FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

(Updates with fresh developments)

July 9 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization announced that it was setting up an independent panel to review its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response by governments.

"This is a time for self-reflection," WHO Director-General told a virtual meeting with representatives of WHO's 194 member states.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

* For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, open https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser.

* For a U.S.-focused tracker with state-by-state and county map, open https://tmsnrt.rs/2w7hX9T in an external browser.

* Eikon users, see MacroVitals (cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?navid=1592404098) for a case tracker and a summary of developments.

EUROPE

* The proportion of the contacts of positive COVID-19 cases reached by England's test and trace system fell again in its fifth week of operation, figures from the health ministry showed.

* Twenty-six Irish pubs face possible prosecution and risk losing their licences over potential COVID-19 public health breaches, Irish police said.

* Hungary is going to review rules on cross-border travel to neighbouring countries where coronavirus infections are on the rise, the prime minister's chief of staff said.

AMERICAS

* The White House CEO dinner on Wednesday evening with the Mexican president and his delegation had some notable absences among corporate invitees - one because of a positive coronavirus test.

* New Jersey adopted a stringent coronavirus face-mask order on Wednesday, and New York City plans to allow public school students back into classrooms for just two or three days a week, as newly confirmed U.S. COVID-19 cases soared to a daily global record.

* Mexico posted a record for new coronavirus cases reported on a single day, with 6,995 infections, overtaking Spain to register the world's eighth highest case count.

* Argentina reported a daily record of 3,604 confirmed cases as the country grapples with rising infections that are threatening its early success in stalling the spread of the virus.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* Australia's second-most populous state will relax restrictions on many of the 3,000 people locked down in nine public-housing towers despite surging numbers of cases.

* There is no need to reintroduce a state of emergency, Japan's top government spokesman said when asked about a record one-day rise in Tokyo coronavirus cases.

* Beijing reported no new confirmed coronavirus cases for July 8, the third straight day of no new cases.

* Just one person in a South Korean survey of more than 3,000 people showed neutralizing antibodies to the novel coronavirus, indicating the virus has not spread widely.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* African countries must carry out more testing and make people use masks, a regional disease control body said as cases topped half a million in the continent.

* Nigeria's confirmed cases passed 30,000 on Wednesday, the country's disease control centre said.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* The European Union wants to fast-track funding to treat COVID-19 patients with blood plasma collected from survivors, an EU document seen by Reuters shows.

* U.S. drugmaker Johnson & Johnson aims to begin clinical testing of its COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks and produce billions of doses in 2021, Chief Executive Officer Alex Gorsky said, but cautioned it would take more than one vaccine to rein in the virus.

* Gilead Sciences Inc said it has started an early-stage study of its antiviral COVID-19 treatment remdesivir that can be inhaled, for use outside of hospitals.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT

* European shares were rising again after a two-day wobble on Thursday as China's markets continued their charge, and something between fear and greed propelled gold to a nine-year high.

* Federal Reserve officials raised fresh doubts about the durability of the U.S. recovery, while new business surveys highlighted developing risks from the relentless pandemic.

* Canada's budget deficit is expected to hit C$343.2 billion, the largest shortfall since the Second World War, the finance department said.

(Compiled by Anita Kobylinska and Devika Syammnath; editing by Sriraj Kalluvila, Larry King)