KINGSTON, Jamaica — More than 81.9 million coronavirus infections have been confirmed worldwide, with over 1.7 million people across 196 countries and territories having died and over 51.5 million having recovered from the virus. As authorities warn of a spike in infections due to travel over the Christmas season, many countries are reimposing restrictions on movement and social gathering. Meanwhile, more than 40 countries have suspended travel from Britain in a bid to contain a fast-spreading new strain of the virus.

— Jamaica recorded four COVID-related deaths and 41 new cases of the virus over the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 302 and the total number of confirmed cases across the island to 12,793.

— In the United States, a new variant of the coronavirus that may be more contagious was found in a Colorado man who had not been travelling, triggering a host of questions about how the first US case of the new version showed up in the Rocky Mountain state.

— Britain today became the first country to authorise an easy-to-handle COVID-19 vaccine whose developers hope it will become the “vaccine for the world”.

— The United States has so far recorded 338,656 deaths, making it the hardest-hit country. Meanwhile, Brazil has recorded 192,681 deaths, India 148,439, Mexico 123,845, and Italy 73,029.

Read the full stories here:

Four COVID patients die as Jamaica records more cases

No travel history in 1st reported US case of virus variant

UK approves use of 2nd COVID-19 vaccine with easier storage

ARE WE FLATTENING THE CURVE?here for interactive chart* with details on Jamaica’s numbers.here for a look at the numbers globally.

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*Data mined from various sources around the world.