KINGSTON, Jamaica — The number of confirmed COVID-19 infections worldwide has surpassed 38.5 million, with over one million people across 196 countries and territories having died and over 26.6 million having recovered from the virus. Many countries have eased restrictions on movement and social gathering, but in recent weeks some have had to reimpose measures due to a resurgence in the number of infections.

— Jamaica recorded nine new COVID-related deaths and 78 new cases of the illness in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 8,067 and the death toll to 160.

— The Pan American Health Organization says that a new affordable, reliable antigen diagnostic test is set to transform the region’s COVID-19 response by allowing health workers to carry out accurate, rapid testing, even in remote communities.

— The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reverse progress towards eliminating tuberculosis, until now the top infectious disease killer globally, the World Health Organization warned Wednesday.

— Britain’s health secretary has shifted London into the second-highest COVID-19 alert level amid a rise in cases.

— Russian authorities have given regulatory approval to a second coronavirus vaccine after early-stage studies, two months after a similar move prompted widespread criticism from scientists both at home and abroad.

— The United States has so far recorded 216,904 deaths, making it the hardest-hit country. Meanwhile, Brazil has recorded 151,747 deaths, India 111,266, Mexico 84,898 and Britain 43,155.

Read the full stories here:

9 COVID deaths as infections surpass 8,000

Coronavirus threatens to reverse progress in TB fight — WHO

London shifts into 2nd-highest virus risk tier as cases rise

Russia approves 2nd virus vaccine after early trials