Pedro Sanchez stops short of curfew; Belgium bans fans from sports matches; remdesivir approved by FDA for US

• Full lockdown with new ‘harsh measures’ looms in Belgium
• Czech health minister set to lose job after breaching his own Covid rules
  
• Biden mauls Trump’s record on coronavirus in final presidential debate
  
• Facebook moderators forced to work in Dublin office despite lockdown
  
• UK coronavirus updates – live
  

4.02pm BST

More than half a million people in the US could die from Covid-19 by the end of February next year, but around 130,000 of those lives could be saved if everybody were to wear masks, according to estimates from a modelling study.

The estimates, from a study by researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, show that with few effective Covid-19 treatment options and no vaccines yet available, the U.S. faces “a continued COVID-19 public health challenge through the winter”.

Large, populous states such as California, Texas and Florida will likely face particularly high levels of illness, deaths and demands on hospital resources, the study found.

US president Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 221,000 Americans so far, has become the top election issue for him and Democratic candidate Joe Biden. Polls have shown that Americans trust Biden more than Trump to handle the crisis.

3.59pm BST

Filming in Venice of Mission Impossible 7 with Tom Cruise has been temporarily suspended due to a suspected case of Covid among the film crew.

Officially, a reason has not yet been given by the film’s production company, but, according to Italian media reports, the over 100 extras were told there was a suspected case of Covid-19 among the Americans and that, as a result, filming would be postponed to a later date.

Antiviral treatment is first to treat coronavirus approved by FDA; France extends curfew; Study finds between 130,000 and 210,000 US deaths could have been avoided. Follow the latest

• Surge ‘very serious’ in Germany and ‘out of control’ in Spain
• Belgium’s deputy PM in intensive care with coronavirus
• See all our coronavirus coverage

1.47am BST

Australia’s Victoria state - the epicentre of the country’s Covid-19 outbreak - on Friday reported that active coronavirus cases have fallen to a four-month low, paving the way for an acceleration in the easing of social distancing curbs, Reuters reports.

The nation’s second-most populous state, which recorded just one new infection in the past 24 hours, said there are now 100 active cases - the lowest since 19 June.

“This is a good number. This is a very clear sign that the strategy is working,” Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters in Melbourne.

The active infections are a relief to state authorities amid heightened fears of a fresh cluster after a case in a school in Melbourne’s northern suburbs prompted authorities to order 800 people to self-isolate.

However, with new case numbers in single digits for nine consecutive days, Andrews is expected to announce on Sunday an accelerated timetable for easing restrictions in a boost to Australia’s ailing economy.

Melbourne’s roughly 5 million residents were granted more freedom to move about on Monday after a months-long lockdown, but public gatherings remain tightly limited and retailers and restaurants must operate only on take-away or delivery orders.

Australia has recorded just over 27,400 Covid-19 infections, far fewer than many other developed countries. Victoria accounts for more than 90% of the 905 deaths nationally.

1.37am BST

Mexico’s health ministry reported on Thursday 6,612 additional cases of the novel coronavirus and 479 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of cases to 874,171 and the death toll to 87,894.

Health officials have said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.

German daily cases rise by 11,287; Wilmès ‘is conscious and can communicate’; France follows Spain in passing 1m infections

• Number of US states seeing record one-day deaths rises to six
• Spain is first western European country to pass 1m cases
• Women aged 50-60 at greatest risk of ‘long Covid’, experts suggest
  
• UK coronavirus – live updates
• See all our coronavirus coverage

12.42pm BST

The Indian state of West Bengal has reported its biggest daily tally of new Covid-19 infections as thousands of people thronged the streets for a major Hindu festival that began last week, Reuters reports.

India has seen a sharp drop in infections since a September peak, but experts have warned it could see a resurgence during Durga Puja this week, and Diwali, the festival of light, in mid-November.

12.23pm BST

Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia have all reported their highest one-day rise in cases, Reuters reports.

Croatia reported its biggest rise in daily new Covid-19 infections on Thursday with 1,563 new cases, nearly half of which were in Zagreb, where they more than doubled. The capital recorded a high of 705 new infections compared with the previous day’s 337 infections. So far, Croatia, a country of some 4 million people, has recorded 29,850 cases with 406 deaths. There are currently 7,380 active cases.

Spain is first western European country to pass milestone; Rome among latest to bring in curfew; German health minister has Covid-19

• Spain is first western European country to pass 1m cases
• Lombardy cases more than double in a day
• 300,000 excess US deaths recorded as Cathay Pacific cuts 5,900 jobs
• New Zealand records 25 Covid cases amid arrival of foreign fishing crews
  

10.35pm BST

Four US states reported a record one-day increase in Covid-19 deaths on Wednesday including Wisconsin, a hotly contested state in the 3 November election, as infections keep rising across the Midwest and beyond.

Coronavirus deaths hit daily records in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana and Wisconsin, according to a Reuters analysis. Wisconsin also reported a record daily increase in new cases together with Illinois and Ohio, the analysis showed.

10.01pm BST

The US is likely to have enough safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines available to inoculate the most vulnerable Americans by the end of 2020, health and human services secretary Alex Azar said.

The US government is “cautiously optimistic” that one or two vaccines, likely from Pfizer or Moderna, will be available by the end of the year and can begin to be distributed to Americans, officials said during a news conference.

Johns Hopkins figures show new landmark tally; Italy introduces new restrictions; Dr Fauci not surprised that Trump caught coronavirus

• Global report: Fauci ‘absolutely not’ surprised Trump got Covid
• China becomes first major economy to recover from Covid-19 pandemic
• US coronavirus cases surge in most states
• See all our coronavirus coverage

10.45am BST

Malaysian health authorities reported 865 new coronavirus cases on Monday, raising the country’s total to 21,363. The Southeast Asian country, which imposed targeted lockdowns this month as infections surged, also recorded three new deaths, bringing its total number of fatalities to 190

10.19am BST

In the UK, the government is still facing resistance over its attempt to move Greater Manchester into a tier 3 lockdown.

The mayor, Andy Burnham, has said he is willing to resolve the impasse but won’t “just roll over” at the sight of a cheque.

Related: UK coronavirus live: Burnham says Greater Manchester resisting tier 3 as he won't 'roll over' for money