2:24 a.m. ET, December 24, 2020
Japan records new record high of Covid-19 cases as experts urge public to cancel holiday travel
From CNN’s Yoko Wakatsuki in Tokyo
A chef wearing a face mask looks out from a restaurant window on December 23, in Tokyo, Japan. Carl Court/Getty Images
Japan reported a record 3,268 new coronavirus infections Wednesday, according to the country s Health Ministry.
Wednesday s numbers top the previous record of Dec. 17, when authorities reported 3,208 cases.
Tokyo reported 748 new cases the capital s second-highest number of infections confirmed in a single day, according to the city s metropolitan government.
The Health Ministry also reported 56 additional coronavirus-related fatalities Wednesday, pushing the country s death toll to 3,063.
China suspends flights to and from the UK over new variant
Wang Wenbin, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, speaks at a briefing in Beijing on November 9. Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images
China has suspended flights to and from the United Kingdom due to the new coronavirus strain, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Thursday.
Speaking to reporters at the daily press briefing, Wang said: Considering the nature of the mutated virus and its possible impact, in order to ensure that Chinese people and people from foreign countries travel safe and sound, after much consideration, China has decided to follow the example of other countries and suspend flights to and from UK. China will closely monitor relevant developments and dynamically adjust control measures depending on the situation.
South Korea signs deals with Pfizer and Janssen to import Covid-19 vaccines
From CNN’s Jake Kwon in Seoul
Vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine are prepared to be administered to front-line health care workers at a vaccination site in Reno, Nevada on December 17. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images
South Korea has signed contracts with Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical company Janssen to import Covid-19 vaccines, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said in a briefing on Thursday.
According to the contract, South Korea will import doses for 6 million people from Janssen, 2 million more than announced in early December. Vaccination using Janssen s doses will begin in the second quarter of 2021, Chung added.