COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 7 October

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now passed 35.8 million globally, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The number of confirmed deaths stands at over 1.04 million.

The Czech Republic has reported its highest one-day increase in COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic - 4,457. It's the first time the figure has passed 4,000.

Belgium will increase restrictions at the end of the week, limiting groups to a maximum of 4 people.

Rich countries could return to normal by late 2021, according to Bill Gates, if a COVID-19 vaccine works, is ready soon and distributed properly and at scale.

Iran has announced that face masks will have to be worn in public in capital Tehran from Saturday.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in India have risen by 72,049, to 6.76 million. The death toll stands at 104,555.

US and European central bankers have called for renewed government spending in an effort to support families and businesses.

Berlin has announced a curfew on late-night bars and restaurants, in an effort to contain rising cases. From this weekend until the end of October, restaurants and bars will have to close at 11pm until 6am and petrol stations will be banned from selling alcohol during those hours.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said yesterday a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready by the end of the year.

“We will need vaccines and there is hope that by the end of this year we may have a vaccine. There is hope,” Tedros said in final remarks to the WHO’s Executive Board, without elaborating.

There are currently nine experimental vaccines in the WHO's COVAX global vaccine programme.

Tedros's remarks come as an experimental Chinese COVID-19 vaccine is shown to be safe in an early stage clinical trial - although the study is yet to be peer reviewed. China has at least four experimental vaccines in the final stage of clinical trials, reports Reuters.

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, has warned about the damage that will be caused by removing fiscal and monetary support too soon.

“We are very clear in the message we are communicating to not withdraw support prematurely,” Georgieva said at an online event marking the 125th anniversary of the London School of Economics. “If we do so, then we risk massive bankruptcies and massive unemployment.”

Debt service suspension for poor countries must also be continued, while tax reform will be critical to help countries service their debt obligations, she added.