People wearing face masks as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus visit the restaurant area of Omoide Yokocho alleyway in Shinjuku district of Tokyo on Nov 19, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

JERUSALEM / SEOUL / SINGAPORE / ANKARA / JAKARTA - Nurses from Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) began working Wednesday at facilities in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, in Japan's northernmost prefecture, that were struggling to cope with a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The nurses, who were dispatched to the northern city in response to a request by Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki, will stay for two weeks and have already started to help staff at a facility for disabled people and a hospital where clusters of infections have broken out, according to local media.

Japan reported 2,746 new daily COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, renewing a record number of daily infections since the onset of the outbreak, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local authorities.

The latest rise in cases brought the nation's total cases to 169,381, not including those connected to the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined near Tokyo earlier in the year.

The death toll in Japan from the pneumonia-causing virus currently stands at 2,486, with 28 new fatalities announced Wednesday. The death toll includes 13 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

The health ministry also said there are currently 555 patients considered severely ill with ventilators or in intensive care units, also hitting a fresh record-high.

South Korea

The governor of South Korea’s most populous province called for mass testing for coronavirus on Wednesday, as daily new cases centred in the densely populated Seoul area held at levels unseen since the outbreaks began earlier this year.

South Korea is suffering a third wave of coronavirus outbreaks, and over the past week new cases have been consistently around 600.

The daily tally on Wednesday, at 686 new infections, matched the level posted on March 2, and was the second highest recorded, though well below the 909 confirmed on Feb 29, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The majority of the new cases have been reported in the capital city of Seoul, the neighbouring port city of Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province, which is home to 13.5 million people and surrounds both cities.

Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung called for mass testing in parts of his province and the greater Seoul area including Incheon in order to isolate potential spreaders.

Cambodia 

Cambodia confirmed four more local COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infected people linked to the first-ever community transmission to 38, said a Ministry of Health's statement on Wednesday.

The first community transmission was detected on Nov. 28 after six people in a family, who reside in both capital Phnom Penh and northwestern Siem Reap province, tested positive for the virus. The origin of their infection has not been identified yet.

India

India's COVID-19 tally reached 9,735,850 on Wednesday as 32,080 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, while the death toll mounted to 141,360 with 402 new deaths, according to the latest data from the federal health ministry.

Delhi has been one of the most COVID-19 affected places in the country. As many as 3,188 new cases and 57 deaths were registered in the national capital during the past 24 hours.

There are still 378,909 active cases in the country, while 9,215,581 people have been discharged from hospitals, according to the ministry's data.

Indonesia

Indonesians streamed into polling stations to vote in regional elections on Wednesday, with health experts warning of the risk of new coronavirus clusters emerging across the archipelago after authorities ignored calls to postpone the vote again.

A mammoth logistical undertaking even without a pandemic, more than 100 million people are eligible to vote with nearly 300,000 polling stations set up in 24 districts and 37 cities.

The vote in the world’s third-biggest democracy comes as Indonesia struggles to contain Southeast Asia’s worst COVID-19 outbreak with more than 586,000 infections and 18,000 deaths.

Voter enthusiasm did not seem to have been significantly dampened in the densely populated city of Depok in West Java.

The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 6,058 within one day to 592,900, with the death toll adding by 171 to 18,171, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

According to the ministry, 3,948 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 487,445.

Iran

One Iranian vaccine project has already received a license for human trial, and three others will receive it in January, Director of the Scientific Commission in Iran's National Headquarters for Combating the Coronavirus Mostafa Ghanei said Wednesday.

"The COVID-19 vaccine that recently received a license for human trial belongs to the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam Khomeini (HEOIK), and it is hoped that by the end of January three more companies will have received a license," Ghanei said to Iranian official news agency IRNA.

The vaccine under development by HEOIK through its Barakat Foundation uses entire killed viruses to immunize the patient's body, the official said.

Iran reported on Wednesday 10,223 new COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of cases in the country to 1,072,620 so far.

Of the newly infected, 1,747 had to be hospitalized, said Sima Sadat Lari, the spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, at her daily briefing.

The pandemic has already claimed 51,212 lives in Iran, up by 295 between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Iraq

Iraq reported 2,123 new coronavirus infections and 17 more deaths, taking the total COVID-19 cases to 568,138 and the death toll to 12,477. The tally of recoveries in Iraq rose by 2,339 to 498,064.

Riyadh Abdul-Amir, head of the Iraqi Health Ministry's Public Health Department, told the official Iraqi News Agency that Iraq is witnessing improvement in the epidemiological situation, as the coronavirus infections have decreased.

READ MORE: Myanmar's COVID-19 infections surpass 100,000

Israel 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he’s going to demonstrate his faith in Pfizer’s and BioNTech’s vaccine by being the first in the country to be inoculated.

Netanyahu disclosed his plan following the delivery of the first shipment of the vaccine to Israel on Wednesday.

An initial shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer arrived in Israel on Wednesday morning, the first of about 8 million Pfizer vaccines that the country is expected to receive.

A DHL cargo flight from Belgium's Brussels landed at the Ben Gurion airport outside Tel Aviv, carrying a small number of vaccines for a pilot run of the logistic of transportation and refrigerated storage procedure, the Israeli health ministry said in a statement.

Israel will begin vaccinating its population against COVID-19 on Dec 20, Israel's state-owned Kan News quoted a senior Health Ministry official as saying on Tuesday.

Hezi Levi, director-general of the Israeli Health Ministry, instructed the state-mandated health service clinics to prepare for operating vaccination stations on Dec. 20.

This picture taken on Dec 6, 2020, shows an aerial view of the Christmas tree in the center of Israel's Mediterranean coastal city of Jaffa after a lighting ceremony, during the novel coronavirus pandemic. (JACK GUEZ / AFP)

Jordan

Jordan reported 3,062 new coronavirus infections and 46 more fatalities, taking the total confirmed COVID-19 cases to 247,131 and the death toll to 3,162. The tally of recoveries in the kingdom rose by 5,025 to 197,058.

The country also reported 46 new deaths from the virus, raising the total death toll to 3,162, according to data issued by the country's health ministry via Facebook. A total of 197,058 patients have recovered so far, the data showed.

Meanwhile, the ministry called on citizens to abide by restrictive orders and follow preventive measures, especially wearing masks, and to refrain from gatherings of more than 20 people. 

Kuwait

Kuwait reported 301 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 144,900 and the death toll to 900 in the country.

The Kuwaiti Health Ministry also announced the recovery of 297 more patients, taking the total recoveries to 140,638.

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan's Health Ministry announced 322 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the tally in the Central Asian country to 76,012.

Meanwhile, two new deaths were reported, bringing the country's death toll from the disease to 1,303.

The total recoveries in the country now stand at 68,367, including 494 new ones.

Myanmar

Mayor Maung Maung Soe of Myanmar's largest city Yangon tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to a release from the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC).

Maung Maung Soe, who is also chairman of Yangon City Development Committee, is being hospitalized for treatment at a hospital in South Okkalapa township of Yangon after testing positive for COVID-19.

Myanmar reported 1,308 more COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the tally in the country to 101,739, according to a release from the Ministry of Health and Sports.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Myanmar has increased to 103,166 as of Wednesday, according to a release from the Ministry of Health and Sports.

A total of 1,427 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported in the country.

The death toll of COVID-19 reached 2,174 with 23 newly reported on Wednesday in the country, according to the release.

Mongolia

Prime Minister Khurelsukh Ukhnaa announced plans to ease lockdown restrictions in the capital Ulaanbaatar from Dec. 14. Businesses including restaurants, cafes and shopping malls will be allowed to reopen from 6 a.m. local time Monday.

The lockdown was previously scheduled to be lifted this Friday. Ulaanbaatar has been subject to strict measures, including a ban on public gatherings and restricted movement in and out of the city since Nov. 11.

Mongolia reported five more COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing its national tally to 893, the country's National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) said Wednesday.

Nepal 

Nepal confirmed 1,382 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the national total to 243,377, said the country's health ministry.

Meanwhile, 23 deaths from the virus were reported, raising the national death toll to 1,637.

Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson of the health ministry, told Xinhua in November that the ministry estimated the cost of COVID-19 vaccines at around 60 billion Nepali Rupees (US$505 million), including the costs for storage and other facilities required to keep the vaccines safe.

New Zealand

New Zealand reported three new cases of COVID-19 in managed isolation on Wednesday, taking the total confirmed cases to 1,732. There are no active community cases.

Of the new cases, two are active cases and one is historical.

One case arrived on Dec. 7, and the country of origin is not yet available. The person tested positive on arrival and has been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility, according to the Ministry of Health.

Pakistan

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday underscored the need for regional cooperation to deal with pandemics as COVID-19 has affected Pakistan and almost all regional countries.

"The global pandemic is a grim reminder to all of us that we need to work together and cooperate on issues of common interest more than ever," Khan said in his message on the commemoration of the 36th Charter Day of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Pakistan registered 2,963 new COVID-19 cases and 60 deaths in the past 24 hours, the country's health ministry reported Wednesday.

The country's COVID-19 tally now has reached 426,412, while the death toll mounted to 8,547, said the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination in the latest update.

A total of 2,498 cases remain in critical condition and 372,271 patients have recovered, said the ministry.  

ALSO READ: S. Korea will boost vaccine air transport by easing dry ice rules

An election worker dressed as a superhero assists voters at a polling station in Surabaya on Dec 9, 2020, as Indonesia kicks off nationwide elections with more than 100 million voters expected to cast a ballot, despite warnings it could spark a disaster in one of Asia's worst-hit nations. (JUNI KRISWANTO / AFP)

Qatar

The Qatari health ministry announced 117 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 140,203.

The tally of recoveries in Qatar rose by 214 to 137,708, while the total account of fatalities remained at 239 for the seventh day running, according to the ministry. 

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia reported 193 new coronavirus cases and 12 more deaths, taking the kingdom's tally of COVID-19 cases to 359,115 and its death toll to 5,989.

The total number of recoveries in the kingdom increased to 349,414, after 246 new recoveries were confirmed on Tuesday.

Singapore

A Royal Caribbean CruiseVs Ltd. ship returned to Singapore and all passengers were put in quarantine on board after one tested positive for COVID-19 early Wednesday, on day three of a four-day cruise to nowhere.

All passengers had cleared a mandatory polymerase chain reaction test for COVID-19 up to three days before the cruise started on Monday, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said.

The infected passenger, an 83-year-old male, had reported to the onboard medical centre with diarrhoea, and others on board were told of the infection early on Wednesday.

Thailand

Thai cabinet on Tuesday resolved to offer long-stay special tourist visas (STV) to visitors from every country instead of only those with low risks of the novel coronavirus.

Deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Dhnadirek said the cabinet made the decision after the earlier limitation of the STV measure had brought fewer visitors than expected.

STV has attracted only 825 visitors of 29 nationalities and brought in only six yachts since the measure took effect in late October, she said.

Thailand on Wednesday recorded 25 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the highest daily spike in months, raising its total tally to 4,151, according to its Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

CCSA spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin said the new cases were reported in people arriving in Thailand from nine countries and regions, including seven from Myanmar and six from Switzerland.

The Philippines

The number of COVID-19 infections in the Philippines rose to 444,164 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,387 new cases on Wednesday.

The DOH said 156 more patients recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 408,942, and the death toll climbed to 8,677 after seven more patients died, the DOH added.

The Philippine authorities have repeatedly reminded Filipinos to avoid the crowd and wear face-covering when out in public to curb transmission during the holiday season.

The UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 1,260 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, raising its total infections to 178,837 and its death toll to 596. The total number of recoveries in the UAE rose by 584 to 160,295.

Turkey

Turkey added 33,198 new COVID-19 cases, including 6,593 symptomatic patients, as its total number of symptomatic coronavirus patients surged to 552,304, Turkish Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.

The death toll from the virus in Turkey rose by 211 to 15,314, while the total recoveries climbed to 441,515 after 5,245 more patients recovered in the last 24 hours.

Vietnam 

Vietnam reported four new cases of COVID-19 infection on Wednesday, bringing its total confirmed cases to 1,381 with 35 deaths from the disease so far, according to the Ministry of Health.

The new cases are all Vietnamese citizens who recently entered the country from abroad and were quarantined upon arrival, said the ministry.

It announced that one more patient has been given the all-clear, raising the total cured cases in the country to 1,225 as of Wednesday.

Meanwhile, nearly 21,500 people are being quarantined and monitored, the ministry said.  

Malaysia 

Malaysia reported 959 new COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday, bringing the national total to 76,265.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press briefing that six of the new cases are imported and 953 are local transmissions.

Five new deaths have been reported, pushing the death toll to 393.

Another 1,068 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total cured and discharged to 65,124, or 85.4 percent of all cases.

Of the remaining 10,748 active cases, 127 are being held in intensive care and 61 of those are in need of assisted breathing.

Afghanistan 

The death toll of COVID-19 in Afghanistan has increased to 1,921 after 13 patients lost their lives within the past 24 hours, the country's Ministry of Public Health reported on Wednesday.

The ministry also confirmed 177 new cases during the period, bringing the number of infected people across the country to 48,540 including 7,900 active cases, the ministry said in a statement.