Covid-19 has infected more than 273M people and killed over 5.3M worldwide. Here are some of the latest coronavirus-related developments:
Saturday, December 18, 2021
New York sees highest single-day cases
The US state of New York saw its highest single-day total of coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.
The state reported 21,027 positive cases in 263,536 test results, with a positive ratio of 7.98 percent, Governor Kathy Hochul said on Twitter.
There were 3,839 hospitalisations and 60 deaths reported.
Paris cancels New Year's Eve festivities
Paris has cancelled planned New Year's Eve fireworks as well as festivities in line with new government rules to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex recommended that people, even if vaccinated, take a Covid-19 self-test before getting together for year-end parties.
Egypt reports first cases of omicron
Egypt has confirmed the country’s first three cases of omicron.
A Health Ministry statement said that two of the cases did not show any symptoms for the virus, while the third showed mild symptoms.
The three were placed in quarantine.
Thai prison set on fire during riot over coronavirus cluster
Hundreds of prisoners set fire to a Thai jail during a two-day riot over the handling of a coronavirus cluster, with some inmates wounded as officers sought to restore order.
Thai prisons are notoriously overcrowded and have struggled to curb the spread of the virus. More than 87,000 inmates have been infected with 185 recorded deaths, according to the Corrections Department.
Authorities were set to inspect the damage Saturday after some 400 prisoners in the southern Thai jail went on a rampage starting Thursday night, demanding that inmates with the coronavirus be removed.
Premier League clubs to meet over Covid crisis
Premier League clubs will meet on Monday to discuss disruptions caused by Covid-19 after nine scheduled top-flight matches were postponed due to outbreaks on various teams.
Chelsea and Liverpool had key players missing on Thursday while Tottenham Hotspur, who had 13 cases among players and staff, have not played since December 5 and had three games postponed in all competitions.
Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard said teams will hold their own meetings next week after a number of club bosses called for more clarity on the criteria for postponing games due to Covid-19.
Japan to extend foreigner entry curb
Japan will extend a curb on foreigners entering the country beyond year-end to prevent the spread of Omicron.
Japan reversed an easing of controls late last month as Omicron spread around the world and has one of the world's strictest border policies.
Although Covid-19 cases have fallen dramatically since a deadly wave in August, there is growing concern about Omicron, which has been found more than 30 times in Japan, mostly during airport screening and quarantine.
Omicron to be 'dominant' in France in 2022
French Prime Minister Jean Castex likened the spread of the Omicron variant in Europe to "lightning,” adding it would be the dominant strain in France from the start of 2022.
Castex added that while much remains unknown about the variant "it does not seem to be more dangerous than the Delta variant and the data available to us indicate that complete vaccination coverage with the booster dose protects well against severe forms of the disease.”
Nearly 3,000 people are in intensive care with Covid-19 in France according to the latest figures.
Court OKs Biden employer vaccine mandate
A federal appeals court panel allowed President Joe Biden’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate for larger private employers to move ahead.
The 2-1 decision by a panel of the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals reverses a decision by a federal judge in a separate court that had paused the mandate nationwide.
The rule from the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration was to take effect Jan. 4.
With the ruling, it’s not clear when the requirement may be put in place.
Canada lifts Africa ban, reimposes testing
Canada announced the lifting of a ban on foreign travelers from 10 African countries, while reimposing testing requirements and warning that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 risks quickly overwhelming hospitals.
The travel restriction on flights from South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt will end at 11:59 pm on Saturday (0459 GMT Sunday), Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told a news conference.
The restriction had been announced last month "to slow the arrival of Omicron in Canada and buy us some time," he said.
Experts urge Dutch government "strict" lockdown
The health experts advising the Netherlands' government on the Covid-19 strategy have recommended the country go into a "strict" lockdown, Dutch media reported, just days after a partial lockdown was extended through January.
Broadcaster RTL Nieuws and newspaper NRC Handelsblad cited sources within the panel of experts, whose recommendations are not made public until after the government has taken a decision, that they have advised the closure of all but essential stores.
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(With input from news agency language)
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