KRAZY KATS

Welcome to Krazy Kats - a friendly informal online community discussing life issues that we care about. Open 24/7 for chat & chill. Come and join us!

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°1

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 09:36

    Summary for Friday, 21st January 2022

    • Wales' first minister accuses the UK government of "abandoning the science" as he defends his more cautious lifting of restrictions
    • Mark Drakeford, the Welsh Labour leader, says UK ministers are using Covid announcements "to distract people's attention from the awful mess" in Westminster
    • Measures to slow the spread of Omicron are being eased in Wales today, with thousands of fans set to return to sporting stadiums
    • Pubs and restaurants will also be able to operate outdoors without the rule of six or social distancing
    • Northern Ireland is bringing in new rules on shorter self-isolation periods and table service in pubs and restaurants
    • Meanwhile Adele has postponed her Las Vegas residency 24 hours before it was due to start, blaming Covid for delaying preparations
    • On Thursday, the UK reported 107,364 new cases and 330 deaths within 28 days of a positive test

    Good morning

    Welcome to Friday’s coronavirus live page. We’ll be bringing you all the Covid developments in the UK and around the world.
    Here are the main stories so far this morning:

    Here’s a round-up of all the latest international developments you may have missed:


    Europe:

    • The Irish government has been given the green light to lift the majority of the state’s Covid restrictions.
    • In France, Covid-19 restrictions will be loosened from February onwards, the prime minister has said, shortly after country’s Covid vaccination pass comes into effect. Jean Castex said on Thursday the pass will come into effect on 24 January, provided it is approved by the Constitutional Council.
    • Austria announced it will introduce a national vaccine lottery to encourage holdouts to get shots and has extended Covid lockdown measures for another ten days. MPs voted to approve a Covid-19 vaccine mandate which will apply to all residents of Austria aged 18 and over.
    • England will soon scrap virtually all Covid measures, the health secretary confirmed.
    • Germany reported another record rise of 133,536 daily new cases. It is the second consecutive day the European country has broken a pandemic record, with 234 deaths also reported, according to recently updated figures from the Robert Koch Institute.

    Australia and New Zealand:

    • Australia’s drugs regulator has for the first time approved oral treatments for Covid-19 which should help address supply shortages of other treatments.
    • Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Association has also given provisional approval to the protein-based Novavax Covid-19 vaccine.
    • New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has said restrictions will be tightened if there is a community transmission of Omicron.
    • The state of Western Australia has cancelled plans to reopen its borders on 5 February, citing health risks from a surge in Omicron cases elsewhere in the country, as the tally of coronavirus cases since the pandemic began topped two million.

    Asia:

    • Taiwan will mandate the use of passes for proof of Covid vaccination to enter entertainment venues.
    • Thailand will resume its ‘Test & Go’ quarantine waiver for vaccinated arrivals starting on 1 February, the country’s coronavirus taskforce said on Thursday.
    • Japan recorded a daily rise of 41,377 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, shattering the record it set a day earlier by about 10,000 as the government puts more prefectures under a quasi-state of emergency.
    • Hong Kong will likely suspend face-to-face teaching in secondary schools from 24 January, local media reports.
    • China’s capital Beijing has ramped up efforts to curb Covid-19 infections, ordering checks among cold-chain firms and urging residents to cut unnecessary gatherings.

    United States:

    • US president Joe Biden has admitted that more should have been done in terms of Covid-19 testing availability earlier in the pandemic.
    • The US is set to require Covid vaccines for essential workers crossing borders.

    Africa:

    • Cases of Covid have sharply declined in Africa and deaths are declining for the first time since the emergence of the Omicron variant, the World Health Organization has said.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°2

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 09:44

    Fans to return to sporting events in Wales as Covid rules ease

    Thousands of fans are set to return to watch sports fixtures in Wales as Covid rules ease.
    Limits on the numbers of people who could attend events indoors and outdoors imposed by the Welsh government during the Omicron surge over Christmas meant fans were effectively banned from attending games in Wales.
    But from today, all limits on outdoor events will be scrapped, the government confirmed.
    Pubs and restaurants will also be able to operate outdoors without the rule of six or social distancing.
    Plans to allow nightclubs to open and remove social distancing rules on businesses will go ahead on 28 January, the Welsh government said, unless "the public health situation changes for the worse".
    However, anyone over 18 will still have to show a Covid pass to go to large indoor or outdoor events, to prove they are either fully vaccinated or have had a negative lateral flow test in the past 24 hours.
    Read more.
    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 A7b0af6a-3ccc-4bcd-9c4c-cb24be1b6b09

    Alert level zero is the lowest level of Covid measures in Wales, as set out by the Welsh government
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°3

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 09:53

    Self-isolation and table service rules relaxed in Northern Ireland

    A number of Covid restrictions currently in place in Northern Ireland will be lifted today.
    The minimum period of self-isolation for those with Covid has been reduced, from seven days to five - in line with recent changes in England.
    People who test positive will need to produce negative lateral flow tests on days five and six to end the isolation period.
    From noon, hospitality premises can drop table service and the rule of six - limiting tables to six people - will also be removed.
    Other rule changes coming into force at midday today include:

    • Guidance limiting the number of households meeting indoors to three will be removed
    • The requirement to provide proof of exemption for not wearing a face covering will be removed - with the excuse of "severe distress" reintroduced
    • The guidance on working from home will revert to doing so where you can, with employers encouraged to facilitate this

    Further rules will be relaxed next week, including dropping the requirement for Covid passes in pubs and restaurants, and the reopening of nightclubs.
    Read more.

    We have kept Wales safe and open, says Drakeford

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 D7a52c16-1af3-4c7b-a648-2348a7422392

    First Minister Mark Drakeford says the current Covid situation in Wales is the best in the UK - thanks to the actions taken by the Welsh government and people.
    He defends his "more cautious" stance, with more restrictions in place than England over the past few weeks, as a "step-by-step approach, in line with the science".
    "We're a government that doesn't need to grab headlines to distract attention from difficulties," he tells BBC Breakfast.
    "The UK government has long abandoned any sense that it is following the science; it is a government desperately mired in difficulties of its own making."
    Mr Drakeford adds that the approach of his government has "kept Wales safe, and kept Wales open".
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°4

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 10:46

    Adele postpones Las Vegas residency with half her crew infected with Covid

    Adele has postponed her entire Las Vegas residency, just 24 hours before the opening night.
    "I'm so sorry, but my show ain't ready," the singer tells fans in a tearful update on Instagram.
    "Half my team have Covid and it's been impossible to finish the show."
    She adds that "delivery delays" have also played a part.
    She apologises to fans who have already arrived in Las Vegas for the opening weekend.
    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 2596
    Adele has been forced to delay her three-month Las Vegas residency after Covid hit the production. Photograph: Matt Sayles/Invision/AP

    The star was due to play the first of 24 planned shows at the Caesars Palace's Colosseum today.
    Tickets ranged from $85 (£60) to $685 (£500).

    Austrian parliament backs mandatory jabs

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 916b8fbe-a772-4ffa-a1c3-4f95b1f578ad

    Austria is a step closer to compulsory vaccination, after MPs voted in favour of new government proposals.
    The law is due to come into effect on 1 February and would make Austria the first European country to introduce a mandatory jab for all adults.
    It would mean adults who haven't taken up the vaccine would face fines of up to €3,600 (£2,994), from mid-March.
    So far, 72% of Austrians have been fully vaccinated against the virus.
    Since authorities announced they intended to introduce the mandate, the capital, Vienna, has seen regular protests, with some numbering over 40,000 people.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°5

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 10:57

    UK government trying to distract from own mess - Drakeford

    As we heard earlier, the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, has accused the UK government of having "abandoned" following science by announcing this week that plan Plan B restrictions in England would end.
    Drakeford said the government was "grabbing headlines to distract attention" from revelations about parties held at Downing Street during lockdown.

    Scrap Covid travel tests, says testing firm

    One of the big testing firms is calling for Covid tests for travellers arriving in the UK to be scrapped.
    Simon Worrell, global medical director of Collinson - which also runs airport lounges - said: "As soon as we can drop it, we will be delighted."
    At the moment, all those aged five and over arriving in England must take a test within 48 hours of arriving.
    Mr Worrell said Collinson, which has a large travel business that includes running customer services in airports, launched its testing sites early in the pandemic in a bid to prop up the travel industry.
    But now the requirement for people to test on arrival has become more of a hindrance to the business, because it may put them off travelling, he says.
    The travel industry has continually voiced its objection to testing. But virologists have expressed caution about any further changes.

    Covid measures reimposed in Tokyo as Omicron cases surge

    Anti-Covid measures have been re-imposed in the Japanese capital, Tokyo, and several other areas, amid record daily infections in the country driven by the Omicron variant.
    The restrictions include reduced opening hours for bars and restaurants.
    For months Japan managed to hold the disease largely at bay, until Omicron outbreaks began among US military personnel stationed there.
    The Japanese government has asked the Americans to stay in their bases, but Covid cases in the country have continued to rise.
    The health ministry today approved Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for children between the age of five and 11.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°6

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 11:28

    Irish ministers consider lifting Covid restrictions

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 15a471ce-db31-4f87-9c37-0ee289929590

    Irish government ministers will meet later today to consider the possible lifting of Covid-19 restrictions in the country.
    It is understood that the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) supports ending most health measures put in place to halt the spread of the Omicron variant.
    Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said the government would consider Nphet's recommendations on Friday. Donohoe said a decision would then be made on any easing of restrictions.
    The minister told Irish broadcaster RTÉ that it was "reasonable to assume" we would be able to exit current regulations "at a quicker pace".

    Poland reports highest ever daily cases

    Adam Easton - BBC Warsaw Correspondent
    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 1adf872c-095e-459c-8265-184790f26463

    Poland reported its highest ever daily coronavirus infections on Friday, according to data from the health ministry.
    There were 36,665 new Covid-19 cases, up 128% from last Friday, and 248 virus-related deaths reported in the previous 24 hours.
    Currently, the Omicron variant accounts for about 30% of all infections, deputy health minister Waldemar Kraska said.
    Kraska said the rapidly-rising number could put additional strain on the health service but currently the number of hospitalisations has yet to register the recent spike in infections.
    In the last three days Poland has reported a big jump in the number of new infections.
    On Wednesday, health minister Adam Niedzielski warned that daily cases may exceed 50,000 next week.
    In the past seven days, Poland has reported the 16th highest Covid-19 death rate in the world and the sixth highest in the EU, with 52 deaths per one million inhabitants.
    Last Friday, three quarters of the country’s Medical Council, which advises the prime minister on Covid-19, resigned after accusing the government of not paying enough attention to the scientific community, noting a growing acceptance of anti-vaccination voices.
    Just 56.6% of Poles are fully vaccinated, well below the EU average of 69.6%.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°7

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 11:32

    'Tricky moments ahead in Scotland but future lockdowns unlikely'

    There could be some "tricky moments" in the next few months in Scotland, but a return to lockdown is unlikely, a leading medic has said.
    "I don't think we'll go back to full lockdowns," says national clinical director Prof Jason Leitch.
    "I think we might have tricky moments on the road out, but I'm hopeful today because Omicron is diminishing," he tells BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme.
    First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said there is reason to be optimistic, suggesting that Scotland has "turned the corner on the Omicron wave".
    This week, Sturgeon announced Covid restrictions are being eased, with nightclubs reopening, large indoor events resuming and social distancing rules dropped.

    Masks still compulsory on London transport - Khan

    https://twitter.com/MayorofLondon/status/1484426227511345154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1484426227511345154%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Flive%2Fuk-60076381


    In England, face masks will no longer be compulsory in public places from 27 January, as the government ditches "Plan B" restrictions.
    But London Mayor Sadiq Khan has tweeted this morning to remind commuters that they will still need to wear them on the capital's transport.
    "We cannot risk undoing all the hard we've done to stop this virus in its tracks. Please keep wearing your mask," he tweets.
    Although masks won't be mandated across England, the government is still advising that they are a good idea in enclosed or crowded spaces.
    Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said he'll continue to wear a mask while shopping, as there's still a high prevalence of the virus.
    You can read more about the Covid rules across the UK here.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°8

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 11:39

    Covid cases 'drop significantly' in Africa, WHO says

    Cases of Covid have sharply declined in Africa and deaths are declining for the first time since the emergence of the Omicron variant, the World Health Organization has said.
    The UN health agency’s regional office for Africa said newly reported cases fell 20% in the week to Sunday while notified deaths dropped 8%.
    Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO’s regional director for Africa, described the 56-day flareup as Africa’s “shortest upsurge yet” but added: “The continent has yet to turn the tables on this pandemic. So long as the virus continues to circulate, further pandemic waves are inevitable.”
    Moeti said Africa should “not only broaden vaccinations, but also gain increased and equitable access to critical Covid-19 therapeutics to save lives and effectively combat this pandemic”.
    Only 10% of people in Africa are fully vaccinated, according to the WHO.
    The continent, with a population of 1.2 billion, has been relatively unscathed by the pandemic, reporting 234,913 deaths from 10.5 million cases, according to AFP tallies.
    However, most data experts agree that the lower numbers are most likely due to access to testing and the true number is much higher.

    Australia’s Omicron wave has likely peaked, experts say

    Donna Lu - The Guardian
    The Omicron outbreak of Covid cases appears to have peaked in New South Wales, Victoria and other parts of Australia, epidemiologists believe.
    Prof Adrian Esterman, an epidemiologist and biostatistician at the University of South Australia, said the Omicron wave had “absolutely certainly” peaked in NSW and Victoria.
    The Reff – the effective reproduction number, which measures how many other people someone with Covid will infect, on average – had dropped below 1 in both states, Esterman said.
    “We know that the peak has been reached when the Reff gets below 1.”
    On Thursday, Esterman calculated the Reff to be 0.83 in NSW and 0.8 in Victoria.
    “You can’t really interpret the daily cases very well because of huge fluctuations and large of numbers of rapid antigen tests coming through on a given day but being distributed over previous days,” Esterman said. “The Reff is still reasonably stable despite the daily fluctuation in case numbers.” 2
    Read the full story here.

    South Korea is reporting an additional 6,769 confirmed coronavirus cases,
    according to a recent update from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    Another 21 deaths have also been reported, taking the cumulative death toll in the country to 6,501.
    A total of 431 people are in in critical condition with 626 new hospital admissions per day.
    The intensive care bed utilisation rate - a closely watched figure - is at 21.9%.

    Thailand reports another 8,640 new daily coronavirus cases today and 13 deaths, according to recent report from the ministry of health.

    Malaysia is reporting another 3,497 new coronavirus cases and 27 deaths,
    according to recent government data.
    A total of 3,242 cases were locally transmitted while 522 were imported.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°9

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 11:44

    New Zealand extends Covid isolation to 14 days

    New Zealand has just announced it will be extending Covid isolation requirements to 14 days in light of the spread of the Omicron variant.
    “To help address the increased infectiousness of Omicron, as an interim measure the isolation time for all Covid-19 cases is being extended to 14 days. It was previously ten days,” the ministry of health said in a statement on Friday.
    A similar change is also being applied for close contacts where all close contacts will now isolate for ten days - an increase from the previous seven days.
    “As part of the response to Omicron, at this stage our public health teams are focussed strongly on stamping out early any Omicron cases in the community,” the ministry added.
    The changes are to take effect from Friday, 21 January.
    https://twitter.com/minhealthnz/status/1484329864157040643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1484329864157040643%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2Flive%2F2022%2Fjan%2F21%2Fcovid-news-live-africa-sees-cases-drop-significantly-experts-say-australias-omicron-wave-likely-peaked%3FfilterKeyEvents%3Dfalsepage%3Dwith3Ablock-61e937428f080fbff79de70e

    The island nation is reporting 23 new locally-transmitted coronavirus cases and 44 cases identified at the border.
    The seven day rolling average of community cases stands at 22 while the seven day rolling average of border cases is 40.
    A total of 18 people are currently in hospital while one person is in ICU for Covid-related problems.
    More than 900,000 boosters have been given to date.
    Another possible Omicron case has also been detected in Auckland in a person who works at Auckland Airport and so far not linked to previously reported Auckland Omicron cases, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

    China reports lowest daily tally of local confirmed cases in nearly two months

    This comes after a national strategy to stamp out flare-ups and lock down affected cities.
    China reported 23 domestically transmitted infections with confirmed symptoms for Thursday, official data showed, down from 43 a day earlier.
    This marks the fourth consecutive day of decline in local symptomatic cases, with the lowest daily case load since 29 November.
    The central province Henan and the northern city of Tianjin, two areas that have detected most of China’s local cases in the past 10 days, each reported fewer than 10 local confirmed infections for Thursday.
    The capital, Beijing, reported five, slightly up from three a day earlier. The southern city of Zhuhai and Xian in the northwestern also reported a handful of new local cases.
    China reported for Thursday two new domestically transmitted asymptomatic cases, which it classifies separately from confirmed cases, in the southwestern province of Yunnan. There were no new deaths, leaving the death toll at 4,636. As of 20 January, mainland China had 105,484 confirmed symptomatic cases, including both local ones and those arriving from abroad.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°10

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 11:53

    Hong Kong warns people interfering in Covid hamster cull

    Hong Kong police will deal with pet lovers who try to stop people giving up their hamsters to be put down, or who offer to care for abandoned hamsters, authorities said, after they ordered a cull of the cuddly rodents to curb the coronavirus.
    On Tuesday, officials ordered the killing of about 2,000 hamsters from dozens of pet shops after tracing a coronavirus outbreak to a worker at a shop, where 11 hamsters later tested positive for Covid-19.
    Thousands of people have offered to adopt unwanted hamsters amid a public outcry against the government and its pandemic advisers, which the office of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam called irrational.
    The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said any effort to try to save hamsters would be dealt with, even if that meant calling in the law.
    The department said:
    If the people concerned continue with such action, or fail to return the hamsters taken away, the AFCD will stringently follow up and hand it over to the police for handling.”
    The government has said the animals are being humanely dispatched and called on all sectors of society to unite to fight the spread of coronavirus.
    Hong Kong has also been testing rabbits and chinchillas but only the hamsters were positive. They were all imported from the Netherlands, according to broadcaster RTHK.

    Germany reports record rise of 140,160 new cases

    Germany is reporting another record rise of 140,160 new daily cases.
    It is the third consecutive day the European country has broken a pandemic record, with 170 deaths also reported, according to recently updated figures from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
    The previous daily count recorded on Wednesday was 133,536 daily new cases and 234 deaths.
    Tuesday saw 112,323 new coronavirus cases and 239 deaths.
    The nationwide seven-day incidence reported by the RKI has exceeded the threshold of 600 for the first time at 638.8.
    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 4500
    Pedestrians cross the Heinrich-Heine-Allee in the city center of Duesseldorf, Germany on 20 January. Photograph: Sascha Steinbach/EPA

    Germany now joins other European countries like the UK, France and Italy in recording more than 100,000 new Covid-19 infections on one day.
    Omicron now accounts for more than 70% of new infections.
    The country recently tightened restrictions on access to restaurants, bars and cafes to people who have received their booster jabs or who are tested on top of being fully vaccinated or recovered. Germany has also pledged to accelerate vaccinations while the parliament prepares to discuss introducing mandatory vaccinations - a measure supported by new chancellor Olaf Scholz.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°11

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 11:58

    Aid flight to tsunami-hit Tonga forced to return over Covid case

    An Australian aid flight en route to the South Pacific nation of Tonga recently devastated by a volcanic eruption and tsunami has been turned back to base due to a positive Covid-19 case onboard.
    The flight left Brisbane on Thursday afternoon but was turned around midflight after being notified of the positive Covid-19 case, an Australian defence spokeswoman said today.
    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 4800
    Personnel unload emergency aid supplies at Tonga’s Fuaʻamotu International Airport, near Nukuʻalofa, on 20 January. Photograph: Emma Schwenke/AP

    All crew had returned negative rapid antigen tests before departure, but PCR tests later showed the positive result. The supplies were moved to another flight that took off on Friday.
    Tonga is Covid-free and has a strict border control policy, and is requiring contactless delivery of aid that began arriving by plane on Thursday.

    Unruly, maskless passenger forces London-bound flight to return to Miami

    Matthew Cantor - The Guardian
    For airline staff, navigating the pandemic has meant grappling with a surge in bad behaviour, ranging from temper tantrums to punching flight attendants in the face.
    In the latest incident, 129 passengers paid a remarkable price: a maskless “disruptive customer” forced American Airlines’ flight AAL38 flying from Miami to London to turn around and go back, the New York Times reports. The reversal occurred off the North Carolina coast, after the flight had traveled about 500 miles.
    The customer, described by police as a woman in her 40s, was “refusing to comply with the federal mask requirement”, American Airlines said in a statement to the newspaper.
    “Once the plane made it to the gate, the passenger was escorted off the plane by MDPD officers without incident. The passenger was then dealt with administratively by American Airlines staff,” a police detective said, according to CNN.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°12

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 12:04

    A zoo in India is planning on rolling out a Covid vaccine trial on its resident lions and leopards

    Times of India is reporting.
    The experimental study comes after two lions died of Covid-19 at the Chennai zoo last year.
    The trial will be conducted on 15 animals in the Sakkarbaug zoo using a vaccine developed by ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE).
    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 5396
    A zoo in India is planning on rolling out a Covid vaccine trial on its resident lions and leopards. Photograph: Susan Poag/AP

    Beijing Winter Olympics torch rally to be cordoned off from the public
    The Beijing Winter Olympics torch relay will be cordoned off from the public because of concern about the spread of the coronavirus, organisers said on Friday, according to a Reuters report.
    The relay involving 1,200 torchbearers will begin on 2 February and wind up just two days later, on 4 February when the Games open in the capital, Beijing, and neighbouring Hebei province.
    Yang Haibin, an official from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports told a briefing:
    This torch relay will always prioritise safety.
    Taking into account factors such as epidemic prevention ... the torch relay and ceremonial activities will be arranged in safe and controllable closed venues.”
    Beijing, the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games, is on high-alert for the coronavirus after a handful of small outbreaks in various parts of the country that authorities have responded to with sweeping restrictions and mass testing.
    All of the torchbearers must be vaccinated and will be tested for the virus and have their health monitored for 14 days before the relay.
    The relay route, which will be much shorter than previous ones, will include a stop at the Great Wall, China’s most famous landmark, as well as central Beijing’s Olympic parks, the Summer Palace and other venues including International Grape Exhibition Garden and Zhangjiakou Industrial Culture Park.
    Only selected members of the public will be allowed to watch the relay in person.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°13

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 13:07

    A clinic in Malaysia injected people with distilled water before providing fraudulent Covid vaccination certificates
    Rebecca Ratcliffe - The Guardian
    The private clinic in Terengganu State was responsible for vaccinating people under the national immunisation programme, and issuing vaccine certificates that are required for travel. However, police suspect more than 1,200 people who attended the clinic were not actually vaccinated.
    Of 23 people who attended the clinic and have been interviewed by police so far, all admitted to not receiving the Covid vaccination. “Some of them admitted to taking injections of distilled water or saltwater on the grounds that they were still getting the shots, even though they were not the vaccine,” said Terengganu police chief Rohaimi Md Isa. Customers reportedly paid up to RM600 ($143 USD) each for the service.
    The clinic in Marang, Terengganu State, is one several under investigation by the police for fraudulently selling Covid certificates.
    Malaysia has fully vaccinated 80% of the population, and is now rolling out booster jabs. It will also begin vaccinating children aged five to 12 next month.
    However, officials have cited vaccine hesitancy and misinformation about side effects as a concern. In a statement published last week, Noor Hisham Abdullah, Director General of Health, said the government needed to “disentangle vaccine disinformation on Covid-19 vaccines, predominantly through social media platforms.”

    Two-thirds of passengers on first flight to Covid-free Kiribati diagnosed with virus

    Rimon Rimon - The Guardian
    After remaining Covid-free for the entirety of the pandemic, the Pacific island nation of Kiribati has reopened its borders – only for two thirds of the passengers on the first international flight to arrive in ten months to test positive for the virus.
    The island is now set to impose a four-day lockdown from Monday after the virus was found to have spread into the community.
    All 54 passengers, 36 of whom were diagnosed with Covid after arriving from Fiji last Friday, have now been quarantined and are recovering well, according to authorities.

    China’s zero Covid policy ‘not sustainable’ in light of Omicron

    Helen Davidson - The Guardian
    In the past two years, China’s controversial zero Covid policy achieved much success – although the personal and societal cost was high.
    “[The] detection of Omicron variant in many cities in China including Beijing shows how difficult it could be to maintain the zero Covid policy,” said Prof Jin Dong-yan, of Hong Kong University’s School of Biomedical Sciences.
    Without changing course (and it is probably already too late before the winter Games), experts expect more extreme measures to be announced in the coming weeks. Earlier this month, the Beijing municipality’s traffic management authority asked people to stay away from the special vehicles used to ferry athletes to and from the Winter Olympics venues in the event of a car incident.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°14

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 13:20

    New Delhi set to lift some weekend restrictions as case numbers fall

    India’s capital is set to lift a weekend curfew and allow private offices to be partially staffed after a fall in new Covid-19 infections, a city government official said on Friday.
    The number of new cases in Delhi has more than halved from a peak of 28,867 on 13 January and more than 80% of Covid beds across the city’s hospitals were unoccupied, according to government data.
    “In view of the declining cases of corona, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal approved the proposal,” the official, who declined to be identified to Reuters, said of a suggestion from authorities that the weekend curfew be scrapped.
    The city’s lieutenant governor, who must sign off on the city government’s executive decisions, was expected to review the proposal and clear the way for its formal approval later on Friday.
    Delhi has been one of the centres of India’s coronavirus pandemic for the past two years and has endured various lockdowns and curfews over different waves of infection. The city imposed the most recent curfew on 4 January and ordered schools and restaurants to close as infections caused by the Omicron variant surged.
    It was not clear if those curbs and a night curfew on weekdays would also be scrapped. Frustrated Delhi shopkeepers protested on the streets this week, demanding that curbs be lifted.

    Pakistan sets new record for daily Covid cases

    Pakistan reported on Friday over 7,000 Covid cases in a single day, its highest daily number of infections since the pandemic began.
    At least 7,678 cases in the past 24 hours pushed the positivity ratio to 12.93%, the highest ever in the last two years. 23 deaths were also reported in the last 24 hours, according to data from the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC), which is overseeing the pandemic response.
    “Amid rising trend of disease across the country a ban on indoor dinning in cities/districts with positivity above 10% has been imposed with effect from 21 January,” said a notification issued by NCOC.
    Syed Raza Hassan reports for Reuters from Karachi that the government authorised booster vaccination shots for citizens over the age of 30. Vaccination of children over the age of 12 has been made mandatory to attend the schools and children under 12 will attend schools with 50% attendance.
    “We might see a peak after two weeks followed by a gradual decline,” Faisal Mahmood associate professor of infections diseases at Aga Khan University Hospital told Geo television channel on Friday morning.
    He said the number of hospitalisations are rising, citing the on-going wedding season for the rapid spread of the virus. About 70 million people in Pakistan, or 32% of the population, have had two vaccine doses.

    More violent protests in Guadeloupe

    Further civil unrest broke out overnight on Friday in the French overseas territory of Guadeloupe and at least one police officer was injured, the Caribbean island’s prefect said.
    Guadeloupe and the nearby French island of Martinique have been hit by violent protests over the past few months, due partly to public anger over Covid restrictions.
    “The prefect condemns the unspeakable actions and offers its support to the injured person,” the statement said.
    Reuters remind us that a curfew was put in place in Guadeloupe at the end of last year in an effort to curb the sometimes violent protests.
    In Guadeloupe there has been mistrust of the French government’s handling of health crises since the 1970s when many islanders were exposed to toxic pesticides used in banana plantations.

    Russia sets new record for daily Covid cases at 49,513

    Russia has seen an extremely sharp rise in Covid cases in the last couple of days, and today set a new record of 49,513. That surpasses the previous peak of just over 40,000 cases in November.
    Yesterday there were 38,850 new cases, the day before around 32,000. Reuters note that the Russian Covid taskforce also announced an official figure of 692 deaths yesterday.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°15

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 13:28

    Today so far …


    • The World Health Organization notes that cases of Covid have sharply declined in Africa and deaths are declining for the first time since the emergence of the Omicron variant.
    • Australia’s Omicron wave has likely peaked in NSW and Victoria, according to experts.
    • There were 107,364 new Covid cases recorded in the UK yesterday. Over the last seven days there have been 650,700 new coronavirus cases recorded in the UK. Cases have decreased by 32.8% week-on-week.
    • The government in Wales has confirmed that nearly all Covid restrictions will be dropped in the country in the next eight days.
    • Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford has said Boris Johnson has been permanently damaged by the Downing Street lockdown party scandal. He said “Even if he were to survive, he will just limp on because he’s never going to escape the damage that this week has done to his reputation.”
    • European Union health ministers will meet today to try to find a common line over potential fourth doses of Covid-19 vaccines. EU members Hungary and Denmark have already decided to roll out a second booster jab.
    • Germany reported yet another new record of 140,160 new coronavirus cases on Friday as the country’s health minister warned the country could see at least 400,000 per day by mid-February.
    • Russia has seen an extremely sharp rise in Covid cases over the last three days, and has today set a brand new daily case record of 49,513.
    • Poland has set a record for new cases – 36,665 – and deputy health minister Waldemar Kraska has told broadcasters “In the coming days we will also have very high results, it worries us.”
    • Israel’s defence minister Benny Gantz said on Friday he was isolating after testing positive for Covid but was in good health.
    • Pakistan reported over 7,000 Covid cases in a single day, its highest daily number of infections since the pandemic began. A ban on indoor dinning in cities or districts with test positivity rate above 10% has been imposed with effect from 21 January.
    • By contrast, India’s capital New Delhi is set to lift a weekend curfew and allow private offices to be partially staffed after a fall in new infections. Meanwhile, a zoo in India is planning on rolling out a Covid vaccine trial on its resident lions and leopards, the Times of India is reporting.
    • China has reported its lowest daily tally of local confirmed Covid-19 cases in nearly two months. However the Beijing Winter Olympics torch relay will be cordoned off from the public because of concern about the spread of the coronavirus, organisers said.
    • Authorities and pet-lovers in Hong Kong are locked in a game of cat and mouse, with citizens mounting a clandestine rescue operation for hamsters condemned to be euthanised over fears they could transmit Covid-19.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°16

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 16:01

    London stood down from major incident - Khan

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 D9b02a17-b4d3-4e9e-a4ca-e0619a5154ad

    London's major incident status is being removed, Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced.
    But the city will remain on high alert due to the significant threat Covid-19 and the Omicron variant still pose in the capital, he says.
    The major incident was declared on 18 December due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, a significant rise in patients in London hospitals and the impact on staff absences in frontline services.
    It's been ended following the gradual reduction in the number of Covid cases, manageable hospital numbers and an improvement in staff absences, Khan says.
    He is calling on the government to rethink their Covid plans and keep legislation in place to make face coverings mandatory on public transport.
    "They still have a huge role to play in keeping our city open and our friends, family and communities protected," he says.

    Polish PM announces extra hospital beds being prepared as cases surge

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 D71a55b6-3cd7-4bfe-956f-ade6015cb56c

    Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Jakub Morawiecki has said the government will prepare more Covid hospital beds as it faces a surge in cases.
    The Polish government also announced that it will shorten Covid-19 isolation to seven days and will introduce free coronavirus tests in pharmacies across the country.
    As we reported earlier, Poland registered its highest number of daily infections on Friday - 36,665 new cases. This is an 128% increase from the previous week.
    Poland's health minister, Adam Niedzielski, warned that Poland could see around 140,000 daily Covid cases in a worst case scenario.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°17

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 16:07

    Bank boss who quit over Covid breach went to Euros final

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 8a8382e4-98df-4543-a156-3c96c1a88bb2

    António Horta-Osório quit as boss of banking giant Credit Suisse for breaking Covid rules by going to the Wimbledon tennis finals last summer.
    Now it's emerged he also went to the Euros football final at Wembley – on the same day.
    Credit Suisse had organised corporate hospitality at the events, but Horta-Osório took family to both after others were unable to use the tickets, the Financial Times reports.
    Horta-Osório went to the two big sporting events in July, at a time when the UK's Covid restrictions required him to be in quarantine.
    The England-Italy Wembley final was later declared a Covid super-spreader event, with more than 2,000 people said to have attended while "likely to be infectious".

    UK daily cases neared 500,000 in week after Christmas - ONS

    New cases of Covid-19 in the UK averaged nearly half a million a day during the week after Christmas, almost three times the official figures, new analysis suggests.
    An average of 173,400 new cases of coronavirus per day were recorded from 26 December to 1 January, according to the government's Covid-19 dashboard.
    But the true number of cases was likely to be nearer 479,100 a day, according to estimates by the Office for National Statistics.
    Health agencies are urging caution about interpreting the regular case numbers published each day for the UK, following changes in rules about testing.
    The sharp difference in totals reflects just how many new cases of Covid-19 are being missed in the dashboard figures, which count only those people who have reported themselves as having tested positive for the virus.

    Man detained in Beijing after ‘jumping out of window’ during quarantine

    Kerry Allen - BBC Monitoring, Chinese Media Analyst
    It is now just two weeks until the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and China’s capital city continues to try to combat an outbreak of Covid-19 under its “zero-Covid strategy”.
    Officials told a press conference today that Beijing has now confirmed 23 cases of Covid-19 since 15 January. These are spread across four districts in the city, and there have been cases of both the Delta and the Omicron variant.
    Beijing’s deputy police chief, Pan Xuhong, told the media about some of the Covid-19 violations that police officers have had to deal with over the last week.
    He mentioned the case of a 51-year-old man “jumping out of a window” in the city’s Changping District, in order to break quarantine. He said the man, surnamed Xie, has now been detained.
    He also spoke of a 46-year-old wholesaler “replacing import labels with domestic labels” after the authorities warned that import goods could pose a Covid-19 risk. Xuhong said the man is now being investigated.
    Read more.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°18

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 16:13

    Australia on Friday reported its deadliest day of the pandemic with 80 coronavirus fatalities, as an outbreak of the omicron variant continued to take a toll.
    But Dominic Perrottet, premier of the most populous state, New South Wales, said a slight decrease in hospitalizations gave him some hope about the strain the outbreak is putting on the health system.
    The previous record of 78 deaths was set on Tuesday. There have been just under 3,000 coronavirus deaths in Australia since the pandemic began. New South Wales, home to Sydney, reported a record 46 deaths. They included a baby who died from Covid-19 in December, one of several historical cases that were investigated.
    The news came after the premier of Western Australia state, Mark McGowan, backed down on a promise to reopen the state to the rest of the country on 5 February.
    In a late-night news conference on Thursday, McGowan said reopening the state as planned would be “reckless and irresponsible” given the large number of Covid-19 cases in other states. No new date has been set for when the state might relax its border closure.
    The border decision means neither Prime Minister Scott Morrison nor opposition leader Anthony Albanese can campaign in the state for now. An election is due to be held by May 21.

    Breaking News 

    UK records 95,787 new Covid cases

    The UK has recorded a further 95,787 coronavirus cases, according to the government's daily coronavirus data.
    There were also 288 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test.
    On Thursday 107,364 cases and 330 deaths were reported.

    Thousands of residents confined to their homes for five days in Hong Kong

    Nearly 3,000 residents at a Hong Kong housing estate will be confined to their homes for five days, authorities announced on Friday, as they struggle to halt an outbreak of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
    The lengthy lockdown order – reminiscent of those used on the Chinese mainland – comes as Hong Kong tacks harder to Beijing’s “zero-Covid” policy.
    At least 20 confirmed or preliminary positive cases were found in a public housing block in the Kwai Chung neighbourhood, said the health chief, Sophia Chan.
    “Clearly there is a community outbreak and the situation is worrying,” Chan told reporters.
    A security guard, cleaner and multiple residents living in non-adjacent flats have been infected, with the source thought to be a man who visited the building on 13 January.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°19

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 17:43

    Ireland looked set to rapidly unwind almost all Covid-19 restrictions with ministers due to meet on Friday to agree on a timetable after being given the all clear by public health officials.
    The country had the second highest incidence rate of Covid in Europe just last week but also one of the continent’s highest uptake of booster vaccines, which has helped keep the number of seriously ill people well below the previous peak.
    An 8pm curfew on the hospitality sector could be lifted as soon as this weekend, alongside the ditching of vaccines passes with capacity in indoor and outdoor venues also set to return to full capacity, including for next month’s Six Nations rugby championship, local media reported.
    Ministers have said previously said that some measures, such as the need to wear a mask on public transport or in shops, are likely to remain in place beyond the ending of the restrictions put in place late last year when the Omicron wave struck.

    Measures stepped up in Bulgaria in response to coronavirus omicron surge
    Health authorities stepped up anti-infection measures in Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, and other major cities in response to a surge in new coronavirus cases driven by the highly contagious omicron variant.
    Schools are limiting in-person classes, requiring students in all grades except first through fourth to switch to distance learning.
    The precautions also ban mass events and require restaurants and bars to operate at half of their customer capacity. All catering and entertainment establishments have to close no later than 10 p.m., and visitors need valid health certificates to be admitted.
    Bulgaria, which has the lowest Covid-19 vaccination rate in the European Union and a population of 6.5 million, reported on Friday 8,932 new virus cases and 87 deaths. The country’s test positivity rate for the virus increased to about 24%.

    Strict vaccine pass approved by France's Constitutional Council

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 C23a2891-6876-4dfb-b955-4ee64dc40ed1
    There have been protests against the new vaccine pass

    n France, a new Covid pass - that will effectively ban the unvaccinated from public life - has been approved by the country's Constitutional Council.
    From 24 January, people over 16 will have to show a certificate of vaccination to gain access to a host of public venues.
    The new law removes the option of showing a negative Covid test to enter places like bars and restaurants.
    The council ruled that the pass should not be required for political meetings, and should expire as soon as it is no longer necessary.
    French President Emmanuel Macron caused uproar when he told Le Parisien newspaper at the beginning of January he really wanted to "piss off" the unjabbed, by "limiting as much as possible their access to activities in social life".
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°20

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 18:13

    Ireland’s justice minister has posted on Instagram to confirm the news that almost all Covid measures in the country are to be scrapped.
    “I am so pleased to be able to say that as of 6 am tomorrow, the vast majority of restrictions that have been in place for almost two years now, on and off, will be lifted,” Helen McEntee said in a video posted on social media following a government meeting.
    “I don’t think any of us thought we’d actually be getting to this point as quickly as we are now,” she added. Prime Minister Micheal Martin is due to make a televised address on Friday evening to announce the measures.
    Ireland had the second highest incidence rate of Covid-19 in Europe just last week but also one of the continent’s highest uptake of booster vaccines, which has helped keep the number of seriously ill people well below the previous peak.
    Following advice from public health officials, the government decided that bars and restaurants will no longer need to close at 8 pm, a restriction put in place late last year when the Omicron wave struck, or to ask customers for proof of vaccination.
    Capacity in indoor and outdoor venues is also set to return to full capacity, paving the way for full crowds for next month’s Six Nations rugby championship. Some measures, such as the need to wear a mask on public transport and in shops, will remain in place for now.

    NPHET recommends lifting of almost all Covid restrictions
    Connell McHugh - Irish Post
    The three leaders of the coalition government will meet at Government Buildings this morning after it was revealed last night that the National Public Health Emergency Team were recommending the lifting of almost all Covid-19 restrictions.
    It is believed that NPHET have only recommended the continued use of face masks, Covid passes for international travel and the requirement to isolate when symptomatic.
    A timeline for the lifting of restrictions has not been laid out, leaving it up to government to decide the rate at which they will be eased.
    Following the meeting of the three leaders, there will be a Cabinet meeting at 3pm.
    Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, appearing on RTÉ's Prime Time last night, said that throughout the pandemic the government have tried to get the balance right between the needs of the economy and public health.

    "I do think the broader picture is that we will be able to get out of the regulations quicker than would have been possible a while ago," he said.
    When asked if the 8pm closure time of pubs and restaurants should be lifted today, and not on Monday, he said it would be best to read the letter from NPHET and consider it before making a decision.
    Donohoe also said the government will outline what it means to live with Covid in the medium and long-term.
    The Licensed Vintners Association in Ireland said last night the the news coming from NPHET "has been eagerly awaited by the entire hospitality and lat night sectors for a long, long time."

    "Hopefully the Government will now move swiftly and there will be no delays to the full reopening & the scrapping of hospitality restrictions," it said.
    https://twitter.com/LVADublinPubs/status/1484272110793117711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1484273524965613568%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishpost.com%2Fnews%2Fnphet-covid-recommends-lifting-of-almost-all-restrictions-228359

    Restaurants Association of Ireland Chief Executive Adrian Cummins also tweeted last night to say that the RAI was calling on all hospitality businesses to trade as normal from today, Friday 21 January.
    https://twitter.com/adriancummins/status/1484244276880064515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1484244276880064515%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishpost.com%2Fnews%2Fnphet-covid-recommends-lifting-of-almost-all-restrictions-228359


    Northern Ireland


    Today, changes to rules on self-isolation and table service in pubs and restaurants will also come into effect in Northern Ireland.

    The minimum period of self-isolation for those with Covid has changed to five full days from seven.
    People who test positive will need to produce negative lateral flow tests on day five and day six to end their period in isolation.
    Table service can be dropped from midday, and the rule of a maximum of six people to a table from no more than six households will also be lifted.
    The guidance on working from home will revert to doing so where you can, with employers encouraged to facilitate this.

    From next Wednesday, 26 January, the use of vaccine passports at pubs, restaurants and cinemas will no longer be required.
    Nightclubs will also reopen on that day and dancing can resume at indoor standing events.
    Vaccine passports will still be needed for nightclubs and indoor unseated and partially-seated events with 500 or more people in attendance.
    The need for offices to "take reasonable measures for 2m (6ft) social distancing" will be removed, although risk assessments should be carried out.
    • Back to top
    Kitkat
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    • Post n°21

    Coronavirus - 21st January 2022 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 21st January 2022

    Post by Kitkat Fri 21 Jan 2022, 18:22

    What's happened today?

    Here's a reminder of the key Covid stories from today:

    • First Minister Mark Drakeford says Wales has passed the peak of the Omicron wave, and some restrictions are being eased
    • Thousands of fans can return to stadiums in Wales, and pubs and restaurants will be able to operate outdoors without the "rule of six" or social distancing
    • The UK recorded fewer than 100,000 daily Covid cases on Friday, with weekly case numbers down 27% from the previous week
    • There were nearly half a million new UK Covid cases a day in the week after Christmas, ONS analysis suggests
    • Austria has moved a step closer to compulsory vaccination for all adults
    • France's strict new Covid pass has been approved by the country's Constitutional Council
    • And Adele has blamed Covid after she postponed her entire Las Vegas residency, 24 hours before it was due to start
    • The World Health Organization notes that cases of Covid have sharply declined in Africa and deaths are declining for the first time since the emergence of the Omicron variant.
    • Australia’s Omicron wave has likely peaked in NSW and Victoria, according to experts.
    • There were 107,364 new Covid cases recorded in the UK yesterday. Over the last seven days there have been 650,700 new coronavirus cases recorded in the UK. Cases have decreased by 32.8% week-on-week.
    • The government in Wales has confirmed that nearly all Covid restrictions will be dropped in the country in the next eight days.
    • Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford has said Boris Johnson has been permanently damaged by the Downing Street lockdown party scandal. He said “Even if he were to survive, he will just limp on because he’s never going to escape the damage that this week has done to his reputation.”
    • European Union health ministers will meet today to try to find a common line over potential fourth doses of Covid-19 vaccines. EU members Hungary and Denmark have already decided to roll out a second booster jab.
    • Germany reported yet another new record of 140,160 new coronavirus cases on Friday as the country’s health minister warned the country could see at least 400,000 per day by mid-February.
    • Russia has seen an extremely sharp rise in Covid cases over the last three days, and has today set a brand new daily case record of 49,513.
    • Poland has set a record for new cases – 36,665 – and deputy health minister Waldemar Kraska has told broadcasters “In the coming days we will also have very high results, it worries us.”
    • Israel’s defence minister Benny Gantz said on Friday he was isolating after testing positive for Covid but was in good health.
    • Pakistan reported over 7,000 Covid cases in a single day, its highest daily number of infections since the pandemic began. A ban on indoor dinning in cities or districts with test positivity rate above 10% has been imposed with effect from 21 January.
    • By contrast, India’s capital New Delhi is set to lift a weekend curfew and allow private offices to be partially staffed after a fall in new infections. Meanwhile, a zoo in India is planning on rolling out a Covid vaccine trial on its resident lions and leopards, the Times of India is reporting.
    • China has reported its lowest daily tally of local confirmed Covid-19 cases in nearly two months. However the Beijing Winter Olympics torch relay will be cordoned off from the public because of concern about the spread of the coronavirus, organisers said.
    • Authorities and pet-lovers in Hong Kong are locked in a game of cat and mouse, with citizens mounting a clandestine rescue operation for hamsters condemned to be euthanised over fears they could transmit Covid-19.
    • Back to top
    « View previous topic · View next topic »

      Current date/time is Thu 02 May 2024, 15:05