There are nearly 26.7 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally as of Sunday morning (NZ time), and the death toll is approaching 880,000.

Here are the latest developments from throughout the world overnight.

Europe

France

Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Saturday (local time) France must stay vigilant as more people will be hospitalised in intensive care units in the next two weeks, reflecting a flare-up in COVID-19 infections in recent days.

Veran however ruled out the need for a new nationwide lockdown, telling BFM television that France had other means to fight the virus, including testing.

"I cannot envision a general lockdown. The lockdown was a lid on an overflowing cooking pot," he said.

UK

Health officials say the UK recorded 1813 new daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday (local time), versus 1940 on Friday.

Daily case numbers were about 1000 a day for most of August but have started to increase in recent days.

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• Kiwis will be wearing masks until a Covid-19 vaccine is found, experts say
• 11 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in the community

Italy

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has dampened hopes spectators would be allowed to attend football matches from the start of the new season, saying on Saturday (local time) it would be inappropriate.

Italy, hit by one of Europe's worst outbreaks of COVID-19, contained the contagion after a peak in fatalities in March and April. But the number of new cases rose in August, with experts blaming gatherings associated with holidays and nightlife.

"The presence [of fans] at the stadium and events where any large gathering is inevitable, not only in the stands but also in the entrance and exit phases, is absolutely inappropriate," Conte said.

Middle East and Africa

Iran

Schools in Iran re-opened to 15 million students on Saturday (local time) after a seven-month closure despite concerns over increased spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.

"This year, we shoulder a heavier burden of responsibility toward our students," said President Hassan Rouhani, who oversaw the opening of schools in a video conference broadcast live on state television.

Education and health are equally important to society, he said, but added that parents would not be forced to send their children back to school.

Americas

US

Democratic US Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris said she would not take President Donald Trump's word alone on any potential coronavirus vaccine.

In an interview excerpt broadcast by CNN on Saturday (local time), Harris said Trump had a track record of suppressing expert opinion about the coronavirus pandemic and worried that might happen again in the case of a prospective vaccine.

"I would not trust Donald Trump," she said, saying she would only be convinced of the efficacy of a vaccine if someone credible were vouching for it as well.

Vaccine development

• Sanofi's chief in France, Olivier Bogillot, said on Saturday (local time) that its future COVID-19 vaccine was likely to be priced below 10 euros per shot.
• Several COVID-19 vaccine developers, including Pfizer Inc, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna Inc, plan to issue a public pledge not to seek Government approval until their vaccine candidates are proven to be safe and effective, the Wall Street Journal reported.