file photo/REUTERS

Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

· The Peninsula

The Australian state of Victoria declared a state of disaster and authorities in the Philippines said they would impose fresh restrictions in Manila this week, reflecting worries around the world about getting the coronavirus pandemic under control.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

AMERICAS

* White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on Sunday he was not optimistic on reaching agreement soon on a deal for the next round of legislation to provide relief to Americans hit hard by the pandemic.

* The coronavirus death toll in Latin America passed 200,000 on Saturday night, a Reuters tally showed, underlining the region's status as one of the pandemic's global epicenters.

* Major League Baseball (MLB) postponed Saturday's game and Sunday's double-header between the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers after initial rapid tests showed another player and "multiple" staff on the Cardinals may have COVID-19.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* Australia's second-most populous state of Victoria declared a state of disaster on Sunday and imposed a nightly curfew for the capital Melbourne as part of its harshest movement restrictions to date to contain a resurgent COVID-19.

* The Philippines said it would reimpose a stricter lockdown in and around its capital for two weeks from midnight of Aug. 4, as the country struggles to contain infections that have jumped to more than 100,000 cases.

* Indian Interior Minister Amit Shah has been admitted to hospital after catching the coronavirus, he said on Sunday, becoming the most senior politician in the country to test positive for the disease.

* Seven Chinese health officials arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday, the first members of a 60-person team that will carry out widespread COVID-19 testing as the territory races to halt a third wave of illness.

EUROPE

* More than 9,500 runners competing in Moscow's annual half-marathon on Sunday wore masks and gloves in the starting area, had their temperature checked and were told to observe social distancing rules because of the pandemic.

* Russia reported 5,427 new cases on Sunday, bringing its nationwide tally to 850,870, the fourth largest caseload in the world.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Kuwait has banned until further notice commercial flights to 31 countries it regards as high risk due to the spread of the coronavirus, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said on Saturday.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT

* Two thirds of British businesses say they are now "fully operational" after the coronavirus lockdown, up from half in June, according to a survey on Sunday.

* Marathon Petroleum plans to permanently close two small U.S. oil refineries in Martinez, California, and Gallup, New Mexico, the company said, eliminating 800 jobs in response to lower fuels demand.

* LATAM Airlines will fire "at least" 2,700 workers in Brazil, including pilots, its Brazilian arm said on Saturday, as the bankrupt carrier struggles to cut costs and cope with an industry collapse due to the pandemic.

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