TOP HEADLINES

• The EU's medicines regulator said on Tuesday it was "firmly convinced" the benefits of AstraZeneca's jab outweigh potential risks, insisting there was no evidence linking the vaccine to blood clots after several countries suspended the shot over health fears.

• Vaccination centers in Germany have been closing their doors and canceling appointments following the decision to halt the use of the AstraZeneca Jab, according to the Thuringian Ministry of Health, where about 2,800 vaccination appointments are being canceled each day. 

• Italy hopes AstraZeneca's "mess" will not derail its vaccination plan, according to a member of the defense ministry. A large number of the country's supplies are supposed to come from the pharmaceutical giant, with 2.9 million doses expected in the next couple of weeks.

• The number of deaths from COVID-19 across Europe reached 900,185 on Tuesday, according to an AFP tally of official figures provided by health authorities of 52 countries and territories of the region. The continent's death toll makes it the worst hit region, ahead of Latin America and North America's 558,110 deaths.

• Iceland is to allow entry to all visitors bearing proof of a COVID-19 vaccination from March 18, the health ministry said. The policy will be extended to all arrivals regardless of their country of origin.

• Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has urged world leaders to ensure new vaccines are not subject to restrictive intellectual property laws, echoing a similar call for patent waivers earlier this month by the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. 

• European stocks dipped on Monday after more countries halted use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. European medical regulators and the WHO have said the vaccine is safe to use and there is no evidence linking it to blood clots.

• Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche has announced the launch of a new test to help researchers find COVID-19 variants, which are feared to be more harmful or could undermine vaccines.

• Scotland's stay-at-home order will end on April 2, with a phased reopening of non-essential retail beginning three days later, said First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in a COVID-19 statement to the Scottish Parliament.

• An international team of experts commissioned by the WHO to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 virus in China has postponed publishing their report as it is "simply not ready." It will now likely appear next week, the WHO said on Tuesday.

• Norway's capital Oslo has announced tougher measures to stem the spread of the virus, closing secondary schools and restricting the number of visitors to homes to two, as COVID-19 case numbers rise.

• The cancer death rate in the UK could rise for the first time in decades if urgent action is not taken to address delays and challenges arising from the pandemic, cancer charities have warned.

ACROSS EUROPE

Stefan de Vries in Amsterdam

On the second day of the Netherlands' general election, the government is making some minor adjustments to the country's COVID-19 measures. 

As restrictions are eased, children up to the age of 12 can now attend swimming lessons and shopping by appointment has been slightly expanded for larger shops. They can now have one customer per 25 square meters, with a maximum of 50 customers.

On Monday, the country paused the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine because of safety concerns. Health Minister Hugo de Jonge told CGTN Europe in The Hague that he hopes to get back to vaccinating with the jab as soon as possible.

The number of coronavirus patients in hospitals has risen to 2,019 in the past 24 hours, the highest number since February 8. 

And 5,549 new positive tests were recorded on Monday.

Toni Waterman in Brussels 

Belgium will continue to use the AstraZeneca vaccine despite several of its neighbors temporarily halting its use after reports of people developing blood clots and some deaths. 

The World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency reiterated on Monday evening that the shot is safe and say the benefits of receiving it outweigh the risks. 

Belgium's health minister said on the national broadcaster VRT: "Pausing our vaccination campaign in this phase would be irresponsible, given the figures now."   

Infections in Belgium have been steadily rising in the past week, up 21 percent to an average of 2,844 new cases a day. 

Penelope Liersch in Budapest 

Hungary's vaccination program continues to be rolled out across the country, with 1,347,073 people now vaccinated, of which 399,505 have received their second dose. 

The government says the variant of the virus first found in the UK is spreading quickly throughout the population, with the number of active infections and hospitalizations increasing significantly. 

The total number of infections recorded since the outbreak began now stands at 529,122. The latest figures show 143 coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 17,226. 

Trent Murray in Berlin

The latest data from Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) show 5,480 new COVID-19 cases have been recorded, which is a 29 percent increase compared with the same day last week. 

RKI epidemiologist Dirk Brockmann has said Germany is now facing an exponential increase in new cases. 

"We are exactly on the flank of the third wave. That can no longer be disputed," he told German broadcaster ARD. He called for an immediate reinstatement of all lockdown measures. 

Andrew Wilson in London

The World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency both meet today to reassess the safety and side effects of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine after several EU countries halted the use of the jab.

The concern is blood clots in patients, but cases are lower than one would expect in the general population.

About 17 million people in the EU and the UK have received a dose of the vaccine, with fewer than 40 cases of blood clots reported as of last week, according to AstraZeneca.

A new poll suggests that support for the UK government is growing due to the fast and efficient roll-out of its vaccination program, with swings in favor first recorded in over-65s and now being identified in those 10 years younger as well.

Meanwhile, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is to set out dates today for easing lockdown measures.

Ross Cullen in Paris

A decision from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is due on Tuesday over the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. 

France yesterday suspended use of the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker's shot over reports of blood clots in Europe. 

A new variant of the COVID-19 virus has been detected in Brittany, in the west of France. 

Eight people have been found to have the new variant although the health authorities say the initial analysis are "reassuring regarding its strength and how contagious it is." 

However, new tests are taking place to see whether it can avoid detection through regular COVID-19 tests. 

As France faces a third wave of infections and tightening pressure on intensive care units in hospitals, new measures will be put in place over the coming days, said President Emmanuel Macron, who is expected to discuss the plan with ministers on Wednesday.

Rahul Pathak in Madrid 

Spain has joined other EU countries in suspending the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, following reports of blood clots in some people who have had the jab.

Maria Jesus Lamas, head of the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS), said they detected their first case of clots on March 13.  

She added that the ban was not an easy decision to make as it further slowed the national vaccination roll-out. 

So far, nearly a million people in the country have received the AstraZeneca shot.

FROM OUR GLOBAL COLLEAGUES

CGTN China: China to donate 300,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to UN peacekeepers

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CGTN Europe has been providing in-depth coverage of the novel coronavirus story as it has unfolded. Here you can read the essential information about the crisis.