from the virus, taking the tally of recoveries in the UAE to 59,861, UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention said.