Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Friday

The latest:

• Health Canada authorizes Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as a booster shot.

• Manitoba reports 193 new COVID-19 cases, 1 deathon Friday.

• What parents need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids. Experts take your questionstoday.

• Ontario sees 598 new COVID-19 cases, 4 more deaths Friday.

• Organized crime 'knowingly and actively' exploited federal pandemic benefits: intelligence reports.

• Have a coronavirus question or news tip for CBC News? Email:Covid@cbc.ca

The Dutch government announced a three-weekpartial lockdownon Friday amid soaring COVID-19 cases that are putting the country's health-care sector under renewed strain.

It comes as Europe has become theepicentre of the COVID-19 pandemicagain, prompting some governments to consider re-imposingunpopular restrictionsin the run-up to Christmas and stirringdebate over whether vaccines alone are enough to tame COVID-19.

Under the lockdown, which comes into effect on Saturday night,bars,restaurants and supermarkets will have to close at 8 p.m. local time, professional sports matches will be played in empty stadiums and people are being urged to work from home as much as possible. Stores selling non-essential items will have to close at 6 p.m, caretakerDutch Prime Minister Marc Rutte said Friday.

The move meansthe Dutch national team playing a World Cup qualifier against Norway on Tuesday night behind closed doors.

Itcomes a day after the country's public health institute recorded 16,364 new positive tests in 24 hours the highest number of any time during the pandemic.

The Netherlands, where nearly 85 per centof adults are fully vaccinated, largely ended lockdown restrictions at the end of September.

Half of all infections globally are now in Europe

Europe accounts for more than half of the average seven-dayinfections globally and about half of the latest deaths, accordingto a Reuters tally, the highest levels since April last yearwhen the virus first swept into Italy.

Germany andFrance are also experiencing asurge in infections, showing the challenge even for governmentswith high acceptance rates and dashing hopes vaccines would meana return to close to normal.

World Health Organization Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesussaid Friday that the surge in Europe is "another reminder" that vaccines alone do not replace the need for other health measures.

WATCH |WHO chief says COVID-19 is surging even in European countries with high vaccination rates:

'No country can simply vaccinate its way out of the pandemic': WHO

3 years ago

Duration 2:49

As Europe combats a major surge in new COVID-19 cases, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that "vaccines do not replace the need for other precautions." He urged people to follow pandemic restrictions in addition to getting vaccinated.

To be sure, hospitalizations and deaths are much lower thana year ago. As well, big variations by country in use of vaccines andboosters as well as measures like physical distancing make it hardto draw conclusions for the whole region.

Germany's disease control centre is calling for people to cancel or avoid large events and to reduce their contacts as the country's coronavirus infection rate hits the latest in a string of new highs.While the infection rate isn't yet as high as in some other European countries, its relentless rise in Germany has set off alarm bells.

"We must now do everything necessary to break this momentum," Health Minister Jens Spahn told reporters. "Otherwise it will be a bitter December for the whole country."

Austria's government is likely to decide on Sunday to imposea lockdown on people who are not vaccinated, ChancellorAlexander Schallenberg said on Friday.

- From Reuters, The Associated Press and CBC News,last updated at 12:56 p.m. ET

What's happening across Canada

WATCH | Albertans head to the United States for surgeries as wait times climb:

Surgery delays have Albertans heading south

3 years ago

Duration 1:55

Alberta has delayed more than 45,000 surgeries because of the pandemic, creating years-long wait times for joint replacements. Now, many who can afford it are heading south of the border and paying out of pocket for surgery.

• Ontario long-term care homes near 98 per centvaccination rate among staff, sources say.

• Winter tires affected by supply chain crunch.

• One of the Ontario LTC homes hardest hit by COVID-19 could soon be managed by non-profit.

• Protest against vaccine mandates at Kelowna Remembrance Day event 'a step too far,' RCMP say.

What's happening around the world

As of Fridaymorning, more than252million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to the global database maintained by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University. The reported global death toll stood at more than five million.

In Europe,Latvia's parliament voted on Friday toban lawmakers who refuse theCOVID-19 vaccine from voting onlegislature and participating in discussions. Latviahas one of the lowest vaccination rates in the European Union.

British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Friday that it will start to book a modest profit from its coronavirus vaccine as it moves away from the nonprofit model it has operated during the pandemic.Until now, AstraZeneca said it would provide the vaccine "at cost" around $2 to $3 for the duration of the pandemic following an agreement with the University of Oxford, which developed the vaccine. Other COVID-19 vaccine producers, such as Pfizer and Moderna, have been booking hefty profits on their shots all along.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Thailand on Friday said it would delay the reopening of nightlife entertainment venues to Jan. 15 despite pleas from the industry to make it sooner.A spokespersonfor the government's COVID-19 administration cited concerns about ventilation and inefficient prevention measures in pubs, bars and karaoke joints.

The Japanese government's preparations for the next virus surge include adding thousands more hospital beds to avoid a situation like last summer when many COVID-19 patients were forced to stay home, even while dependent on oxygen deliveries.

In the Americas, one United States governordefied federal guidance on COVID-19 booster shots Thursday by issuing an order allowing all state residents 18 and older to get them.

"Because disease spread is so significant across Colorado, all Coloradans who are 18 years of age and older are at high risk and qualify for a booster shot,"Gov. Jared Polis said in an order. The state is facing a surge in infections that threatens to overwhelm hospitals.

In the Middle East,Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and senior aidesholed up in a nuclear command bunker to simulate an outbreak ofa vaccine-resistant COVID-19 variant to which children arevulnerable, describing such an eventuality as "the next war."

- From Reuters and The Associated Press, last updated at 11:10 a.m. ET