Omicron superior the world over, with well being consultants warning the battle in opposition to the COVID-19 variant was removed from over regardless of two drugmakers saying their vaccines protected in opposition to it and indicators it carries a decrease danger of hospitalisation. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
* Eikon customers, see COVID-19: MacroVitals https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and abstract of stories ASIA-PACIFIC
* Rising infections in China’s metropolis of Xian have spurred a lockdown of its 13 million residents, with stretches of freeway eerily naked, as many individuals queued within the chilly to get their noses swabbed at testing websites. * Australia re-introduced curbs similar to indoor mask-wearing, capability limits and QR code check-ins to cowl a lot of the inhabitants as each day infections hit a document.
EUROPE * France had its worst-ever day when it comes to new COVID-19 instances, with greater than 91,000 new instances being recorded whereas the variety of deaths additionally climbed.
* Britain recorded a document variety of new coronavirus instances because the Omicron variant swept throughout the nation. * Italy has tightened restrictions to curb surging COVID-19 infections, together with banning all public New Year’s Eve celebrations, as each day infections hit a document excessive.
* The northeastern Spanish area of Catalonia received courtroom approval for an evening curfew as Madrid pledged to distribute thousands and thousands extra take a look at kits to deal with the Omicron variant. * President Vladimir Putin mentioned he hoped Russia may vaccinate sufficient folks to succeed in collective immunity subsequent yr, urging extra Russians to get inoculated because the demise toll crossed 600,000.
AMERICAS * U.S. President Joe Biden’s steps to backstop hospitals and distribute coronavirus take a look at kits, nevertheless welcome, are too little too late to stem a surge of Omicron-related instances over Christmas and New Year’s, well being consultants mentioned.
* The speedy unfold of Omicron infections has hospitals within the U.S. Midwest “getting ready for the worst,” with their intensive care models and medical personnel already severely strained from a wave of the potent Delta variant of COVID-19. * Seven U.S. Division of Protection workers who travelled final week to a number of American bases, together with Indo-Pacific Command on Hawaii, have examined optimistic for COVID-19.
* Honduras started providing booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to all adults because it seeks to counter the risk posed by the Omicron variant. MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Kenya’s sudden choice to demand proof of vaccination to entry public locations and transport was met by a mix of bemusement, dismissal and the occasional spot of enforcement. * Zambia will introduce booster vaccines because it battles the respiratory illness which has contaminated over 200,000 folks and killed greater than 3,000.
* Lebanon’s tourism ministry ordered eating places, motels, health centres and leisure venues to require guests to current both a certificates of vaccination or a detrimental PCR take a look at earlier than getting into. * The Moroccan authorities has prolonged the nationwide well being state of emergency to Jan. 31.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS * The U.S. licensed Merck & Co’s antiviral capsule for COVID-19 for sure high-risk grownup sufferers, a day after giving a broader go-ahead to the same however more practical remedy from Pfizer Inc.
ECONOMIC IMPACT * U.S. inventory indexes and yields on U.S. Treasuries each climbed as traders and merchants had been optimistic about optimistic financial information and the influence of the Omicron variant on the economic system, whilst COVID-19 case counts soar.
* The variety of Americans submitting new claims for unemployment advantages held beneath pre-pandemic ranges final week, whereas shopper spending elevated solidly, placing the economic system on observe for a robust end to 2021. (Compiled by Aditya Soni and Milla Nissi; Modifying by Clarence Fernandez, Dan Grebler and Maju Samuel)
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