TOP HEADLINES 

• Russia reported a record high of 1,002 coronavirus deaths on Saturday, the first time the number passed the 1,000-mark since the pandemic. It pushed the national death toll to 222,315.

New COVID-19 cases, confirmed in the past 24 hours, also hit a record high at 33,208, the Russian coronavirus task force said, bringing the official total case tally to 7,958,384. 

• European Union countries have sent COVID-19 drugs and equipment to treat patients in Romania, which is facing a surge in infections primarily among the unvaccinated majority of the adult population.

In the first ten days of October, one person has died from COVID-19 every six minutes in the country, as vaccine skepticism remains high.

The European Commission said it had coordinated the shipment to Romania of 250 oxygen concentrators, crucial devices to boost the supply of medical oxygen.

• France saw the biggest spike in new infections since the end of July on the last day of free testing for unvaccinated people, health ministry data showed.

The ministry reported 6,099 new cases over the past 24 hours, increasing 36 percent compared to last Friday's 4,470 cases.

From Friday, people who have not been vaccinated have had to pay for tests, which so far had been free in France. Tests will remain free of charge for people who have been vaccinated, for people who show symptoms and have a doctor's note, and for minors between 12 and 17.

• World Trade Organization members failed to reach a consensus once again on the temporary lifting of patents protecting vaccines.

The policy advocates state that the move is crucial to increasing production and fighting vaccine inequality with poorer nations' vaccine rates significantly below wealthier countries. Its opponents consider it a risk for the economic model of the pharmaceutical industry.

• Two of the three largest hospitals in Lithuania's capital Vilnius stopped accepting non-urgent patients due to an influx of COVID-19 cases.

Several regional hospitals around Vilnius were also full, said Jolita Jakutiene, executive director of the city's largest hospital, during a televised press conference.

Most of the COVID-19 patients were not vaccinated and were above the age of 30, she added.