Coronavirus outbreak updates: Dec. 10, 2020

As of 11 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 10

• Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto said Thursday the northern Japan city will forgo exhibiting snow sculptures at its annual Snow Festival scheduled in February for the first time in its 71-year history due to the coronavirus pandemic.
  
  
• Japan confirmed a record 2,973 daily coronavirus infections on Thursday, further raising concern over the strain on the medical system as the country continued to grapple with a spike in infections.
  
  
• Tokyo confirmed a record 602 cases in single-day coronavirus infections on Thursday, a day after Japan's nationwide tally of COVID-19 patients and the number of those suffering severe cases hit all-time highs.
  
  
• Canada on Wednesday approved the emergency use of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus developed by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. and German partner BioNTech SE, becoming the third country to do so following Britain and Bahrain.
  
  
• The Japanese government is considering shouldering most of the costs for anti-virus measures and testing in municipalities hosting overseas athletes for the postponed Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics next summer, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.
  
  
• Japan's government has sent a letter in support of the International Olympic Committee's effort to arrange for vaccines to athletes participating in next year's postponed Tokyo Olympics, sources close to matter said Wednesday.

As of 11 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9

• Japan confirmed 2,810 daily coronavirus cases Wednesday as well as 555 people with severe symptoms, both record highs, as the country continued to grapple with a spike in infections.
  
  
• Nurses from the Ground Self-Defense Force started working Wednesday at understaffed facilities in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, after being dispatched to the northern Japan city to help it cope with a recent spike in coronavirus infections.
  
  
• A Royal Caribbean International ship returned to port in Singapore on Wednesday after a passenger on the so-called cruise to nowhere recorded a positive coronavirus test.
  
  
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister and close aide, Kim Yo Jong, condemned the South for looking down on Pyongyang's efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, state-run media reported Wednesday.
  
  
• President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order to ensure Americans have priority access to coronavirus vaccines before the U.S. government works to facilitate their supply to other countries.
  
  
• Empress Masako, on the occasion of her 57th birthday on Wednesday, expressed her desire to overcome the challenges presented by the novel coronavirus pandemic together with the Japanese people, saying they are "invaluable" people and wishes for their happiness.