* France recorded more than 30,000 new COVID-19 infections over 24 hours for the first time since August as the pace of infection sped up despite new social distancing measures and a drive to boost vaccinations.

* Spain's Catalonia region plans to demand proof of vaccination or a negative test for entry to bars, restaurants and stadiums, while other regions are pushing for similar restrictions.

* The Netherlands started transporting COVID-19 patients across the border to Germany on Tuesday to ease pressure on Dutch hospitals.

* Ukraine has extended its contract with vaccine manufacturer Pfizer for 2022-23 and will receive 25 million doses annually, Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said.

* Germany should impose further restrictions to try to stop a fourth wave of coronavirus infections, outgoing Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Tuesday as more politicians backed the idea of compulsory vaccinations.

* The Czech Republic may make vaccines mandatory for people over the age of 60 as well as for some professions including health and social care workers, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Tuesday.

AMERICAS

* Mexico will analyse administering booster vaccine doses against COVID-19, especially for older people, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Tuesday, softening his previous stance on the need for a third shot.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* South Korea is expected to set another record coronavirus daily count with 3573 cases as of 9pm on Tuesday, Yonhap news agency reported.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* The European Union's drug regulator said on Tuesday it has started reviewing US drugmaker Merck & Co's experimental COVID-19 antiviral pill for adults following an application and could issue an opinion "within weeks".

GLOBAL

DEATHS 5,180,805

CASES 258,885,665

RECOVERED 234,227,987