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Summary
Here’s a run-down of all the Covid news from the past day:
Europe
- In England around 1.2 million people were infected with Covid last week, or 1 in 45 of the population - a pandemic record. London estimated 1 in 30 people were infected last week.
- UK health secretary Sajid Javid says there will be no further announcements on Covid restrictions in England before Christmas.
- Germany’s health minister said he expects a surge in coronavirus cases around new year and people will probably need a fourth vaccine shot.
- Germany also confirmed the country’s first death due to the Omicron variant.
- Greece banned public Christmas and New Year’s Eve festivities and mandated mask-wearing in open spaces. The measures will come into effect on Friday morning.
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Italy is planning to tighten restrictions including making mask wearing mandatory outdoors. The country has also banned public New Year’s Eve celebrations.
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Malta will ban all events where attendees are standing not seated, except weddings and funerals, from 27 December.
- Nightclubs in Scotland are to close from 27 December for three weeks.
- Denmark will require foreigners entering the country to provide a negative Covid-19 test from 27 December, regardless of vaccination status.
- Montenegro’s president, Milo Djukanović, tested positive for Covid-19 after being in contact with an infected person.
- The Spanish region of Catalonia will introduce a night curfew on Thursday.
United States
- Emergency Covid testing sites are being set up in hard-hit areas across the US.
- The US Supreme court will hold a special session on Biden’s nationwide vaccine-or-testing Covid mandate for large businesses and a separate vaccine requirement for healthcare workers.
- The US Food and Drug Administration authorised Merck’s antiviral pill, molnupiravir, for Covid-19, after giving the go-ahead to a similar treatment from Pfizer a day earlier.
Asia
- China locks down 13 million people in Xi’an after detecting 127 Covid cases. All residents are barred from leaving their houses except to buy living necessities every other day or for emergencies.
- Organisers of the Beijing Winter Olympics said they expect a “certain number” of Covid-19 cases in China due to foreigners arriving for the Games.
- South Korea set a new record for Covid deaths on Thursday.
- Australia reintroduced Covid curbs such as mandated mask wearing indoors, capacity limits and QR code check-ins to cover most of the population on Thursday as daily infections hit a fresh record.
- Australia will also shorten the interval for people to receive their booster shots to four months from five from 4 January.
South America:
- Ecuador is making vaccination against the coronavirus mandatory.
Middle East
- Covid infections are rising again across the six Gulf Arab states after months of low or falling figures.
US sets shorter Covid isolation rules for health workers
Federal officials have loosened rules that call on health care workers to stay out of work for 10 days if they test positive amid fears that a new Covid wave could overwhelm understaffed US hospitals, the Associated Press reports.
Those workers now will be allowed to come back to work after seven days if they test negative and don’t have symptoms. Isolation time can be cut to five days, or even fewer, if there are severe staffing shortages, according to the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement:
As the health care community prepares for an anticipated surge in patients due to omicron, CDC is updating our recommendations to reflect what we know about infection and exposure in the context of vaccination and booster doses.
“Our goal is to keep health care personnel and patients safe, and to address and prevent undue burden on our healthcare facilities.”
Isolation is designed to keep infected people away from uninfected people, to prevent further spread of the virus.
Samantha Lock here and back with you on the blog.
I’ll bringing you the news from over here in sunny Sydney so let’s start with a quick snapshot of how Covid is unfolding in Australia.
The nation’s most populous state of NSW recorded 5,612 new coronavirus cases, while Victoria recorded 2,095.
Covid-19 booster shots have been brought forward to four months with plans to reduce the gap even further to three months on 31 January and restrictions have returned in most states and territories.
The Czech Republic will require all foreigners visiting the country to have a negative PCR coronavirus test prior to entry starting from 27 December, unless they had a booster vaccine dose, the health ministry said.
The measure is aimed at limiting the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant during New Year’s celebrations, Reuters reports.
Updated
Australia will shorten the interval for people to receive their booster shots to four months from five from 4 January, the country’s health minister, Greg Hunt, said, as the country grapples with record infections fuelled by the Omicron variant.
The wait time will be further reduced to three months from 31 January, Hunt said during a media conference, Reuters reports.
Updated
Brazil registered 3,645 new cases of coronavirus and 137 further Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, the country’s health ministry said on Thursday, Reuters reports.
Montenegro’s president tests positive for coronavirus
Montenegro’s president, Milo Djukanović, tested positive for Covid-19 after being in contact with an infected person, Reuters reports.
“The president has mild symptoms and feels well. In line with epidemiological measures he will remain in self-isolation from where he will perform his regular presidential duties,” said the statement posted on the presidential website.
Updated
Ecuador’s government said it has made it obligatory for eligible people to be vaccinated against Covid-19, amid an increase in cases and the circulation of new variants of the disease, Reuters reports.
About 12.4 million Ecuadoreans – or 77.2% of those aged 5 and over – have been fully vaccinated against the disease, the health ministry said in a statement.
“Ecuador declares vaccination against Covid-19 to be obligatory. This decision was taken because of the current epidemiological situation: the increase in infections and the circulation of new variants of concern like Omicron,” the statement added.
Updated
General Motors has joined a group of companies that will not send employees or top executives to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in the US next month due to the growing concerns about Omicron variant, Reuters reports.
Updated
Updated
The Spanish region of Catalonia won court approval for a night curfew on Thursday as Madrid pledged to distribute millions more test kits to tackle the Omicron variant that is driving up infections and overshadowing Christmas.
Omicron’s arrival has sent daily cases soaring to a record of more than 72,900 on Thursday.
Catalonia, which surrounds the city of Barcelona, will ban residents from leaving their homes between 1am and 6am from Thursday night, while other regions took a less stringent approach.
Southern Murcia told non-essential businesses to shut at 1am, severely curtailing revelry in a country where bars and restaurants routinely stay open until the small hours, Reuters reports.
Updated
Doctors in the UK have made an urgent plea to keep Christmas celebrations small as scientists said mounting evidence that the Omicron variant of coronavirus is milder may not be enough to stop the NHS being overwhelmed.
In the first government study of its kind, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) found that the risk of being admitted to hospital is up to 70% less for people with Omicron compared with those infected with Delta.
But the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) warned ministers that the new variant would have to be about 90% less severe for hospital admissions not to reach previous peak levels, “unless the wave peaks early for other reasons”, according to minutes published.
Updated
The US administered 500,222,330 doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the country as of Thursday morning and distributed 611,897,975 doses, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Those figures are up from the 499,013,558 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by 22 December, out of 609,035,545 doses delivered.
The agency said 241,520,561 people had received at least one dose while 204,740,321 people are fully vaccinated as of 6am ET on Thursday, Reuters reports.
Updated
Anti-vaccination protesters who attempted to serve spurious legal papers to the former England football captain Alan Shearer delivered the documents to the wrong house, it has emerged.
The former Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers striker had encouraged people to get a Covid booster jab in a video promoted by the Premier League last week.
Italy bans public New Year’s Eve celebrations
Italy has banned all public New Year’s Eve celebrations as daily Covid-19 infections hit a record high, the government announced.
Health minister Roberto Speranza said mask-wearing would be compulsory outdoors again and ordered people to use the more protective Ffp2 face masks on public transport and in public places such as theatres and cinemas and at sports events.
In addition, concerts and open-air events will be banned until 31 January, and discos and dance clubs will have to shut their doors until that date, in an effort to prevent mass socialising during the holiday period, Reuters reports.
Updated
US president Joe Biden’s steps to relieve hospitals and distribute 500m at-home coronavirus test kits, however welcome, are too little too late to stem a surge of Omicron-related coronavirus cases over Christmas and New Year’s, health experts said.
A day after Biden outlined his plans, Anne Rimoin, a UCLA professor of epidemiology, praised his focus on testing, a “critical tool” that the US was “woefully” behind on.
“Unfortunately, it’s late in coming and will be a small drop in the bucket compared to the tsunami of cases on the horizon.”
Updated
The White House said it is grateful that former US president Donald Trump received and promoted getting the Covid-19 vaccine booster shot.
The Republican former president recently said in an interview that he received a booster shot, and called the vaccines “one of the greatest achievements of mankind”.
“We’re grateful that the former president got the booster, and we’re also grateful that he made clear in a recent interview that they work and they’re safe,” press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters in a briefing, Reuters reports.
Updated
More than 35,000 British retailers and 20,000 bars and restaurants are facing significant financial distress, according to new data, while shoppers are forecast to spend almost a quarter less in physical stores this Boxing Day than before the pandemic.
If fashion and footwear shops, furniture businesses and other “non-essential” retailers are allowed to remain open from 26 December, £3.94bn is expected to be spent in stores and online that day, 10% less than before the pandemic and 1% lower than last year.
Spending in physical stores alone is expected to fall by 23% compared with 2019 as many shoppers avoid high streets, shopping centres and retail parks amid fears over the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
Around one in 10 new cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus identified in England have been linked with a previous infection of Covid-19, new analysis shows.
Of 116,683 people with a confirmed or probable case of Omicron recorded between 1 November and 18 December, 11,103 (9.5%) were connected to a previous confirmed infection and were at least 90 days from previously testing positive.
The UK Health Security Agency (HSA) said the findings showed that the population reinfection rate had “increased sharply and disproportionately” to the number of first infections, PA reports.
The HSA said the ages of the cases linked with a previous infection ranged from infants to people in their 90s, while there were 69 people for whom Omicron was their third episode of infection, the HSA said.
Updated
Afternoon summary
Here are all the key coronavirus developments in the world today:
- The risk of being admitted to hospital is 70% less with Omicron than with Delta, according to a new UK study that confirms earlier analysis. Meanwhile, South African data suggested the Omicron coronavirus variant is 70% to 80% less severe than the Delta.
- France, Italy and the UK all reported record daily tallies of coronavirus infections.
- Greece banned Christmas and New Year’s Eve festivities to curb the spread of Omicron, China’s city of Xi’an implemented a lockdown and Malta banned all events where attendees are standing, except weddings and funerals.
- Several countries tightened restrictions for tourism and visitors. Lebanon will require all tourists to show a certificate of vaccination or a negative PCR test within the previous 48 hours to enter restaurants and hotels, while Denmark will require foreigners entering the country to provide a negative Covid-19 test.
I’m signing out for the end of the day; thanks for following the blog. We’ll be continuing coverage into the evening, with Nadeem Badshah taking over.
Lithuania’s parliament has passed a law that will require lawmakers to have a Covid health pass starting from January in order to attend hearings, bringing them in line with broader immunity certificate rules in the country.
AFP reports:
Doors to the building will only be open to MPs who are fully vaccinated, have recently recovered from Covid-19 or have tested negative for the virus over the previous 72 hours.
It is possible that lawmakers unable to attend parliamentary hearings because they do not have the health pass will see their salaries cut.
More than 600,000 people will be forced to isolate with Covid across the UK on Christmas Day after a record 119,789 tested positive, the highest daily figure since the pandemic began, Jem Bartholomew writes.
The surge triggered by the Omicron variant means that 608,000 people who have had Covid confirmed since 18 December in England and 15 December in the rest of the UK will still be in their isolation period on 25 December, Guardian analysis shows.
France has just confirmed its tally of daily new coronavirus infections at 91,608, the highest in the pandemic so far.
Updated
Risk of being admitted to hospital is 70% less with Omicron
The risk of being admitted to hospital is up to 70% less for people with Omicron compared to those infected with Delta, according to the first UK government study of its kind.
People with Omicron are estimated to be between 31% and 45% less likely to attend A&E compared with those with Delta, and 50% to 70% less likely to require admission to hospital, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The early findings, described as “encouraging” and “promising”, are consistent with analysis published on Wednesday by Imperial College London and the University of Edinburgh.
The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, has asked states to ramp up oxygen supplies and strengthen health infrastructure to curb a possible surge of Omicron cases ahead of the festive season.
Reuters reports that India recorded 236 Omicron coronavirus cases across 16 states over the past 24 hours, more than double from last week.
The government said in a statement:
PM directed the officials to ensure that the health systems in the states, beginning from the district level, are strengthened to meet any challenge posed by the new variant. It is important for states to ensure that the oxygen supply equipments are installed and fully functional, he (Modi) instructed the officials.
The federal government has also urged states to impose curbs lasting for almost two weeks should there be a risk of an outbreak.
Updated
France set to announce highest case numbers
France is expected to announce 88,000 coronavirus cases, the country’s highest daily tally during the pandemic so far.
The health minister, Olivier Véran, said that Covid rules in the country would be likely to change shortly.
The country reported that 3,208 people were in intensive car units for Covid-19 on 23 December, versus 3,147 the day before. There have been an additional 179 deaths in the past 24 hours.
Updated
Italy reports record high infection tally
Italy reports that the daily tally of new infections rose to 44,595 from 36,293, hitting a record high.
Healthy ministry data also showed that 168 coronavirus-related deaths against 146 the day before.
Reuters reports:
Patients in hospital with Covid-19 – not including those in intensive care – stood at 8,722 on Thursday, up from 8,544 a day earlier. There were 93 new admissions to intensive care units, up from 92 on Wednesday. The total number of intensive care patients increased to 1,023 from a previous 1,010.
Updated
Here are some more expert tips on how to have a Covid-safe Christmas, from cutting back on socialising to staying outdoors.
A new Guardian Australia series, Inside Covid, is taking an in-depth look at the stories that have remained hidden from public view during the pandemic.
This latest instalment hears from three intensive care workers about what life has really been like on the ward.
Updated
Germany has added the US, Spain and Portugal to its list of high risk areas for Covid while removing Austria, Reuters reports.
Updated
Honduras began giving booster shots to all adults on Thursday, in efforts to suppress Omicron after previously only offering boosters to healthcare workers and vulnerable people.
“Today we’re giving the Pfizer vaccine to the population aged 18 and above who have already had a second dose three months ago. We have not confirmed the presence of the Omicron variant, but we must prevent it,” health minister Alba Flores said.
Updated
UK breaks daily Covid infections tally again with almost 120,000 new cases
The UK detected 119,789 new Covid infections in the past 24 hours, a 139% rise on the 50,023 new cases recorded on Thursday two weeks ago.
A further 147 people died from Covid-related causes, compared to 146 deaths recorded on Thursday last week.
The NHS England national medical director, Stephen Powis, said the NHS was “on a war footing and staff are taking the fight to Omicron”.
The UK health secretary, Sajid Javid, said ministers would not be imposing any fresh restrictions in England before Christmas, despite new cases on Wednesday rising above 100,000 for the first time in the pandemic.
Updated
Vatican City has announced tighter restrictions for all Vatican workers, requiring them to show a green pass of Covid vaccination or virus recovery due to a “worsening of the current health emergency”.
Previously, the unvaccinated could enter workplaces if they had proof of a negative test, but this will no longer be acceptable.
It comes after Italy moved to tighten restrictions to curb a sharp rise in Covid infections, including making mask-wearing mandatory outdoors again. (See our earlier post.)
Early data suggested the highly mutated Omicron variant accounted for 28% of Italian cases on 20 December, health authorities said.
Updated
Poland reported 17,156 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours, according to Polskie Radio, a 37.5% decrease on the 27,459 recorded on Thursday two weeks ago.
Poland’s most recent wave saw cases spike in late November and early December before receding in recent weeks. But Omicron – with 14 cases detected far in Poland – has led to fears of a resurgence.
A further 616 people died related to Covid on Thursday, a 10% increase on the 561 deaths two weeks ago. A total of 93,445 in Poland have died with the virus.
This is Jem Bartholomew taking charge of the global blog for a while. Drop me an email or message me on Twitter with any tips or stories, it’s always great to hear from you.
Updated
Zambia will introduce booster vaccines from 27 December as it battles the coronavirus, which has infected over 200,000 people and killed more than 3,000.
Reuters reports:
The southern African nation also plans to start vaccinating children aged 12-17, who until now have not been eligible for the Covid-19 jab, health minister Sylvia Masebo said at a media briefing.
Masebo said primary vaccination, currently below 15% of the eligible population, would remain a priority as Zambia seeks to raise its coverage to 70% by June next year.
Denmark will require foreigners entering the country to provide a negative Covid-19 test from 27 December, regardless of vaccination status.
Reuters reports:
The requirement follows similar announcements from Nordic neighbours Sweden and Finland earlier this week.
Under the new rules, all non-citizens and non-residents seeking to enter the country will need to present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours, or a negative rapid antigen test taken within 48 hours, the Danish ministry of health said in a statement.
The rules are set to be in force until at least 17 January and failure to comply will result in a fine of 3,500 Danish kroner (£396).
Updated
The US Food and Drug Administration has authorised Merck & Co’s antiviral pill for Covid-19, after giving the go-ahead to a similar treatment from Pfizer a day earlier.
Reuters reports:
Merck’s drug, molnupiravir, developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, was shown to reduce hospitalisations and deaths by around 30% in a clinical trial of high-risk individuals early in the course of the illness. The agency authorised the oral drug for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Covid-19 in adults who are at risk of severe disease.
Updated
The north-eastern Spanish region of Catalonia will ban residents from leaving their homes between 1am and 6am from the morning of 24 December, although other regions continue to take a less stringent approach.
Reuters reports that the region won court approval for a night curfew on Thursday as Madrid pledged to distribute millions more test kits to tackle the Omicron variant.
Southern Murcia has also told non-essential businesses to shut at 1am, curtailing revelry in a country where bars and restaurants routinely stay open until the small hours.
“The idea is to try to limit, during the Christmas season, social interactions where the mask is not used,” Murcia’s regional leader, Fernando López Miras said as he explained the measure, which northern Aragon was also considering.
Updated
The Guardian’s US team have interviewed experts on how to make the Christmas holidays as safe from Omicron as possible, with useful advice that’s applicable to lots of other countries.
Italy is planning to tighten restrictions to curb a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections, including making mask-wearing mandatory outdoors again.
The prime minister’s office said that among other measures that look set to be approved when the cabinet meets later on Thursday will be an order making it compulsory to wear the more protective FFP2 face masks in public spaces such as theatres, cinemas and at sports events, Reuters reports.
The statement said the government was also considering closing discos and clubs up until New Year’s Eve.
The validity of Covid-19 health certificates, which give access to an array of places and services, will be cut to six months from nine months.
In addition, the government is reviewing whether to speed up booster shots, seen as the most effective shield against the Omicron variant, by cutting the waiting time after the second vaccine to four months from five.
Updated
Germany’s Robert Koch Institute for infectious disease confirmed the country’s first death due to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus on Thursday, Reuters reports. The person who died was between the age of 60 and 79, the institute said.
There were 810 new Omicron cases reported, bringing the total number of cases with the variant to 3,198. The only cases counted are those that are detected by whole-genome sequencing or a diagnostic suspicion based on a variant-specific PCR test.
Updated
Lebanon’s tourism ministry has ordered restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues to require a certificate of vaccination or a negative PCR test within the previous 48 hours from visitors from 17 December until 9 January.
Updated
Malta will ban all events where attendees are standing rather than seated, except weddings and funerals, from 27 December, the Times of Malta reports.
The Maltese health minister, Chris Fearne, also announced that from 17 January, bars, restaurants, clubs, gyms, pools and spas, casinos, gaming halls, cinemas, theatres and sport venues will be open only to those who have a valid vaccination certificate. All establishments will have a 1am curfew.
Sports events may continue, but no spectators will be admitted. Visiting hours at hospitals will be reduced.
All those over 18 will be able to apply for a booster jab from Monday.
Updated
A new Guardian video is showcasing the voices of healthcare workers around the world, who have been on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic for almost two years.
Five doctors who have worked in hospitals in Uganda, New Zealand and the US, India, England, and Brazil share how the pandemic has tested them personally and professionally, but how they continue to find hope and resolve to keep working.
China’s Xi’an city has implemented a lockdown for its 13 million residents to curb rising Covid-19 infections, Reuters reports.
The daily count of domestically transmitted infections with confirmed symptoms in the north-western city has increased for six straight days since 17 December. That takes the tally of local cases to more than 200 over the period from 9 December to 22, smaller than many outbreaks outside China. No Omicron infection has yet been found in Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province.
But consistent with Beijing’s stance that no flare-up can be allowed to spread, Xi’an has made it hard for residents to leave. Those who want to leave must test negative before departure and get clearance from employers or community-level authorities.
From Thursday, each household may send only one person to shop for necessities every two days, while others may not leave unless they have essential jobs.
Updated
Around 1.2 million people in England are thought to have been infected with Covid-19 last week, representing 1 in 45 of the population and a new pandemic record, official estimates show.
London was worst hit with an estimated 1 in 30 people infected with the coronavirus last week, according to the figures from the Office for National Statistics.
The percentage of cases of the Omicron variant increased in all regions apart from the northeast. In Scotland, 1 in 80 people were estimated to be infected with COVID-19, a decrease from 1 in 70 the previous week. The estimates for Wales and Northern Ireland were unchanged at 1 in 50 and 1 in 55.
Updated
Greece bans Christmas and New Year’s Eve festivities
Greece has banned public Christmas and New Year’s Eve festivities and mandated mask-wearing in open spaces to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, its health minister said.
Reuters reports:
The measures will come into effect on Friday morning and will also require citizens to wear two masks or masks offering high protection on public transport and in supermarkets. Foreign visitors are “strongly encouraged” to take two PCR tests a few days after arrival.
The health minister, Thanos Plevris, said additional measures were expected in the new year, mainly in entertainment and sports events, to avoid another lockdown.
Updated
Coronavirus infections have started rising again across the six Gulf Arab states after months of low or falling figures, according to official health data.
Reuters reports:
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has seen a particularly sharp increase in Covid-19 infections since announcing the arrival of Omicron early this month, with 1,002 cases of coronavirus recorded on Thursday, up from 68 on 2 December.
The resurgence comes during the region’s peak tourism season, especially in the UAE which is welcoming millions of visitors to the Expo 2020 Dubai world fair and other seasonal events.
All six countries have identified Omicron in their territories – though their daily tallies do not break down the infections by variant.
The Gulf’s most populous country, Saudi Arabia, registered 252 new infections on Thursday, up from daily tallies of around 50 recorded since late September. Health authorities there advised citizens and residents this week to avoid all unnecessary foreign travel. The kingdom reported its first Omicron case on 1 December.
Oman, Qatar and Bahrain are also seeing cases pick up, although less dramatically. Kuwait reported 143 new cases on Wednesday, its highest daily count since late August.
Updated
The Omicron coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly in Italy, with early data showing it accounted for 28% of cases on 20 December, health authorities say.
Reuters reports that the National Health Institute (ISS) has released preliminary data of a flash-survey showing it accounted for 28% of cases on 20 December, compared with just 0.19% of cases on 6 December.
Comparison of the two reports shows the variant’s doubling time is about two days, in line with the pattern already found in other European countries, ISS said.
“Although the results are still preliminary, the estimate confirms the great speed of diffusion of the variant, which is set to become dominant in a short period of time,” said the ISS president, Silvio Brusaferro.
The data was provided in the morning to the government, which is expected to decide at a cabinet meeting later on Thursday on new measures to tackle the pandemic.
Rachel Hall here taking over the live blog from Charlie Moloney for the rest of the day. I’ll be keeping you updated with all the latest developments around the world, but if you’ve got any ideas for things I’ve missed please drop me a line at rachel.hall@theguardian.com.
Updated
Power cables are believed to have been stolen from a vaccination centre in the middle of a surge in Omicron cases.
The leads, used for a generator at a site in Tonbridge, Kent, were reported missing by local MP Tom Tugendhat on Twitter on Thursday.
Tugendhat took to social media to try to source new cables to get the centre up and running for the day.
The Tonbridge and Malling MP, who has served as chairman of the foreign affairs committee since 2017, said: “Someone has stolen the leads to the generator of the vaccination centre on Sovereign Way, Tonbridge. We need to replace them urgently.”
Updated
Omicron variant 70% to 80% less severe than Delta, data from South Africa suggests
Data from South Africa suggests the Omicron coronavirus variant is 70% to 80% less severe than the Delta one, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday, but that should not be extrapolated to all countries.
“We should interpret the data from South Africa with a lot of caution,” John Nkengasong told an online media briefing. “This is early days and public health practice is local.”
He added that factors such as the young median age of the South African population could be playing a part in what was being observed in the country.
Updated
Germany’s health minister said on Thursday that he expects a surge in coronavirus cases around new year and people will probably need a fourth vaccine shot to maintain the best immune response against Covid-19.
Karl Lauterbach told public radio network WDR 2 that Germany hasn’t yet seen a big, rapid wave of new infections from the Omicron variant like some European countries.
“That will change around new year and in the first week of January,” Lauterbach said.
The government is urging Germans to limit their contacts over the holiday period and to get vaccinated, including with booster shots if they have already had their initial vaccines.
Updated
Russia’s coronavirus death toll passed the 600,000 mark on Thursday, Reuters calculations based on official data showed, after a surge of infections linked to the Delta variant.
Russia had the third highest toll in the world with 600,434 fatalities, behind the United States which has recorded around 813,000 deaths and Brazil with 618,000.
The Omicron variant, which is spreading fast in other countries, has so far made little impact on the Russian data. Officials said this week they had detected only 41 cases.
The calculations were based on figures from the Rosstat statistics service up to the end of October, and data from the Russian coronavirus taskforce for November and December.
Rosstat figures usually exceed those given in daily updates by the coronavirus taskforce. It has yet to publish figures beyond October.
Updated
Fourth vaccine may be needed for some people
It is possible that people may need to get a fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine, a UK scientist has suggested.
Adam Finn, a professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol and a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told LBC Radio: “I think there will be people probably who will receive a fourth jab – whether that will be everyone, I think, is still very much in doubt.
“We do need to see how things go through this wave and beyond.
“I think there may well be people who received their boosters early who are in the older more vulnerable age groups who may need a further jab – that has not been decided yet.
“It is still under review and discussion, and we will be providing recommendations on that at some point in the new year.”
Updated
Australia reintroduced COVID-19 curbs such as mandated mask wearing indoors, capacity limits and QR code check-ins to cover most of the population on Thursday as daily infections hit a fresh record, fuelled by the highly infectious Omicron variant.
The changes for 17 million people two days before Christmas mark a reversal of the country’s plans for a permanent reopening after nearly two years of stop-start lockdowns as the new variant rages through the community in spite of double-vaccination rates of more than 90%, Reuters reports.
Hospitalisations and deaths remained low, but the explosion of infections had created a risk of healthcare workers being furloughed by testing positive, the authorities said.
The country recorded more than 8,200 new cases, by far its biggest daily rise since the pandemic began, from a previous record of 5,600 a day earlier, mostly in the states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria.
Updated
Here’s a quick take on where New Zealand stands with its fight against Covid from our reporter in Wellington, Eva Corlett.
As the Covid-19 pandemic hurtles towards its second anniversary, New Zealand will emerge from 2021 with some of the best health outcomes in the world, despite confronting its toughest few pandemic months.
This year New Zealand experienced its longest lockdown, its highest daily case numbers (222 in mid-November), more hospitalisations than in 2020 and a pivot away from the government’s ambitious elimination approach to one of strict virus control. But it can now boast a 90% double vaccination for the eligible population and one of the lowest per capita death rates, while its cases in the current outbreak are trending downwards.
As other countries reimpose restrictions alongside the Omicron variant’s emergence, New Zealanders can look forward to celebrating Christmas and the new year with family and friends. With no community cases of Omicron yet detected, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, sports venues and night clubs remain open with minimal constraints aimed mostly at the unvaccinated.
Read the full story here.
Summary
If you’ve just joined or you’re waking up over in the UK here is a quick snapshot of the how Covid is unfolding across the world:
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Omicron carries lower hospitalisation risk and does not cause more severe illness than previous variants, studies from the UK and South Africa suggest.
- China locks down 13 million people in Xi’an after detecting 127 Covid cases. All residents are barred from leaving their houses except to buy living necessities every other day or for emergencies.
- Australian states reimpose mask mandates with NSW and Victoria set to join Queensland, the ACT, Tasmania and parts of the Northern Territory in requiring masks for inside areas.
- Organisers of the Beijing Winter Olympics said they expect a “certain number” of Covid-19 cases in China due to foreigners arriving for the Games.
- South Korea set a new record for Covid deaths on Thursday.
- Emergency Covid testing sites are being set up in hard-hit areas across the US.
- Americans vaccinated and boosted who choose to attend large gatherings over the holidays may not be safe, even for those who received a booster dose, top US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci said.
- In Quebec, Canada, gatherings inside homes will be limited to six people or two family bubbles beginning the day after Christmas.
Hello. Samantha Lock here as we continue to go through all the latest Covid developments from across the world.
If you’ve just joined us it’s been a particularly fast-moving past 24 hours as researchers rush to understand the severity of Omicron and nations reimpose Covid curbs.
Let’s start with some promising news that the Omicron variant - which has so far been detected in 106 countries - may be less severe than other coronavirus strains such as Delta.
The latest data suggest Omicron does not cause more severe illness than previous variants, but soaring infection numbers could still cause more deaths.
An Imperial College study analysed hospitalisations and vaccine records among both Omicron and Delta Covid cases in England between 1 and 14 December.
Researchers found the Omicron variant appears to be milder, with a 20%-25% reduced chance of a hospital visit and at least a 40% lower risk of being admitted overnight.
A separate, preliminary analysis of Omicron cases in Scotland pointed to an even greater reduction in the risk of hospitalisation compared with Delta. Scientists on the Eave II study, using hospital data from 23 November to 19 December, concluded that the risk of hospitalisation may be 70% lower with Omicron than Delta.
While Omicron takes hold across Europe, parts of Asia are still battling the Delta variant.
South Korea set a new record for Covid deaths on Thursday, reporting another 6,919 new coronavirus cases and 109 related deaths in the past 24 hours, according to data released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
A record number of 1,083 people were also admitted to hospital with serious symptoms and in critical condition.
The Asian nation is struggling to contain a surge in Covid-19 cases that is placing intense pressure on medical services, reportedly prompting the prime minister, Kim Boo-kyum, to commit to securing an additional 10,000 hospital beds for patients with moderate to serious symptoms by the middle of next month.
Updated
China locks down 13 million people in Xi’an after detecting 127 Covid cases
In case you missed our earlier story, Rhoda Kwan has more on the Chinese lockdown as she reports from Taipei.
Up to 13 million people have been placed into lockdown in the city of Xi’an in China’s north, as authorities move to clamp down on the community spread of Covid-19 after 127 infections were found in a second round of mass testing.
The snap lockdown on Thursday comes little over a month before Beijing is set to host the Winter Olympics.
All residents in Xi’an are barred from leaving their houses except to buy living necessities every other day or for emergencies, while travel to and from the city is suspended save for in exceptional circumstances requiring official approval. All non-essential businesses have also been closed.
Authorities issued an order late on Wednesday, according to the state news agency Xinhua. The vice-premier, Sun Chunlan, has travelled to the region to oversee implementation of the lockdown.
The lockdown measures are some of the most severe since China locked down 11 million residents in Wuhan in early 2020, where the Covid-19 virus was first detected.
Read the full story here.
India is reporting a daily increase of 7,495 new Covid infections.
The south Asia country also recorded another 434 deaths with a cumulative death toll nearing half a million at 478,759, according to the health ministry.
Speaking of Australia, here is a visual snapshot of where the country stands in its fight against the coronavirus.
Australian states reimpose mask mandates
The premier of Australia’s most populous state of NSW, Dominic Perrottet, addressed the media on Thursday to confirm masks will be mandated for inside areas and density limits would also be imposed.
As of midnight tonight, we will be requiring that masks are worn in indoor settings.
We are encouraging people, particularly over the holiday period, if you can work from home, please work from home.
We’ll be moving from hospitality venues indoors to two square metres from December 27 to January 27 ... And also the indoor face mask requirement will also be in place until January 27 as well.”
Perrottet cautioned against mingling, saying:
In addition to that, we’re encouraging people not to mingle and when you’re out and out at a restaurant or cafe and a pub or a club, please where possible don’t mingle.
The news follows the state of Victoria, which recently reintroduced an indoor mask mandate on advice of the chief health officer.
From 11.59 tonight, face masks will be required in all indoor settings, except private homes, for persons eight and over.Face masks will also be required at major outdoor events for people over 30,000 people. They can be removed when seated.
Mask mandates are now, or will in the next 24 hours, be in place in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, the ACT, Tasmania, parts of the Northern Territory and certain high-risk settings in South Australia.
Updated
Organisers of the Beijing Winter Olympics said they expect a “certain number” of Covid-19 cases in China due to foreigners arriving for the Games, and strongly urged participants to get vaccination boosters due to the spread of the Omicron variant, Reuters news agency reports.
The Games, set to run from 4 February to 20 February, will take place in a “closed loop” in order to contain the spread of the virus in China, which has among the strictest Covid curbs in the world and has largely managed to contain local outbreaks.
Han Zirong, vice president and secretary-general of the Beijing organising committee, told a press briefing on Thursday:
A large number of people from different countries and regions will come to China and the flow of people will increase. Consequently, a certain number of positive cases will become a high probability event.”
China will not allow overseas spectators at the Games and has reported five cases of the Omicron variant, including four from people entering the country from overseas.
America’s National Hockey League yesterday announced that its players will not participate in Beijing.
Updated
Meanwhile in neighbouring Japan, the government is not considering an immediate change to current Covid-19 restrictions, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Thursday, a day after community transmission of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus was discovered.
The government confirmed on Wednesday that a family of three based in the western city of Osaka had the Omicron variant and the origin of how they had caught the virus could not be traced.
Japan decided to extend strict border controls “for the time being”, the prime minister, Fumio Kishida, said yesterday despite criticism from students waiting to take up university places and families who say they have been unfairly separated by the restrictions. Kishida had originally said those measures would stay in place until early January.
Japan is recording comparatively few daily cases, but Kishida warned of the need to remain vigilant, speed up the booster rollout and promote the use of orally administered Covid-19 drugs, the Kyodo news agency said.
Updated
Thailand is reporting another 2,940 new coronavirus cases and 30 deaths.
This is an increase on the 2,532 new coronavirus cases and 31 deaths on Wednesday, according to the ministry of health.
Thailand has also reinstated mandatory Covid quarantine for foreign visitors and scrapped a quarantine waiver. The move was confirmed by the government, which said the action was being taken due to concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant.
Malaysia is also reporting another 3,419 locally-transmitted Covid cases and 29 deaths, according to the ministry of health.
Updated
South Korea reports record high Covid deaths and critically ill
South Korea has just released its daily Covid report, setting a new record for Covid deaths on Thursday.
The east Asian nation reported another 6,919 new coronavirus cases for Wednesday and 109 deaths, according to data released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
A record number of 1,083 people have been admitted to hospital with serious symptoms and in critical condition.
The previous record high of critically ill patients was 1,063 recorded earlier this week.
The number of deaths has also just surpassed 5,000 with 5,015 cumulative deaths reported.
South Korea is struggling to contain a surge in Covid-19 cases that is placing intense pressure on medical services, prompting the prime minister, Kim Boo-kyum, to commit to securing an additional 10,000 hospital beds for patients with moderate to serious symptoms by the middle of next month, the Yonhap news agency reported.
South Korea now requires citizens over 18 to present a quarantine pass, proof of Covid vaccination or negative PCR test to access indoor sports events, cinemas and concert halls. Other new restrictions include social distancing measures that will last until at least 2 January, limiting gatherings to no more than four people and forcing restaurants, cafes and bars to close by 9pm.
Updated
Emergency Covid testing sites are being set up in hard-hit areas across the US.
The first site opened in New York City on Wednesday, with more set to open next week.
Sites such as the one just opened in NYC hopes to provide 25,000 free PCR tests a week.
The new testing sites follow criticism of a widespread Covid testing shortage before the holidays. A surging demand for tests, driven by the new variant and the winter holidays, has led to long lines and shortages around the country.
Pressed about US testing shortages amid the Omicron surge, US president Joe Biden conceded in an interview with ABC that “nothing’s been good enough”.
“We’re nearly two years into the pandemic and a year into your presidency. Empty shelves and no test kits in some places, three days before Christmas … is that good enough?” asked ABC’s David Muir.
“No, nothing’s been good enough,” said Biden. “I wish I had thought about ordering” the 500m at-home tests two months ago, the president later added.
Yesterday, @POTUS committed to setting up emergency COVID-19 testing sites in hard-hit areas. Today, the first of these sites opened in NYC, with more to open in the next week. Together, these federal sites in New York City will be able to provide 25,000 free PCR tests/week. pic.twitter.com/iXk1oKwx9l
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) December 22, 2021
Fauci advises Americans against large holiday gatherings
Americans vaccinated and boosted who choose to attend large gatherings over the holidays may not be safe, even for those who received a booster dose, top US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci said on Wednesday.
Fauci told a White House briefing:
There are many of these parties that have 30, 40, 50 people in which you do not know the vaccination status of individuals. Those are the kind of functions in the context of Omicron that you do not want to go to.”
The seven-day average of Covid-19 cases in the United States rose 25% from the previous week to about 149,300 cases per day, said US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky, with average daily deaths up 3.5% at 1,200.
Over in Canada, Quebec’s premier has just announced that beginning the day after Christmas, gatherings inside homes will be limited to six people or two family bubbles.
Restaurants are already operating at half capacity and need to close their doors at 10pm. Now they will also have to limit groups at tables to six people or two families from 26 December.
Premier Francois Legault said the “exponential” increase in coronavirus infections over the past week is continuing. He said Quebec will report about 9,000 news cases for Wednesday.
“For the past week, the number of cases has increased very rapidly,” Legault said.
Earlier this week, the French-speaking Canadian province abruptly closed bars, gyms and schools and warned that further restrictions could be coming while awaiting projections on the spread of the virus and its impact on hospitalisations.
Omicron carries lower hospitalisation risk, studies suggest
If you missed our earlier stories detailing the results of two recent studies out of the UK and South Africa, here’s a brief run-down on what it all means.
An Imperial College study analysed hospitalisations and vaccine records among both Omicron and Delta Covid cases in England between 1 and 14 December.
Researchers found the Omicron variant appears to be milder, with a 20%-25% reduced chance of a hospital visit and at least a 40% lower risk of being admitted overnight.
A separate, preliminary analysis of Omicron cases in Scotland pointed to an even greater reduction in the risk of hospitalisation compared with Delta. Scientists on the Eave II study, using hospital data from 23 November to 19 December, concluded that the risk of hospitalisation may be 70% lower with Omicron than Delta.
South Africa has also reported data on Covid cases driven by the Omicron variant that appears to give added impetus to claims Omicron carries a lower severity of disease.
“In South Africa, this is the epidemiology: Omicron is behaving in a way that is less severe,” said Prof Cheryl Cohen of the country’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), one of the authors of the study.
“Compellingly, together our data really suggest a positive story of a reduced severity of Omicron compared to other variants,” she said during a news conference by a group of NICD scientists on Wednesday.
Updated
Hello it’s Samantha Lock back with you on the blog as we near the end of the week and the countdown to the holiday break really begins.
I’ll be bringing you all the latest Covid developments from across the world.
Let’s start with some promising news that the Omicron variant - which has so far been detected in 106 countries - may be less severe than other coronavirus strains such as Delta.
The latest data suggest Omicron does not cause more severe illness than previous variants, but soaring infection numbers could still cause more deaths.
“We do have some data suggesting that rates of hospitalisation are lower,” said WHO’s technical lead on Covid-19, Maria van Kerkhove, while cautioning against drawing conclusions from early data.
Kerkhove’s statement seems to be backed by two studies out of South Africa and the UK. Researchers from the Imperial College in London found the Omicron variant appears to be milder, with a 20%-25% reduced chance of a hospital visit and at least a 40% lower risk of being admitted overnight.
The findings follow a study from South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) which found “reduced severity” of Omicron compared to other variants.
“In South Africa, this is the epidemiology: Omicron is behaving in a way that is less severe,” said NICD professor Cheryl Cohen.
As Covid numbers continue to increase throughout practically all regions of the world, China is continuing to pursue it’s strict Covid-zero policy.
Authorities in the northern city of Xi’an have imposed a stringent lockdown after 52 new reported infections were recorded.
More than 13 million people will be ordered to stay at home except to buy necessities once every two days or in emergencies from midnight on Thursday.
Here’s a run-down of all the Covid news you may have missed:
Europe
- Covid booster drives are likely to prolong the pandemic, head of the World Health Organization has said.
- The WHO’s European chief has warned countries to brace for a “significant surge” in cases as Omicron spreads across the continent.
- The WHO also cautioned there is not enough data on Omicron severity yet.
- European countries including Germany, Sweden, Finland and Portugal announced they will reimpose Covid curbs just before or after Christmas.
- Italy’s prime minister Mario Draghi said the government is preparing new Covid restrictions, including the return to mandatory mask-wearing outdoors and the use of more protective FFP2 masks indoors.
- Wales will impose a rule of six in pubs, cinemas and restaurants from 26 December.
- France could soon have around 100,000 new Covid cases a day, health minister Olivier Veran said on Wednesday, up from around 70,000 currently as the country battles a fifth wave of the epidemic.
- France on Wednesday also opened vaccinations to children aged between five and 11.
- The UK recorded 106,122 new Covid cases on Wednesday, the highest daily figure since the beginning of the pandemic and the first time cases have passed 100,000.
- Britain has signed contracts to buy a further 4.25m courses of antivirals for its health service to help combat the Omicron variant.
- England cuts Covid self-isolation to seven days with a negative test.
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Denmark will tighten restrictions in schools from 5 January with pupils and staff taking two weekly tests, staff and parents urged to wear facemasks.
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Belgium is set to close cinemas and theatres close from this weekend in tightening of Covid measures.
- Face masks will once again be compulsory at all times outdoors in Spain.
- Germany’s new health minister Karl Lauterbach suggested a fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose would be required in order to protect against the Omicron variant.
United States
- US regulators approve the first Covid antiviral pill.
- The US recorded the lowest rate of population growth in its history in the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the US Census Bureau.
Asia
- Japan has confirmed its first known local transmissions of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus in Osaka.
- In northern China, the city of Xi’an has entered lockdown, ordering all 13 million residents to stay home from midnight on Thursday. Households may only “send one household member outside once every two days to purchase necessities” while everyone else must remain indoors except in the case of an emergency.
- Singapore will freeze the sale of tickets for arriving flights and buses under its quarantine-free travel programme for four weeks from Thursday.
Africa
- A study from South Africa suggests Omicron carries a lower risk of hospitalisation and severe disease. Scientists from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) found the risk of hospital admission was roughly 80% lower for those infected with Omicron compared with Delta though high population immunity may also be a factor.
- Unvaccinated people in Kenya will be banned from public places, the health ministry said.
Middle East
- Israel will offer a fourth dose of the Covid vaccine to people over the age of 60 or with compromised immune systems, and to health workers.
- In Nigeria, around a million AstraZeneca Covid doses donated by developed countries were destroyed Wednesday after they expired.
- AstraZeneca has said it is working with Oxford University to produce a vaccine for the Omicron variant.
