Covid news: Turkish president tests positive; Tory MP says may be beginning of end for Johnson – live | World news

An extra 259 individuals have died within the UK inside 28 days of testing optimistic for Covid-19, bringing the whole to 158,243, the federal government stated.

The figures now embody deaths in England following potential reinfections of Covid-19, which is why there was a leap within the cumulative complete and why the each day determine is larger than not too long ago.

There have been 60,578 instances of Covid-19 reported within the UK which incorporates reinfections in England and Northern Eire which can be greater than 90 days after a earlier optimistic check.

Right here is MP Nadine Dorries’ awkward interview on the controversy round gatherings held in Downing Avenue within the UK throughout lockdown.

Right here’s a abstract of occasions thus far:

• Tory MP Stephen Hammond has stated he’s “contemplating very rigorously this weekend” whether or not he nonetheless has confidence within the prime minister and it “definitely appears like” the start of the top for Johnson
• Tradition secretary Nadine Dorries insisted the prime minister tells the reality “to the perfect of his information” and steered these calling for his resignation had been Remainers. She added that well being secretary Sajid Javid had instructed her “he’s 100% behind the prime minister”
• New Labour MP Christian Wakeford has referred to as on Conservative MPs to submit letters of no confidence within the prime minister, saying they “owe it to the nation”
• The US loss of life toll from Covid-19 has hit 900,000
• Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has examined optimistic for Covid-19
• Russia reported a document each day variety of Covid-19 instances with new each day instances of 177,282. The federal government coronavirus process drive additionally reported 714 deaths.
• South Korea reported greater than 30,000 each day Covid-19 infections for the primary time
• Hong Kong reported a document 351 each day instances of coronavirus
• Japan’s each day Covid-19 instances have exceeded 100,000, marking a brand new excessive, public broadcaster NHK reported
• About 50 of Iran’s 290 parliamentarians have contracted Covid-19, a senior MP has stated
• Obligatory vaccination for over-18s got here into drive in Austria in the present day
• The pinnacle of the World Health Group (WHO) has stated he mentioned with the Chinese language premier, Li Keqiang, the necessity for stronger collaboration to analyze the origins of Covid-19
• Canadian cities, together with Toronto, are braced for additional disruptions this weekend as protests towards vaccine mandates unfold from the capital of Ottawa

James Tapper writes:

The Covid booster marketing campaign has stalled, and declining trust within the prime minister is a part of the issue, say scientists.

Solely 26,875 individuals in England had a 3rd dose or booster on 1 February, the newest full figures accessible, and 6 million individuals are a minimum of six weeks overdue for his or her shot.

Behavioural scientists, together with authorities advisers, and public well being leaders say the large drop in take-up in only one month is fuelled by the widespread perception that Boris Johnson flouted his personal Covid guidelines.

Learn the complete report here.

Canadian cities, together with Toronto, are braced for additional disruptions this weekend as protests towards vaccine mandates unfold from the capital of Ottawa, Reuters stories.

The so-called “Freedom Convoy” started as a motion towards a vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers, however has become a rallying level towards public well being measures.

Protesters have shut down downtown Ottawa for the previous eight days, with some individuals waving Accomplice or Nazi flags and others saying they needed to dissolve Canada’s authorities.

Toronto police stated they might have a ramped-up presence within the metropolis over the weekend attributable to anticipated protests.

GoFundMe stated it had cancelled the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser, citing police stories of violence.

In a press release, it stated it’s going to “mechanically refund all contributions instantly”.

The pinnacle of the World Health Group (WHO) has stated he mentioned with the Chinese language premier, Li Keqiang, the necessity for stronger collaboration to analyze the origins of Covid-19.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has beforehand pressed China to be extra forthcoming with knowledge and knowledge associated to the origin of the virus, stories Reuters.

“Happy to fulfill with Premier Li Keqiang,” Tedros tweeted on Saturday. “We mentioned Covid-19 and the necessity for an aggressive effort on vaccine fairness this 12 months to vaccinate 70% of all populations,” he stated.

“We additionally mentioned the necessity for stronger collaboration on Covid-19 virus origins, rooted in science and proof,” he added.

Final 12 months, the WHO established the Scientific Advisory Group on the Origins of Novel Pathogens and referred to as on China to produce uncooked knowledge to assist any new investigation. However China declined, citing affected person privateness guidelines.

China has constantly denied allegations the virus was leaked from a specialist laboratory within the metropolis of Wuhan, the place Covid-19 was first recognized on the finish of 2019.

A joint research by China and the WHO revealed final 12 months concluded the most definitely speculation was that the virus jumped from bats to people through an intermediate animal.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has examined optimistic for Covid-19, he stated on Saturday.

“At this time my spouse and I examined optimistic for Covid-19 with gentle signs. Fortunately, we’re experiencing slight signs that we’ve realized is the omicron variant,” he tweeted.

“We’re on responsibility. We’ll proceed to work from home. We stay up for your prayers.”

Erdoğan, 67, made the announcement after showing through videolink at a tunnel-opening ceremony from Istanbul, having cancelled his look in individual, citing dangerous climate, AP stories.

The president confirmed no indicators of sickness in his televised look.

Turkey has seen document ranges of Covid-19 instances in latest days, with 111,157 instances reported on Friday.

Deaths are additionally rising within the nation, with 248 virus-related fatalities reported on Friday, a stage not seen since October.

South Korea on Saturday reported greater than 30,000 each day Covid-19 infections for the primary time, because the Korea Illness Management and Prevention Company logged a document 36,362 new Covid-19 infections.

The newest determine is a dramatic enhance from the earlier each day document of 27,443 reported on Friday.

The federal government prolonged social distancing guidelines on Friday for 2 weeks till 20 February, together with a 9pm curfew for eating places, bars and gymnasiums, as infections with Omicron proceed to soar.

The prime minister, Kim Boo-kyum, stated extending the restrictions, which had been attributable to finish on Sunday, was essential to gradual the unfold of the variant amid fears the lunar new 12 months vacation might have fuelled infections.

Health authorities have warned that each day infections might probably attain 100,000 in coming weeks, the Korea Herald reported.

About 50 of Iran’s 290 parliamentarians have contracted Covid-19, a senior MP has stated.

Alireza Salimi, chatting with YJC, a information company linked to Iran’s state TV, stated this week’s parliamentary session can be held in accordance with well being rules.

Parliament was suspended for 2 weeks final April attributable to an outbreak amongst MPs, Reuters stories. Within the early days of the pandemic, a number of lawmakers died from the virus.

Iran has skilled a pointy rise in instances and in latest days reported a median of greater than 30,000 new infections each day. On Saturday nonetheless, the well being ministry reported 23,130 contemporary instances.

Greater than 50 million individuals of the nation’s 85 million robust inhabitants have obtained two doses of the vaccine, and greater than 19 million have obtained three doses.

Iran has logged greater than 6.5 million infections and greater than 132,500 coronavirus-related deaths for the reason that pandemic started.

Tory MP for Wimbledon Stephen Hammond has stated he’s “contemplating very rigorously this weekend” whether or not he nonetheless has confidence within the Prime Minister and it “definitely appears like” the start of the top, PA stories.

He instructed BBC Radio 4’s Week In Westminster he can be “reflecting on the occasions of the week, reflecting on the truth that my constituents and I and nearly all the nation obeyed guidelines, and there appears to be a bunch of people that haven’t.”

He stated he had not but put a letter into Sir Graham Brady, however added:

I feel I’m making it very clear to you that I’m contemplating very rigorously over the weekend, what are the following steps.

I feel all Conservative colleagues, all of whom I do know, are in it for making an attempt to do the perfect for his or her constituents, and the nation will likely be wrestling with their consciences this weekend.

Requested whether or not it was “the start of the top” for the PM, he stated: “It definitely appears like that for the time being.

He added: “It appears very tough for the Prime Minister from right here.”

Hammond additionally disagreed with tradition secretary Nadine Dorries’ characterisation that those that needed the PM to go had been Remainers or had all the time opposed Boris Johnson.

“That is predictable garbage from a predictable supply,” he stated. “When you have a look at the place the letters are coming from, I don’t perceive how anybody might rise up that declare, and so I feel most likely the Secretary of State must suppose once more.”

He stated that the no-confidence letters declared thus far had been from “all wings of the occasion and none” and that the suggestion there was a Remainer plot was “full nonsense”.

I do know of no coordinated plot and if I had been the whips’ workplace that might fear me much more as a result of I feel fairly rightly people are wrestling with their conscience, deciding what to do, and the truth that it’s people doing it means it’s a lot much less simple for the whips or Boris’s associates to place in a counter operation.

Japan’s each day Covid-19 instances have exceeded 100,000, marking a brand new excessive, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Most areas in Japan are actually below an infection management measures to attempt to gradual the unfold of the Omicron variant which has been driving the rise in instances.

Malaysia reported 9,117 new Covid-19 infections on Saturday, the best each day determine in 4 months, stories Reuters.

The brand new instances convey the whole variety of infections for the reason that begin of the pandemic to 2,904,131. Malaysia has additionally reported over 32,000 deaths.

In a Fb submit on Friday, Noor Hisham Abdullah the director-general of well being stated:

Though the variety of instances is anticipated to rise within the subsequent couple of days and weeks, as a result of excessive transmissibility of Omicron variant, it causes a much less extreme type of the illness in those that have had full vaccination and brought their booster shot.

About 97.9% of Malaysia’s grownup inhabitants has obtained two doses of the vaccine, whereas 52.3% have additionally obtained the booster shot. About 88.7% of 12- to 17-year-olds have additionally obtained two doses.

This week Malaysia started vaccinations for 5- to 11-year-olds.

Extra from Nadine Dorries.

She has insisted the prime minister tells the reality “to the perfect of his information” based mostly on recommendation given to him by aides.

When requested about claims made by Boris Johnson in regards to the variety of individuals in work, she instructed the BBC: “He can have been given by advisers and researchers the actual fact that there have been extra individuals in work than there have been at the start of the pandemic, not on the payroll.”

She stated:

So did he inform the reality when he quoted that? Sure, he instructed the reality because it was given to him.”

Dorries added: “The prime minister does inform the reality.”

I can personally inform you that the prime minister, when he stands on the despatch field and makes quotes just like the one you simply quoted, is as a result of the researchers and his advisers can have given him that quote, and that’s … and he was truthful, to the perfect of his information, when he made that quote,” she stated.

From in the present day, Austrians over the age of 18 should be vaccinated towards Covid-19, until they’re exempt, or face the potential of a heavy wonderful, an unprecedented transfer within the European Union, stories Agence-France Presse.

The brand new measure, adopted on 20 January by Austria’s parliament, was signed into legislation by the president, Alexander Van der Bellen, on Friday.

The federal government’s more durable method has been met with criticism throughout the nation.

In the meantime, in neighbouring Germany, an analogous legislation championed by the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, was debated final month within the Bundestag, however has not made progress due to divisions on the problem.