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The new Covid variant, dubbed Omicron and originally detected in South Africa, poses a “high to very high” risk to Europe, the EU health agency warned on Friday. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) noted in a threat assessment report that there was still “considerable uncertainty related to the transmissibility, vaccine effectiveness, risk for reinfections and other properties of the Omicron variant.” However, the overall risk that Omicron posed to the European […]
Total active cases at 17,853 or 0.6 percent of total COVID cases (Eagle News) – The Philippines reported 863 new COVID-19 cases, the second lowest number of new cases in a day for this month. The single-day lowest number of new cases was 849 recorded last Nov. 16. Total active cases reached 17,853 as of Friday, November 26, or just 0.6 percent of total COVID cases for the third straight day. This is so […]
JERUSALEM, Israel (AFP) — Israel has identified a case of a Covid-19 variant with a large number of mutations first detected in South Africa, the health ministry said Friday. “The variant discovered in southern African states has been identified in Israel,” the ministry said, adding it was recorded “in a person who returned from Malawi”. Two more cases were detected in “people returning from abroad”, it said, adding that they had been placed in quarantine. […]
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — Governments across Europe rushed on Friday to bolster their defences against a fresh coronavirus spike, as South Africa announced it had detected a new Covid-19 strain that scientists fear could torpedo efforts to beat the pandemic. In recent weeks the continent has been in the throes of surging cases and violent riots, wrestling with booster programmes and dramatic lockdowns to stem the tide as its death toll surpassed 1.5 […]
High number of mutations of B.1.1.529 raise alarm bells, as PHL eases restrictions for fully vaccinated passengers from “green” countries starting Dec. 1 (Eagle News) – The Philippines is closely monitoring the developments in South Africa and in Hong Kong where a new variant of the COVID-19 virus has been detected, given the name B.1.1.529, which is found to have a “very high number of mutations, with a concern for predicted immune invasion […]
SHANGHAI, China (AFP) — Hundreds of flights were cancelled, some schools shut and tour groups suspended on Friday after three coronavirus cases were reported in Shanghai, as China continues its strict zero-Covid policy. Beijing has largely succeeded in controlling the spread of the coronavirus within its borders through travel restrictions and snap lockdowns, but frequent domestic flare-ups have tested its no-tolerance strategy in recent months. The three positive cases are friends who travelled to the […]
BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (AFP) — Only a quarter of health workers in Africa are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, the World Health Organization said Thursday warning that majority of the continent’s frontline medical workforce were dangerously exposed. By contrast, a recent study of 22 predominantly high-income countries revealed that more than 80 percent of healthcare workers there were fully vaccinated against coronavirus, according to the WHO. “The majority of Africa’s health workers are still missing out on […]
by Susan NJANJI Agence France Presse JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — Scientists in South Africa said Thursday they had detected a new Covid-19 variant with a large number of mutations, blaming it for a surge in infection numbers. The number of daily infections in Africa’s hardest-hit country has increased tenfold since the start of the month. “Unfortunately we have detected a new variant which is a reason for concern in South Africa,” virologist Tulio […]
by Jan Flemr PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AFP) — Czech President Milos Zeman returned to hospital hours after being released Thursday as he tested positive for Covid-19, his spokesman Jiri Ovcacek said in a statement. Zeman was expected to appoint centre-right leader Petr Fiala as prime minister on Friday, but Ovcacek said his programme would now be put on hold. The 77-year-old veteran leftwinger was hospitalised on October 10, a day after a general election, and […]
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain on Thursday said it would ban travel from six southern African countries, after South Africa detected a new Covid-19 variant with a large number of mutations. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said all flights would be suspended from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Botswana from 1200 GMT Friday. © Agence France-Presse
SANTIAGO, Chile (AFP) — Chile on Thursday announced it would start vaccinating children aged three and up against the coronavirus, after successfully innoculating around 90 percent of its initial target population. Children under the new rollout will receive the Chinese CoronaVac shot already used for kids aged six to 15, the Public Health Institute said. For 16 to 18-year-olds, Chile uses the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The decision to use different shots was based on studies with […]
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Cathay Pacific on Thursday said it will slash passenger flights into Hong Kong next month as the city’s strict travel curbs keep international travellers away while rivals see prospects improve. Hong Kong has maintained some of the world’s harshest quarantine measures and travel restrictions during the pandemic, which has kept infections low but ensured a business hub that dubs itself “Asia’s World City” has been cut off internationally for […]
