Omicron
Two new Omicron subvariants in SA but no need to panic, says WC Health Dept
According to Western Cape Head of Health, Dr Keith Cloete, genomic data and PCR test data suggest that these new sublineages may be causing an increasing share...
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Hong Kong to lift ban on flights from nine countries in April
The finance hub has struggled to maintain China's zero-Covid policy during an Omicron-fuelled outbreak.
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Hong Kong leader defends mainland medics against 'divisive comments'
China this week sent about 400 healthcare workers to bolster the ranks of Hong Kong's anti-pandemic staff.
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South Korea hits record 400,000 plus cases amid Omicron wave
Health authorities said 400,741 cases were recorded, the country's highest daily figure since the pandemic began two years ago.
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Chinese cities and factories lock down as COVID outbreak spreads
The southern city of Shenzhen took the measures on Sunday as authorities battled an Omicron flare-up in factories and neighborhoods linked to nearby Hong Kong, which is recording scores of daily deaths as the virus runs rampant.
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Spain drops outdoor mask requirement
Spain first imposed obligatory mask-wearing outdoors in May 2020, but lifted it in June last year.
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Biden clings to COVID caution as US seeks to leave pandemic behind
The Democrat, elected on a promise to defeat the pandemic, finds himself in an increasingly tricky position as the receding Omicron virus spurs Americans into dreaming of a return to normal life.
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Tonga virus cases surge in wake of eruption
Health Minister Saia Piukala said 31 new cases had been detected in the previous 24 hours, a record for the island nation which was virus-free until last month's blast.
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Sweden to lift most COVID curbs on 9 Feb
Among the domestic restrictions that will be lifted are the 11:00 pm closing for bars and restaurants, and limits on crowd numbers.
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Q&A: Health Dept explains reasoning behind level 1 adjustments
Some of the changes include asymptomatic people who have tested positive for the coronavirus no longer need to isolate and those who are symptomatic now required to isolate for only seven days compared to the initial 10 days.
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England lifts Omicron restrictions
The number of positive COVID-19 cases has fallen sharply over the past two weeks, and although still at high levels, have plateaued in recent days.
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Denmark to lift COVID curbs in return to 'life as we knew it'
Denmark is set to become the first European Union country to lift domestic curbs despite the Omicron wave sweeping the continent, according to a survey of AFP bureaus.
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Omicron risk remains very high: WHO
The UN health agency said the number of new infections increased by 5% in the week to Sunday - compared to the 20% rise registered the week before.
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Europe could be headed for pandemic 'endgame': WHO
Once the current surge of Omicron sweeping across Europe subsides, 'there will be for quite some weeks and months a global immunity, either thanks to the vaccine or because people have immunity due to the infection, and also lowering seasonality'.
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WHO says pandemic 'nowhere near over' as France, Germany post record cases
The highly transmissible Omicron strain has spread unabated around the world, pushing some governments to impose fresh measures while speeding up the rollout of vaccine booster shots.
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WC govt concerned about drop in international tourism numbers
According to Cape Town Air Access, in 2019 international return trips were sitting at nearly 2.6 million. In 2020, they declined to over 800,000 and kept dropping.
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COVID-19 update: Gauteng has officially exited the fourth wave
During the weekly COVID-19 update, Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla said that Gauteng has officially exited the fourth wave of the pandemic.
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WC Health Dept: Data suggests Omicron less severe than Delta
Medical experts said that while there were 14% more cases during the fourth wave, hospital admissions were currently at 63% of the third wave peak.
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Record number of COVID-19 infections reported globally in last 7 days
The highly transmissible Omicron variant has fueled a sharp rise in coronavirus cases this past week - around half have been picked up in Europe and 40% are from the Americas.
