This daily round-up brings you a selection of the latest news updates on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as well as tips and tools to help you stay informed and protected.
Top stories: Australia reports deadliest day; global confirmed cases near 20 million; and New Zealand reaches milestone.
1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now reached more than 19.8 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine. The number of confirmed coronavirus deaths now stands at more than 730,000.
Brazil has recorded more than 3 million cases of COVID-19, with more than 100,000 confirmed deaths. Its outbreak is the world's second worst, after the US.
Economic activity in France was 7% below normal levels in July – up slightly on June. The French economy contracted nearly 14% across the same period.
New Zealand has recorded 100 days without a domestic transmission, but is warning against complacency as countries like Australia have seen cases increase.
China reported 49 new coronavirus cases on the mainland on 9 August, up 23 on a day earlier. Thirty-five of these new infections were imported cases, said the National Health Commission.
2. Australia reports record single-day rise
Australia has reported its deadliest day since the pandemic began, with the largest single-day rise in COVID-19 deaths.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that internal border closures were unlikely to be lifted before Christmas. The federal political system has given rise to the internal closures, with states and territories taking different measures.
But there was some brighter news, with hard-hit Victoria reporting a drop in daily new infections. Melbourne, the state capital, has been in lockdown since early July.
