Coronavirus live: Brazil records almost 58,000 deaths in a month; French schools to close for three weeks

P1 variant said to be partly driving cases in Brazil; French president extends measures in 19 French departments to rest of country

• France to close schools and stop domestic travel after Covid surge
• Pfizer/BioNTech finds vaccine safe and effective for children 12 to 15
• Outdoor mask decree met with dismay by Spain's tourism industry
• Germany restricts use of AstraZeneca jab to over-60s
• See all our coronavirus coverage

11.50pm BST

Rates of stillbirth and maternal deaths rose by around a third during the Covid-19 pandemic, with pregnancy outcomes getting worse overall for both babies and mothers worldwide, according to an international data review published on Wednesday.

Reuters reports the review pooled data from 40 studies across 17 countries, and found that lockdowns, disruption to maternity services, and fear of attending healthcare facilities all added to pregnancy risks, leading to generally worse results for women and infants.

11.35pm BST

In the Pacific, the archipelago nation of Palau (which has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world), is opening a travel bubble with Taiwan, a close diplomatic ally.

Bernadette Carreon reports from Koror, with Erin Hale in Taipei.

Related: Palau to welcome first tourists in a year with presidential escort