Coronavirus Updates: European nations report more than 700,000 new cases

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The World Health Organization said European nations reported more than 700,000 new coronavirus cases last week - the highest-ever figure since the start of the pandemic.

In a weekly briefing published Tuesday, WHO said weekly virus cases and deaths across Europe jumped by 34% and 16% respectively. Britain, France, Russia and Spain accounted for more than half of the new cases seen in the region.

WHO noted that the number of new cases reported in Spain showed a "noticeable decline" in comparison to recent weeks. But in Poland, WHO said virus cases and deaths spiked by 93% and 104% respectively, and the government has tightened restrictions to try avoiding another lockdown.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this week that the agency understood the frustration people were feeling as the pandemic drags on but warned "there are no shortcuts and no silver bullets."

WHO described lockdowns a "last resort" when countries have no other options and urged officials to use more targeted methods to stop the virus.

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Here are more of today's headlines:

Sweet 16 party COVID spread

A Long Island venue is being hit with more than $10,000 in fines after hosting a Sweet 16 party where 37 people in attendance tested positive for coronavirus.

Vaccine trial halted

A Phase 3 trial for Eli Lilly's monoclonal antibody COVID-19 treatment is on pause following a potential safety concern.

"Safety is of the upmost importance to Lilly," the pharmaceutical company said in a statement. "We are aware that, out of an abundance of caution, the ACTIV-3 independent data safety monitoring board (DSMB) has recommended a pause in enrollment. The trial, evaluating Lilly's investigational neutralizing antibody as a treatment for COVID-19 in hospitalized patients, is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Lilly is supportive of the decision by the independent DSMB to cautiously ensure the safety of the patients participating in this study."

5 suspected COVID-19 cases at same EMS station in Queens

The FDNY says they have five suspected cases of COVID-19 at the same EMS station in Queens. All five members of the department are on medical leave from EMS station 49, at 25-3 Hoyt Avenue.

Last week, the NYPD announced they had 36 suspected cases within the first week of October.

New York Philharmonic concerts canceled through June 2021

The New York Philharmonic has canceled all previously scheduled concerts from January 6, 2021, through June 13, 2021, due to COVID-19.

The Philharmonic had previously announced that concerts through January 5, 2021, would not take place. This marks the first time in its 178-year history that the New York Philharmonic has been forced to cancel an entire concert season.

Small business assistance in NJ

Governor Phil Murphy and other officials announced $112 million in funding for small businesses and families due to the coronavirus pandemic in New Jersey.

Trick-or-treating not allowed in 3 New Jersey towns amid COVID-19 pandemic

Three towns in New Jersey announced trick-or-treating will not be allowed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials in Glen Ridge said Tuesday that it is in the best interest of everyone that traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating will not be allowed from Oct. 29 through Nov. 1. The Office of Emergency Management in Bound Brook and the mayor of Plainfield also announced all public Halloween events, including trick-or-treating.

Cristiano Ronaldo tests positive

Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Portuguese soccer federation said Tuesday. The federation said Ronaldo was doing well and had no symptoms. It did not say when he tested positive.

Ronaldo played in the 0-0 draw at France in the Nations League on Sunday, and also in the 0-0 draw against Spain in a friendly last week. Ronaldo was dropped from the country's Nations League match against Sweden on Wednesday.

The federation said Ronaldo's result prompted another round of tests for the rest of the Portugal squad. It said everyone else in the team tested negative.

NYC holds health office hours

New York City is holding office hours with Dr. Jay Varma online Tuesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. People can ask questions of the city's health official and he will answer their questions. People can watch online at the mayor's office website, and also on their YouTube, Twitter and Facebook pages. You can ask questions using #NYCOfficeHours.

Eatontown Licensing/Regional Center closed for the week

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has announced that, effective immediately, the Eatontown Licensing/Regional Center will be closed until Saturday, October 24, due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19.

Eatontown Road Test Operations are in a separate facility and will remain open for appointments. Eatontown Inspection Station will be closed on Tuesday, October 13, but will reopen for normal operations on Wednesday, October 14.

The employee who tested positive was last in the Eatontown Licensing/Regional Center on Friday, October 9. The Center will be cleaned and remain closed until Saturday, October 24, once contact tracers have cleared a sufficient number of employees to reopen or any required quarantine is complete.

New COVID testing plan could reopen flights between NY-London by Christmas

Airline executives and federal authorities are working on a COVID testing plan that could reopen flights between New York and London by Christmas.

They say they are trying to create a so-called 'air bridge' between the cities. This means travelers would be tested before flying from either place.

Protests continue after activist Heshy Tischler charged in attack on reporter

Activist Harold "Heshy" Tischler was released from police custody late Monday night after he was arrested and charged in the alleged attack of an Orthodox Jewish reporter during a demonstration protesting new restrictions in some neighborhoods of New York City.

The NYPD said Tischler was taken into custody Sunday. He has been charged with inciting to riot and unlawful imprisonment, stemming from an attack on the journalist by protesters from last week.

Some indoor sports can resume in NJ - here are the restrictions

Some indoor sports can resume at a limited capacity in New Jersey, a new order signed by Governor Murphy announced.

The order allows no-contact practices and competitions that are conducted indoors to be at the current indoor gathering limit of 25% capacity. The limit cannot exceed 25 people or be smaller than 10 people.

Johnson & Johnson temporarily pauses COVID-19 vaccine trial after 'unexplained illness'

Drugmaker Johnson + Johnson said Monday it has paused the advanced clinical trial of its experimental coronavirus vaccine because of an unexplained illness in one of the volunteers.

"Following our guidelines, the participant's illness is being reviewed and evaluated by the ENSEMBLE independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) as well as our internal clinical and safety physicians," the company said in a statement. ENSEMBLE is the name of the study.

NJ MVC announces a regional center will close due to positive COVID test

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has announced that, effective immediately, the Eatontown Licensing/Regional Center will be closed until Saturday, October 24, due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19. Eatontown Road Test Operations are in a separate facility and will remain open for appointments. Eatontown Inspection Station will be closed on Tuesday, October 13, but will reopen for normal operations on Wednesday, October 14.

Governor Murphy signs Executive Order allowing some indoor sports to resume

On Monday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an Executive Order allowing some indoor sports to resume with restrictions. The order allows contact and no-contact practices and competitions for some sports for both indoor and outdoor settings. Indoor activities are limited to 25% capacity and cannot exceed 25 people or be smaller than 10 people.

Trump's latest health update

President Donald Trump's physician Dr. Sean Conley says the president tested negative for COVID-19 "on consecutive days." "In response to your inquiry regarding the President's most recent COVID-19 tests, I can share with you that he has tested negative, on consecutive days, using the Abbot BinaxNOW antigen card," the White House release said.

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