Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

(Reuters) - Countries across the globe continue to safeguard themselves against COVID-19, with North Korea likely to begin vaccinations in November, while the United States ordered more than 100 million at-home COVID-19 tests from domestic manufacturers.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

* Eikon users, click on COVID-19: MacroVitals for a case tracker and summary of news. https://amers2.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1775942723

ASIA-PACIFIC

* North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has suggested that the isolated country could begin COVID-19 vaccinations in November.

* Hong Kong will scrap its quarantine rules for locally based airline crew from Saturday, the government said on Friday, a key step in unwinding draconian COVID-19 rules which have isolated the Asian financial hub.

* China reported 1,404 new COVID-19 infections on Sept. 8, of which 301 were symptomatic and 1,103 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Friday.

EUROPE

* EU countries and Britain granted 227.97 billion euros ($228 billion) in state aid in 2020 to support companies hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with Poland and Greece topping the list, the European Commission said on Thursday.

AMERICAS

* The leaders of two congressional committees want a federal probe into whether airlines used government pandemic money to fund pilot buyouts and early retirements that may have fueled current pilot shortages, according to a letter released on Friday.

* The annual U.S. COVID-19 vaccine market going forward could be in the range of $5.2 billion to $12.9 billion, depending on the price of shots and who is eligible to receive them, Moderna's chief commercial officer said on Thursday.

* The United States will boost its stockpile of at-home COVID-19 tests, ordering more than 100 million tests from domestic manufacturers, the White House said on Thursday, but warned it was a short-term solution.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* The European Medicines Agency published on Thursday a revised safety update for COVID-19 vaccines.

* An analysis for Reuters conducted by Truveta showed that patients with long COVID were nearly twice as likely to receive a first-time antidepressant prescription within 90 days of their initial COVID diagnosis compared with people diagnosed with COVID alone.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

* The European Central Bank said on Thursday lasting vulnerabilities caused by the pandemic still pose a risk to a smooth transmission of its monetary policy. The institution expects a flexible approach in reinvesting redemptions coming due in the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme Portfolio.

* China's consumer prices rose at a slower-than-expected pace in August while the rate of producer inflation hit an 18-month low, reflecting an economy plagued by weak domestic demand and leaving room for further policy easing.

* Oil demand in China could contract for the first time in two decades this year as Beijing's zero-COVID policy keeps people at home during upcoming holidays and reduces fuel consumption.

(Compiled by Valentine Baldassari and Uttaresh.V; Edited by Subhranshu Sahu and Jonathan Oatis)