Covid live: South Korea marks deadliest day of pandemic; Australian states reintroduce mask mandates | World news

Italy is planning to tighten restrictions to curb a pointy rise in Covid-19 infections, together with making masks sporting necessary outdoor once more.

Reuters studies that the prime minister’s workplace stated that amongst different measures that look set to be accredited when the cupboard meets later within the day will likely be an order making it obligatory to put on the extra protecting Ffp2 face masks in public areas akin to theatres, cinemas and at sports activities occasions.

The assertion stated the federal government was additionally contemplating closing discos and golf equipment up till New 12 months’s Eve.

The validity of Covid-19 well being certificates, which give entry to an array of locations and providers, will likely be reduce to 6 months from 9 months.

As well as, the federal government is reviewing whether or not to hurry up third booster pictures, seen as the simplest defend in opposition to the infectious Omicron variant, chopping the ready time after the second vaccine to 4 months from 5.

Germany’s Robert Koch Institute for infectious illness confirmed the nation’s first dying as a result of Omicron variant of the coronavirus on Thursday, Reuters studies. The one who died was between the age of 60 and 79, the institute stated.

There have been 810 new Omicron instances reported, bringing the entire variety of instances with the variant to three,198. The one instances counted are these which are detected by whole-genome sequencing or a diagnostic suspicion primarily based on a variant-specific PCR take a look at.

Lebanon’s tourism ministry has ordered eating places, motels and leisure venues to require a certificates of vaccination or a destructive PCR take a look at inside the earlier 48 hours from guests from 17 December till 9 January.

Malta will ban all occasions the place attendees are standing fairly than seated, besides weddings and funerals, from 27 December, the Occasions of Malta studies.

The Maltese well being minister, Chris Fearne, additionally introduced that from 17 January, bars, eating places, golf equipment, gyms, swimming pools and spas, casinos, gaming halls, cinemas, theatres and sport venues will likely be open solely to those that have a legitimate vaccination certificates. All institutions can have a 1am curfew.

Sports activities occasions could proceed, however no spectators will likely be admitted. Visiting hours at hospitals will likely be decreased.

All these over 18 will be capable of apply for a booster jab from Monday.

A brand new Guardian video is showcasing the voices of healthcare staff all over the world, who’ve been on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic for nearly two years.

5 medical doctors who’ve labored in hospitals in Uganda, New Zealand and the US, India, England, and Brazil share how the pandemic has examined them personally and professionally, however how they proceed to seek out hope and resolve to maintain working.

China’s Xi’an metropolis has implemented a lockdown for its 13 million residents to curb rising Covid-19 infections, Reuters studies.

The day by day rely of domestically transmitted infections with confirmed signs within the north-western metropolis has elevated for six straight days since 17 December. That takes the tally of native instances to greater than 200 over the interval from 9 December to 22, smaller than many outbreaks exterior China. No Omicron an infection has but been present in Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province.

However per Beijing’s stance that no flare-up could be allowed to unfold, Xi’an has made it laborious for residents to depart. Those that need to depart should take a look at destructive earlier than departure and get clearance from employers or community-level authorities.

From Thursday, every family could ship just one particular person to buy requirements each two days, whereas others could not depart until they’ve important jobs.

Round 1.2 million individuals in England are thought to have been contaminated with Covid-19 final week, representing 1 in 45 of the inhabitants and a brand new pandemic file, official estimates present.

London was worst hit with an estimated 1 in 30 individuals contaminated with the coronavirus final week, in keeping with the figures from the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics.

The share of instances of the Omicron variant elevated in all areas other than the northeast. In Scotland, 1 in 80 individuals have been estimated to be contaminated with COVID-19, a lower from 1 in 70 the earlier week. The estimates for Wales and Northern Eire have been unchanged at 1 in 50 and 1 in 55.

Greece has banned public Christmas and New 12 months’s Eve festivities and mandated mask-wearing in open areas to curb the unfold of the Omicron coronavirus variant, its well being minister stated.

Reuters studies:

The measures will come into impact on Friday morning and also will require residents to put on two masks or masks providing excessive safety on public transport and in supermarkets. International guests are “strongly inspired” to take two PCR checks a number of days after arrival.

The well being minister, Thanos Plevris, stated extra measures have been anticipated within the new yr, primarily in leisure and sports activities occasions, to keep away from one other lockdown.

Coronavirus infections have began rising once more throughout the six Gulf Arab states after months of low or falling figures, in keeping with official well being information.

Reuters studies:

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has seen a very sharp improve in Covid-19 infections since saying the arrival of Omicron early this month, with 1,002 instances of coronavirus recorded on Thursday, up from 68 on 2 December.

The resurgence comes throughout the area’s peak tourism season, particularly within the UAE which is welcoming hundreds of thousands of holiday makers to the Expo 2020 Dubai world honest and different seasonal occasions.

All six international locations have recognized Omicron of their territories – although their day by day tallies don’t break down the infections by variant.

The Gulf’s most populous nation, Saudi Arabia, registered 252 new infections on Thursday, up from day by day tallies of round 50 recorded since late September. Health authorities there suggested residents and residents this week to keep away from all pointless international journey. The dominion reported its first Omicron case on 1 December.

Oman, Qatar and Bahrain are additionally seeing instances decide up, though much less dramatically. Kuwait reported 143 new instances on Wednesday, its highest day by day rely since late August.

The Omicron coronavirus variant is spreading quickly in Italy, with early information displaying it accounted for 28% of instances on 20 December, well being authorities say.

Reuters studies that the Nationwide Health Institute (ISS) has launched preliminary information of a flash-survey displaying it accounted for 28% of instances on 20 December, in contrast with simply 0.19% of instances on 6 December.

Comparability of the 2 studies reveals the variant’s doubling time is about two days, consistent with the sample already present in different European international locations, ISS stated.

“Though the outcomes are nonetheless preliminary, the estimate confirms the good pace of diffusion of the variant, which is about to grow to be dominant in a brief time frame,” stated the ISS president, Silvio Brusaferro.

The info was offered within the morning to the federal government, which is predicted to resolve at a cupboard assembly in a while Thursday on new measures to sort out the pandemic.

Rachel Corridor right here taking up the dwell weblog from Charlie Moloney for the remainder of the day. I’ll be holding you up to date with all the newest developments all over the world, however in case you’ve obtained any concepts for issues I’ve missed please drop me a line at rachel.hall@theguardian.com.

Energy cables are believed to have been stolen from a vaccination centre in the course of a surge in Omicron instances.

The leads, used for a generator at a web site in Tonbridge, Kent, have been reported lacking by native MP Tom Tugendhat on Twitter on Thursday.

Tugendhat took to social media to attempt to supply new cables to get the centre up and working for the day.

The Tonbridge and Malling MP, who has served as chairman of the international affairs committee since 2017, stated: “Somebody has stolen the results in the generator of the vaccination centre on Sovereign Method, Tonbridge. We have to change them urgently.”

Information from South Africa suggests the Omicron coronavirus variant is 70% to 80% much less extreme than the Delta one, the top of the Africa Centres for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) stated on Thursday, however that shouldn’t be extrapolated to all international locations.

“We must always interpret the information from South Africa with lots of warning,” John Nkengasong advised a web-based media briefing. “That is early days and public well being follow is native.”

He added that components such because the younger median age of the South African inhabitants could possibly be enjoying a component in what was being noticed within the nation.