ASIA-PACIFIC
* New Delhi will enforce a mask mandate again after COVID-19 infections rose in the past fortnight, a government order showed on Thursday, though a similar order in April failed to improve compliance.
* Shanghai reported five new domestically transmitted asymptomatic coronavirus cases for August 11, up from zero a day earlier, while two local symptomatic cases were reported, up from none the day before, the city government said on Friday.
* China reported 2009 new COVID-19 infections on August 11, of which 704 were symptomatic and 1305 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Friday.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Africa's top public health body said on Thursday it was hopeful South African pharmaceutical firm Aspen Pharmacare would get orders for its own-brand COVID-19 vaccine.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* A small study is adding to evidence that children can develop long COVID-19 even if the virus did not make them seriously ill.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* China's auto sales surged 29.7 per cent in July from a year earlier to 2.42 million units, extending a recovery that began in June with the help of eased COVID-19 curbs and government incentives.
* Thailand's economy probably grew at its fastest pace in a year last quarter, thanks to increased tourism as pandemic curbs eased, but the high cost of living and a slowdown in China pose threats to the outlook.
* French vaccine developer Valneva on Thursday cut its full-year revenue outlook citing lower demand for its anti-COVID shot from European Union member states.
GLOBAL
DEATHS: 6,449,006
CASES: 593,404,182
RECOVERED: 565,397,634
Australian Associated Press