* Poland has seen an explosion of the pandemic over the past two days and if the current trend continues drastic steps will be needed, the health minister said, after the country reported over 5,000 daily cases for the first time since May. read more

* Serbia will make a COVID-19 "health pass" mandatory for access to restaurants, cafes and bars in the evenings, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said, as the country struggles with persistently high numbers of infections. read more

* Slovakia reported on Oct. 19 its highest daily tally since March 9, while the Czech Republic said new cases spiked above the 3,000 level for the first time since late April. read more

* Forty-one percent of people across Latin America and the Caribbean have now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said. read more

* Canada's House of Commons will require all lawmakers to be fully vaccinated when they return to work next month, potentially locking out some members of parliament from the official opposition Conservatives.

* Singapore will extend its social restrictions for around a month in order to ease the pressure on the healthcare system, the government said.

* China reported a fourth day of new, locally transmitted cases in a handful of cities across the country, spurring local governments to double down on efforts to track potential carriers amid the zero-tolerance policy.

* The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is aiming to ease restrictions on bars and restaurants next week as infections continue to decline, the Jiji news service said. read more

* Travel restrictions between Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's largest cities, eased as Victoria opened its borders to fully vaccinated residents from New South Wales amid a rapid rise in immunisation levels. read more

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