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Retrieved from: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Police officers enter a tram as they check the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) protocol in Dresden, Germany, November 23, 2021. REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel
European countries expanded COVID-19 booster vaccinations, began plans to get shots to young children and tightened some curbs on Thursday as the continent battled a surge in coronavirus cases and concerns about its economic fallout grew.
Slovakia went into a two-week lockdown, the Czech government declared a 30 day state of emergency involving early closure of bars and clubs and a ban on Christmas markets, while Germany crossed the threshold of 100,000 COVID-19-related deaths.
Europe is at the heart of the latest COVID-19 wave, reporting a million new infections about every two days and now accounting for nearly two thirds of new infections worldwide.
The European Commission proposed on Thursday that EU residents will need to have booster shots if they want to travel to another country in the bloc next summer without the need for tests or quarantines.
In France, authorities announced that booster shots would be made available to everyone aged over 18, rather than just the over-65s and those with underlying health issues.
Many countries are rolling out or increasing the use of booster shots, although the World Health Organization wants the most vulnerable people worldwide to be fully vaccinated first.
In Africa, where just 6.6% of the population of 1.2 billion is fully vaccinated, many countries are struggling with the logistics of accelerating their inoculation campaigns as deliveries of vaccines finally pick up, the head of Africa's disease control body said on Thursday.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on Wednesday recommended vaccine boosters for all adults, with priority for those over 40.
The number of new daily cases in Germany hit a record of 75,961 on Thursday and its total death toll reached 100,119 since the start of the pandemic, according to the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases.
Data showed the surge is weighing on consumer morale in Germany, Europe's largest economy, dampening business prospects in the Christmas shopping season. read more
SHOTS FOR YOUNG KIDS
There is a growing push in some countries for vaccinating young children.
The EU's medicines watchdog on Thursday approved use of Pfizer (PFE.N) and BioNTech's (22UAy.DE) vaccine in 5- to 11-year-olds at a lower dose, after authorising it for children as young as 12 in May. The European Commission will issue a final decision, which is expected on Friday.
Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic were preparing to inoculate younger children following the European Medicines Agency's approval, although deliveries of the lower doses are not due until Dec. 20.
In France, where the number of infections is doubling every 11 days, Health Minister Olivier Veran said he would ask health regulators to examine whether 5- to 11-year-olds should be able to get vaccinated.
Nearly half a million lives across Europe have been saved due to vaccination, among people aged 60 years and over since the vaccine roll-out began, the World Health Organization's regional office said on Thursday in a study with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
STRICTER CURBS
Many European countries are toughening curbs.
The state of emergency announced by the Czech Republic allows the government to order restrictions on public life. Authorities there ordered bars and clubs to close down at 10 p.m., banned Christmas markets and capped attendance at cultural and sports events at 1,000 people. read more
Slovakia's two-week lockdown from Thursday followed neighbouring Austria, which began a lockdown on Monday. Slovakia, with one of the EU's lowest vaccination rates, reported a critical situation in hospitals and new infections that topped global tables.
Authorities ordered all but essential shops and services closed and banned people from travelling outside their districts unless going to work, school, or a doctor. Gatherings of more than six people were banned.
French authorities said rules on wearing face masks will be tightened and checks on health passes used for entry to public places will be increased. But officials said there was no need to follow European countries that have reimposed lockdowns.
In Germany, Greens co-leader Annalena Baerbock said the new government, comprising the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Democrats (FDP), had set itself 10 days to decide if further restrictions are needed.
Much of Germany has already introduced rules to restrict access to indoor activities to people who have been vaccinated or have recovered.
In the Netherlands, the number of coronavirus patients in hospital has hit levels not seen since early May, and experts have warned that hospitals will reach full capacity in little more than a week if the virus is not contained.
The Dutch government said it would take strong measures to curb infections. National broadcaster NOS reported on Thursday the government's leading Outbreak Management Team has advised the closure of restaurants, bars, and non-essential stores by 5 p.m. as part of a new package of lockdown measures.
Retrieved from: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/european-countries-seek-more-covid-booster-shots-vaccinations-children-2021-11-25/
Protesters run towards police officers in Rotterdam, Netherlands November 20, 2021, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. Video recorded November 20, 2021. Sven Simcic - Video In Verzet via REUTERS
The Dutch government plans a set of "heavy measures" to slow the current record wave of new COVID-19 cases the country is facing, health minister Hugo de Jonge said on Thursday, but it has not made a final decision on what they will be.
"That heavy measures will be needed is beyond doubt," De Jonge told reporters in The Hague after health authorities reported more than 20,000 new cases in the past 24 hours. The government is expected to announce new restrictions on Friday.
Retrieved from: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/netherlands-plans-heavy-measures-stop-covid-19-spread-minister-2021-11-25/
People wearing protective face masks walk on a street, following new cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Shanghai, China August 25, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song
A handful of local COVID-19 cases in eastern parts of China have prompted Shanghai city to limit tourism activities and a nearby city to cut public transportation services, as China insists on zero tolerance against letting clusters spread.
Shanghai city detected three domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases with confirmed symptoms for Nov. 25, official data from the National Health Commission (NHC) showed on Friday. The last local symptomatic infection in Shanghai was reported in August.
The new infections came just days after China contained its biggest outbreak caused by the Delta variant, suggesting the growing challenge in efforts to eliminate local clusters.
National health officials had said earlier this month that China's aim is not to remain at zero infections, but to make sure local clusters can be detected and contained as quickly as possible.
Shanghai has suspended travel agencies from organising tourism that involves trips between the city and other province-level regions.
The financial hub of 24.9 million residents has sealed up a few residential compounds deemed of higher infection risk, and two local hospitals have halted some face-to-face services to comply with COVID control.
Xuzhou city in the eastern Jiangsu province, about 9 hour- drive from Shanghai, reported one locally transmitted asymptomatic carrier for Nov. 25 who was a close contact of a Shanghai infection. China counts asymptomatic cases separately.
The city of 9.1 million population has suspended all its three subway lines, cut some citywide as well as long-distance bus services and closed a few entrances on highways linking it and surrounding areas.
It advised residents not to leave town for unnecessary reasons, and those who have to travel must show proof of a negative test result within 48 hours before departure.
Xuzhou demanded suspensions of larger face-to-face public activities including concerts, sports events and exhibitions. It also required all schools to halt their offline classes between Friday and Sunday, and asked universities to tighten management on students' requests to leave campus.
Hangzhou city in the eastern Zhejiang province also detected two local asymptomatic infection for Nov. 25, the NHC data showed.
As of Nov. 25, mainland China had reported 98,583 confirmed cases with symptoms, including both local ones and those arriving from abroad. The total death toll remained unchanged at 4,636.
Retrieved from: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/shanghai-cuts-tourism-eastern-chinese-city-limits-transport-resurgent-covid-2021-11-26/
By Neha Arora
Passengers wearing protective face masks wait to exit upon arrival at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after India cancelled all flights from the UK over fears of a new strain of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India, December 22, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
India issued an advisory to all states to rigorously test and screen international travellers from South Africa and other "at risk" countries amidst concerns over a new coronavirus variant, after easing some of its travel restrictions earlier this month.
The federal health ministry said reports of mutations in the new variant, identified as B.1.1.529, had "serious public health implications".
"This variant is reported to have a significantly high number of mutations, and thus, has serious public health implications for the country in view of recently relaxed visa restrictions and opening up of international travel," health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to states issued late on Thursday.
On Friday, the UK Health Security Agency said the new variant has a spike protein that was dramatically different to the one in the original coronavirus that COVID-19 vaccines are based on. And it could make existing vaccines less effective.
Britain has banned flights from six African countries, and asked returning British travellers from those destinations to quarantine.
India, the world's second-worst affected country by COVID-19, posted the smallest rise in new cases in one-and-a-half years this week, due to rising vaccinations and antibodies in a large section of its population from previous infections.
The country's total cases of the coronavirus reached 34.56 million on Friday. India's daily caseload has halved since September and the country reported 10,549 new cases on Friday.
Earlier this month, India identified 10 countries "at risk" that includes Europe, Britain, China, South Africa, and New Zealand, among others. And has opened its borders to 99 countries overall.
Indian shares tumbled more than 2% on Friday, as investors fled risky assets panicking over the impact of the new variant. The losses were in line with steep falls seen in markets across Asia.
Retrieved from: https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-tighten-covid-19-testing-tourists-amid-new-variant-concerns-2021-11-26/
UK officials announced that six African countries will be added to England's travel "red list" after the UK Health Security Agency flagged concern over the variant.
UK's Health Minister Sajid Javid said flights to the UK from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe will be suspended from midday Friday and all six countries will be added to the red list -- meaning UK residents and British and Irish nationals arriving home from those points of departure must undergo a 10-day hotel quarantine at their own expense.
"UKHSA is investigating a new variant. More data is needed but we're taking precautions now," Javid said, adding the variant identified in South Africa "may be more transmissible" than the Delta strain and that "the vaccines that we currently have may be less effective."
Javid added the UK "hasn't detected any of this new variant" in the country so far.
On Friday, South African officials will brief the World Health Organization, which has classified B.1.1.529 as a "variant under monitoring."
South Africa, like much of the region, has suffered through three significant Covid-19 waves since the pandemic's start. While the number of new infections across the country is now still relatively low and positivity levels are under 5%, public health officials have already predicted a fourth wave because of a slow vaccine uptake.
Retrieved from: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/25/world/covid-variant-south-africa-immune-evasion-transmissibility/index.html
News of the recently identified B.1.1.529 variant has raised concern among scientists and world leaders, with the WHO set to assess its severity and potential impact in a meeting today.
Indian health officials on Friday put states on alert, asking them to carry out “rigorous screening and testing” of travellers who had arrived from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong, and to trace and test their contacts.
Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan urged all states to ensure that samples from Covid-positive travellers be swiftly sent to genome sequencing labs for testing.
China is continuing to pursue its strict Covid-zero policy in light of three new cases detected in the city of Shanghai.
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled while some schools were shuttered and tour groups suspended, AFP reports. Six Shanghai hospitals have also suspended outpatient services.
· Germany reports another 76,414 Covid cases and 357 deaths, according to data released from the Robert Koch Institute.
· The Netherlands is set to tighten its partial lockdown today to curb soaring Covid cases. Prime minister Mark Rutte is expected to announce new anti-Covid measures which could include closing bars, restaurants and non-essential shops. Police are preparing for possible new riots against the restrictions.
· Portugal is set to bring back Covid vaccination certificates for public spaces including bars, hotels, restaurants and gyms and once again make face masks compulsory indoors, reports Reuters.
· China sees another Covid-19 outbreak with 6 cases in 3 cities in single day after a dinner with friends reportedly led to infections in Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou, all in the country’s east. The source of the fresh outbreak is still being traced, the South China Morning Post reports.
· Hong Kong and Chinese authorities said a meeting on Thursday moved them closer to partially reopening the border between them. Hong Kong’s government said: “Good progress was made in the meeting on exploring the resumption of quarantine-free travel between the mainland and Hong Kong in a gradual and orderly manner.”
· Australia’s border is set to remain open to South Africa despite emergence of new Covid variant. Australia’s health minister, Greg Hunt, said officials were assessing the threat posed by the strain and would not yet introduce restrictions on arrivals from southern Africa.
· South Korean health authorities said a fetus has died of Covid-19 in the first case in the country, Yonhap news reports. A 24-week pregnant woman delivered the stillborn baby Monday, four days after being confirmed to have been infected with Covid-19, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
· India’s daily Covid cases rose by 10,549 and deaths by 488, the nation’s health ministry said.
· France says it plans to give Covid booster shots to all adults but has opted against a further lockdown or curfew to help combat an uptick in infections in the country.
· Ministers are urging millions of Britons to get their Covid booster jab by 11 December to ensure they have “very high protection against Covid by Christmas Day” as new evidence shows the risk of infection increases with the time since the second dose.
· Coronavirus cases are continuing to rise in the UK, recording 47,240 new cases, and 147 more people died. Yesterday there were 43,676 new cases and 149 deaths.
· Brazil registered 303 Covid deaths on Thursday and 12,126 additional cases, according to data released by the nation’s health ministry.
· Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are launching new features to encourage people to get their coronavirus booster jabs. From Friday, users will be able to update their profiles with frames or stickers to show that they have had their top-up jab or aim to when they become eligible.
Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2021/nov/26/covid-news-live-new-variant-sparks-tougher-restrictions-in-india-and-singapore-ahead-of-who-meeting
Medicine
