Thread by @ABSCBNNews

EXPERTS CONFIRM: COVID-19 SURGE IN NCR HAS BEGUN. This as the country posted its highest daily rise in coronavirus-related fatalities in the last two weeks.

Here's today's quick rundown of news on the pandemic (December 22, 2020).

• With 1,314 additional coronavirus infections, PH's total caseload rises further to 462,815

• PH's active COVID-19 cases now at 24,375
news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/22/20/…

• COVID-19 recoveries in PH up by 247 to make it 429,419

• 66 more people succumbed to COVID-19, taking PH's virus death toll to 9,021

• Number of Filipinos abroad who contracted COVID-19 remains at 12,816 with no new infections recorded bit.ly/38qZg05

• OCTA Research Group warns that COVID-19 surge in Metro Manila has begun ahead of holidays bit.ly/3nHgJYD

• Several senators urge executive branch to 'quickly and temporarily ban' travelers from Europe after reports of new COVID-19 strain in UK bit.ly/2WzAd5A

• City of Manila temporarily closes drive-thru COVID-19 testing center bit.ly/3nJ2Lp1

• US' COVID-19 cases top 18 million as infections surge nationwide bit.ly/3mNINZe

• US President-elect Joe Biden receives first injected dose of COVID-19 vaccine live on television in an effort to boost confidence in its safety ahead of wide distribution next year bit.ly/3nMffwc

• Chinese vaccine maker Sinovac Biotech Ltd's COVID-19 vaccine appears to be effective in late-stage trials in Brazil, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing people involved in vaccine's development bit.ly/34Bby4W

• Two Vatican cardinals, including one who spends most of his time helping Rome's homeless, test positive for coronavirus, Vatican source says bit.ly/2WBb0rc

• Taiwan reports first locally transmitted case of COVID-19 since April 12 and is now testing more than 100 contacts of said patient bit.ly/34Dr68p

• South Korea shuts down all ski resorts and winter tourist spots in bid to stop novel coronavirus spread with third wave of pandemic proved much tougher to contain in densely populated region of capital city bit.ly/37IrqES

• Malaysia signs deal to procure 6.4 million doses of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine and is in final talks with Chinese and Russian manufacturers to secure more bit.ly/3aBnaZE

• World Health Organization cautions against major alarm over new, highly infectious variant of coronavirus that emerged in Britain, saying this was normal part of pandemic's evolution bit.ly/3h7f2kM

More updates on COVID-19 here: news.abs-cbn.com/covid19-watch