Coronavirus - 3rd December 2021

• The number of countries detecting the Omicron variant is “increasing daily”, the World Health Organization says
  
• Its geographic distribution is “likely already wider than currently reported” and nations must prepare for potential new surges
  
• But scientists say it's still too early to say if the variant causes more serious illness
  
• The US has meanwhile unveiled stricter travel rules after confirming a handful of Omicron cases
  
• Separately, a UK trial of seven different jabs finds that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines give the best overall booster response
  
• And a review finds the risk of catching Covid remains higher for people belonging to certain ethnic groups
  
• The UK reported a further 53,945 confirmed Covid cases on Thursday
  

Good morning

• Health officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) say the number of countries reporting the detection of the new Omicron variant are “increasing daily”, and its distribution is “likely already wider than currently reported”.  They say all countries must prepare for potential new surges connected to Omicron, but that lessons learned from the spread and handing of the Delta variant still apply
  
• President Biden has announced plans to step up coronavirus testing in the US and tighten rules for travellers amid a series of Omicron cases. From next week, all international arrivals must get a Covid test in the 24 hours before they depart
  
• A UK trial finds the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines give the best overall booster response
  
• Two men in the southern Indian state of Karnataka have tested positive for the Omicron coronavirus variant - the first cases in the country
  
• The risk of catching and becoming very sick from Covid remains higher for people belonging to certain ethnic groups, a UK review finds
  
• The UK government has been accused of failing to put adequate measures in place to prevent its Covid business loan scheme falling victim to fraudsters
  
• US president Joe Biden announced a new nationwide coronavirus battle plan.
  
• Scientists believe they may have found the trigger behind the extremely rare blood clot complications stemming from the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine.
  
• South African officials say the Omicron variant is fuelling an “exponential” rise in Covid cases across the country. The variant was found to account for three-quarters of all the virus genomes sequenced last month.
  
• Indonesia tightened border curbs, extended quarantine and will limit movement on strategic toll roads, in a preemptive move to limit the spread of the Omicron Covid variant.
  
• Sweden warned it could impose new restrictions as soon as next week.
  
• Germany imposes restrictions on unvaccinated and mandatory Covid vaccinations from February, outgoing chancellor, Angela Merkel, announced.
  
• German health authorities reported the first confirmed case of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the capital Berlin.
  
• India detected two cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant in the southern state of Karnataka.
  
• Finland detected its first case of the Omicron variant in a person who had travelled from Sweden.
  
• Greece detected its first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant on the island of Crete.
  
• The European Union’s public health agency predicts the Omicron variant could be responsible for more than half of all Covid infections in Europe within a few months.
  
• Omicron may cause more Covid reinfections, South African health experts say.
  
• New US rules requiring international air travellers to obtain a negative Covid-19 test within one day of travel will take effect Monday.
  
• UK drugs watchdog approved new Covid treatment Xevudy.
  
• Multiple cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have been detected in New York.
  

Omicron cases increasing daily worldwide, says WHO

Multiple Omicron cases detected in New York

“No cause for alarm. We just want to make sure that the public is aware of information when we receive it,” said Governor Kathy Hochul.

US tightens travel rules as Omicron cases found

Germany puts major restrictions on unvaccinated

About four in 10 adults used a lateral flow test in last seven days - ONS

• 31% of all adults said they always report the result
  
• 25% said they sometimes report the result and
  
• almost a quarter (24%) never reported the result.
  

Is it safe to hit the office Christmas party?

Auckland, New Zealand, celebrates end of more than 100 day lockdown

Malaysia detects first case of Omicron

Congo's fully vaccinated just 0.06%

Summary

• California is reporting its second confirmed case of the Omicron variant in as many days.
  
• Two more US states report the Omicron variant. Hawaii says it detected a case in an unvaccinated Hawaii resident with no recent travel history. New York reported five cases.
  
• New Zealand’s largest city of Auckland celebrates after emerging from a gruelling 107 days in lockdown.
  
• South Korea reports another 4,944 cases of Covid-19 and 34 deaths. The figures are a drop on Thursday’s record of more than 5,200 daily infections as concern grows over the sharp rise in patients with severe symptoms.
  
• South Africa reports another 11,535 new cases and 44 deaths - a significant jump from Wednesday’s 8,561 new cases, up from 4,373 the day before and 2,273 on Monday.
  
• A continuing outbreak in a Chinese city of Manzhouli on the Russian border has prompted more freight shutdowns as authorities seek to control it. The country reported 96 new Covid cases for 2 December, up from 73 cases a day earlier.
  
• China will reduce the time needed for approval of travel by US business executives to no more than 10 days.
  
• Germany is reporting a further 74,352 new daily Covid cases and 390 deaths, according to recently released figures from the Robert Koch Institute.
  
• Panama and Nepal both join the growing list of countries on Thursday to move to temporarily ban the entry of travellers from eight African countries due to concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant.
  

South Africa entering fourth wave of Covid infections: health minister

The touring party from the Arms Park have now confirmed their return home, with six players remaining in a quarantine hotel in Cape Town after testing positive. The departure is the team’s fourth attempt at leaving South Africa.

Initially, the touring party attempted to return home prior to the Sunday 4am cut-off point to avoid isolating in a hotel rather than at home. Their second flight was due to fly out on Sunday afternoon. Cardiff Rugby were then hit with the news of two team-mates testing positive with one suspected Omicron case, and they were forced to return to their hotel to isolate.

Slovakia sets new record for daily Covid cases

We reported a Reuters story earlier that said Slovakia had logged a record 15,278 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, the highest number in a single day since the pandemic broke out, but the Health Ministry said a technical issue inflated the number.
“The reason for today’s high number of positive test results is additional data, which did not pass from laboratories to the information system on 30 November,” the ministry said.
The ministry did not specify the actual number of cases detected on Thursday. The country of 5.5 million has 3,404 people hospitalised with the illness, including 630 in intensive care.
Slovakia has one of the European Union’s lowest rates of vaccination uptake

Today so far

• In South Africa, in the week since it alerted the world of the new Covid variant, infections have spread faster than in the country’s three previous waves. Wassila Jassat, from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), said: “We’ve seen quite a sharp increase across all age groups, particularly in the under fives,” referring to hospitalisations.
  
• NICD’s head of public health Michelle Groome said the virus was spreading faster than at any point in the pandemic in Gauteng, the province where Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria are located. “Preliminary data suggests Omicron is more transmissible and has some immune evasion,” she said.
  
• In contrast, India’s health ministry today has said it expects the Omicron variant of coronavirus to cause less severe disease. “Given the fast pace of vaccination in India and high exposure to Delta variant … the severity of the disease is anticipated to be low,” the ministry said in a statement. “However, scientific evidence is still evolving.”
  
• Takeshi Kasai, World Health Organization regional director for the western Pacific, told a virtual media briefing: “Border controls can buy time but every country and every community must prepare for new surges in cases.
  
• Germany’s health minister Jens Spahn has said that more than 1% of the population is currently infected with the coronavirus. He said that the number of unvaccinated residents who are infected and seriously ill is much higher than their share of the overall population.
  
• Slovakia reported 15,278 new Covid-19 cases, the highest number in a single day since the pandemic broke out
  
• In Norway at least 17 people who came down with Covid-19 after a Christmas party gathering of more than 100 guests in Oslo are suspected of having the Omicron variant, city officials said.
  
• Conservative party chair Oliver Dowden has told the UK to “keep calm and carry on with your Christmas plans as already set out.”
  
• Doctors in the UK have urged unvaccinated Black and south Asian people to get their Covid jabs after new data revealed hospitalisations and deaths are higher in those groups, despite infection rates being lower than in white people.
  
• France’s health minister Olivier Véran said the current wave of the country’s Covid disease could peak in late January, with a renewed strain put on the country’s hospital system.
  
• In Australia, the Fair Work Commission has ruled a Covid-19 vaccine mandate for all workers at BHP’s Mt Arthur coalmine was unlawful because the company did not consult adequately with its workers.
  

One in 60 people in UK would test positive for Covid last week - ONS

Estimates from the ONS survey suggest that just over one million (1,087,000) people in the UK would test positive for coronavirus in the week ending 27 November.
This is up slightly from 1,035,000 last week.
This is 1.7% of the population – or one in 60 people in the latest week.
The ONS say the trends for estimated Covid-19 infections continued to increase in Northern Ireland and Scotland, increased in England and was uncertain in Wales.
In England, one in 60 are estimated to be testing positive for coronavirus, it's one in 45 in Wales, one in 45 in Northern Ireland and one in 65 in Scotland.

Covid infections beginning to rise in primary school age children - ONS

Dozens of maskless London Underground passengers fined

One in six Britons feels life will never return to normal

What will life be like for the unvaccinated in Germany?

No plans for mandatory jabs or restrictions on unvaccinated - No 10

First Omicron case confirmed in Wales

A further 50,584 Covid cases reported in UK

Booster jab booking system will be updated as soon as possible - NHS England

Omicron cases in England likely to have been separate introductions

No plans for more restrictions in Northern Ireland before Christmas

A round-up of todays' main developments:

• The first real-world data showing the new variant Omicron may evade some immunity has been reported by scientists in South Africa - but UK research suggests some promising signs that booster vaccines could help to fight it
  
• One in 60 people in the UK would test positive for Covid in the week ending 27 November, ONS estimates suggest - up slightly from the previous week
  
• The acceleration of delivering booster jabs will start no later than 13 December, NHS England says
  
• The first case of the Omicron Covid variant has been confirmed in Wales. In Scotland, 29 Omicron cases have been found - linked to several sources including a Steps concert at the Glasgow Hydro
  
• England has 22 confirmed cases as of 30 November
  
• Officials from the World Health Organization say detection of the new variant is “increasing daily” and its distribution is “likely already wider than currently reported”. They say all countries must prepare for potential new surges connected to Omicron
  
• An Italian man who wanted a Covid vaccination certificate without getting the jab turned up for his vaccine with a fake arm, officials say
  
• The Omicron variant is likely to be capable of causing a new wave of coronavirus infections that could be even bigger than previous waves, UK government scientists have warned.
  
• Belgium is to close kindergartens and primary schools a week early for the Christmas holidays.
  
• Switzerland is tightening restrictions and reinforcing its work from home advice.
  
• Europe crossed 75 million coronavirus cases on Friday, according to a Reuters tally.
  
• Wales has reported its first confirmed case of the Omicron variant, which is linked to foreign travel.
  
• At least 13 people in the Norwegian capital Oslo have been infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus following a corporate Christmas party
  
• New analysis from the UK Health Security Agency (HSA) of 22 Omicron cases confirmed in England by November 30 shows that:
  - 12 of the 22 cases were more than 14 days after receiving at least two doses of vaccine.
  
• Zimbabwe reported a sharp rise in coronavirus infections, a day after it identified its first case of the new Omicron variant. It announced 1,042 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, compared to just around 20 two weeks ago.
  
• The Czech health ministry is reportedly preparing a decree making Covid-19 vaccines mandatory for people over 60, as well as workers in critical sectors such as medical staff, police, soldiers and firefighters.
  
• Canada has discovered a total of 11 cases of the new omicron variant, all of them among travellers who arrived from abroad.
  
• Germany’s fourth wave of the pandemic could reach a “sad peak” in intensive care units around the country around Christmas, the outgoing health minister, Jens Spahn, has warned as he defended the decision to bar unvaccinated people from many areas of public life.
  
• Doctors in South Africa said on Friday there had been a spike in hospitalisations among young children after Omicron swept through the country but stressed it was early to know if they were particularly susceptible.
  
• A Steps concert in Glasgow is among the sources of new Omicron cases in Scotland, first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.
  
• The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) chief scientist has urged people not panic over the emergence of the Omicron variant and said it was too early to say if COVID-19 vaccines would have to be modified to fight it.
  
• Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi said some of the four diplomats who first tested positive for the Omicron variant in the country had come from Europe, calling for a reversal of widespread travel bans imposed against southern African countries, Reuters reports.