UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson lauded the lifting of all remaining Covid restrictions in England. Johnson announced details of his government's plan for 'living with covid-19' in the parliament by treating it like any other transmissible illness such as flu.

UK PM Boris Johnson announces details of 'living with Covid plan'

After nearly two years of strict coronavirus (COVID-19) measures on international travel and lockdown, Australia on Monday (February 21) fully reopened its international borders to those who are jabbed against the deadly virus.&nbsp;

On the first day after reopening, more than 50 international flights will reach the country throughout the day. Al least 27 flights will touch down in Sydney.&nbsp;

People are excited to be reunited with their family and friends as the tourism and hospitality sectors in the country as it looks forward to rebuilding after getting severely impacted by the Covid-related restrictions.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-new-year-parade-returns-to-san-francisco-after-covid-19-hiatus-454810">Chinese New Year parade returns to San Francisco after COVID-19 hiatus</a>

Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters, "It is a very exciting day, one that I have been looking forward to for a long time, from the day that I first shut that border right at the start of the pandemic."&nbsp;

Tourism is one of Australia's biggest industries that was largely impacted by the virus, crippling the economy. For the unversed, the Australian tourism industry is worth more than $43 billion and employs about 5 per cent of the country's workforce.&nbsp;

It has been understood that Australia's outbreak of the Omicron coronavirus variant has passed its peak with hospital admissions steadily falling over the past three weeks.&nbsp;

The bulk of Australia's pandemic total of about 2.7 million confirmed cases has been detected since the emergence of Omicron in late November. Total deaths stood at 4,929.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-plans-to-remove-self-isolation-mandate-for-covid-patients-454796">Britain plans to remove self-isolation mandate for Covid patients</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/australia-welcomes-back-tourists-nearly-after-two-years-of-covid-linked-closing-454938/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

After nearly two years of strict coronavirus (COVID-19) measures on international travel and lockdown, Australia on Monday (February 21) fully reopened its international borders to those who are jabbed against the deadly virus.

After nearly two years of strict coronavirus (COVID-19) measures on international travel and lockdown, Australia on Monday (February 21) fully reopened its international borders to those who are jabbed against the deadly virus. On the first day after reopening, more than 50 international flights will reach the country throughout the day. Al least 27 flights will touch down in Sydney. People are excited to be reunited with their family and friends as the tourism and hospitality sectors in the country as it looks forward to rebuilding after getting severely impacted by the Covid-related restrictions. ALSO READ | Chinese New Year parade returns to San Francisco after COVID-19 hiatus Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters, "It is a very exciting day, one that I have been looking forward to for a long time, from the day that I first shut that border right at the start of the pandemic." Tourism is one of Australia's biggest industries that was largely impacted by the virus, crippling the economy. For the unversed, the Australian tourism industry is worth more than $43 billion and employs about 5 per cent of the country's workforce. It has been understood that Australia's outbreak of the Omicron coronavirus variant has passed its peak with hospital admissions steadily falling over the past three weeks. The bulk of Australia's pandemic total of about 2.7 million confirmed cases has been detected since the emergence of Omicron in late November. Total deaths stood at 4,929. ALSO READ | Britain plans to remove self-isolation mandate for Covid patients × (With inputs from agencies)

After months of COVID-19 closure, Australia fully reopens borders to international visitors

As Hong Kong battles a surge in Covid-19 cases, the government announced that the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal would be turned into a dedicated coronavirus facility with 1,000 beds to mitigate overburdened public hospitals.

Hong Kong turning old airport into Covid-19 isolation facility

Queen Elizabeth, 95, has tested positive for COVID-19 and is having moderate symptoms, although Buckingham Palace stated on Sunday that she expected to undertake light duties this week.&nbsp;

"The queen has today tested positive for COVID," the Palace said. "Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week."

"She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all appropriate guidelines," the Palace said.

Charles, the heir to the throne, walked out of an event earlier this month after getting coronavirus for the second time.

According to a royal source, he only met the queen a few days before.

The queen's health has been in the limelight since she spent a night in hospital last October for an unidentified sickness and was subsequently recommended to rest by her doctors.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wished her a speedy recovery on Sunday.&nbsp;

"I'm sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty The Queen a swift recovery from COVID and a rapid return to vibrant good health," he said on Twitter.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I’m sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty The Queen a swift recovery from Covid and a rapid return to vibrant good health.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1495383017786945536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Watch | Is Queen Elizabeth II the longest-ruling monarch?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/is-queen-elizabeth-ii-the-longest-ruling-monarch-450477/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Queen Elizabeth, 95, has tested positive for COVID-19 and is having moderate symptoms, although Buckingham Palace stated on Sunday that she expected to undertake light duties this week.

Queen Elizabeth, 95, has tested positive for COVID-19 and is having moderate symptoms, although Buckingham Palace stated on Sunday that she expected to undertake light duties this week. "The queen has today tested positive for COVID," the Palace said. "Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week." "She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all appropriate guidelines," the Palace said. Charles, the heir to the throne, walked out of an event earlier this month after getting coronavirus for the second time. According to a royal source, he only met the queen a few days before. The queen's health has been in the limelight since she spent a night in hospital last October for an unidentified sickness and was subsequently recommended to rest by her doctors. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wished her a speedy recovery on Sunday. "I'm sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty The Queen a swift recovery from COVID and a rapid return to vibrant good health," he said on Twitter. I’m sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty The Queen a swift recovery from Covid and a rapid return to vibrant good health. — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 20, 2022 × Watch | Is Queen Elizabeth II the longest-ruling monarch?

Queen Elizabeth II tests positive for COVID-19: Buckingham Palace

The streets of San Francisco, California on Saturday (February 19) witnessed people enjoying and celebrating the city's annual Lunar New Year parade after a hiatus last year. The celebrations were cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

People were banging drums, performing on stilts, lighting firecrackers as those who participated marched from downtown through the streets toward the Chinatown neighbourhood.&nbsp;

A 20-year-old student from Stanford University named Kevin Yang travelled from Palo Alto to see the parade. "It's really great to see Asian-American representation out here in San Francisco and seeing so many faces here, definitely means that people actually care about it, and that's something we really, really like about the city," Yang said.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-took-classified-material-from-white-house-says-us-national-archives-454801">Donald Trump took classified material from White House, says US National Archives</a>

The Lunar New Year celebrations started worldwide on February 1 and the festivities are still underway. The Lunar New Year, which is also known as the Chinese New Year is celebrated as the Spring Festival in China and by the Asian diaspora.&nbsp;

The celebrations have marked the end of the Year of the Ox. As per the Chinese zodiac, Ox is termed as "the good helper". It is a symbol of diligence, strength, honesty, persistence and wealth. Now, the Year of the Tiger has started.&nbsp;

The ushered in the Year of the Tiger with a celebratory lion dance and the snap, crackle and pop of firecrackers. In Chinese traditions firecrackers are believed to scare off evil spirits from the year to come and bring good fortune.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/passenger-found-alive-on-greece-italy-ferry-after-blaze-11-still-missing-454784">Passenger found alive on Greece-Italy ferry after blaze, 11 still missing</a>

The holiday also brought hope for some in the Asian and Asian-American communities, which have suffered from rising rates of hate crimes during the past two years.&nbsp;

Statistics showed that 60 hate crimes were committed against Asians in San Francisco during 2021, up from only nine the year before, city police announced last month.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The streets of San Francisco, California on Saturday (February 19) witnessed people enjoying and celebrating the city's annual Lunar New Year parade after a hiatus last year.

The streets of San Francisco, California on Saturday (February 19) witnessed people enjoying and celebrating the city's annual Lunar New Year parade after a hiatus last year. The celebrations were cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. People were banging drums, performing on stilts, lighting firecrackers as those who participated marched from downtown through the streets toward the Chinatown neighbourhood. A 20-year-old student from Stanford University named Kevin Yang travelled from Palo Alto to see the parade. "It's really great to see Asian-American representation out here in San Francisco and seeing so many faces here, definitely means that people actually care about it, and that's something we really, really like about the city," Yang said. ALSO READ | Donald Trump took classified material from White House, says US National Archives The Lunar New Year celebrations started worldwide on February 1 and the festivities are still underway. The Lunar New Year, which is also known as the Chinese New Year is celebrated as the Spring Festival in China and by the Asian diaspora. The celebrations have marked the end of the Year of the Ox. As per the Chinese zodiac, Ox is termed as "the good helper". It is a symbol of diligence, strength, honesty, persistence and wealth. Now, the Year of the Tiger has started. The ushered in the Year of the Tiger with a celebratory lion dance and the snap, crackle and pop of firecrackers. In Chinese traditions firecrackers are believed to scare off evil spirits from the year to come and bring good fortune. ALSO READ | Passenger found alive on Greece-Italy ferry after blaze, 11 still missing The holiday also brought hope for some in the Asian and Asian-American communities, which have suffered from rising rates of hate crimes during the past two years. Statistics showed that 60 hate crimes were committed against Asians in San Francisco during 2021, up from only nine the year before, city police announced last month. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese New Year parade returns to San Francisco after COVID-19 hiatus

The economies around the world are looking forward to reopening after facing the repercussions of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past two years. The pandemic has impacted the world immensely and now a new study tells that it is causing mental health issues among patients.&nbsp;

Previous studies have also indicated a similar trend, revealing that high distress and anxiety due to coronavirus has resulted in poor psychological well-being.&nbsp;

In the latest study published on Wednesday (February 16) in the journal <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj-2021-068993">The BMJ</a>, it has been established risks of incident mental health disorders in survivors of the acute phase of Covid.&nbsp;

Researchers from St. Louis analysed the records of 153,848 people from the Veterans Health Administration system in the United States.

The study included only those who had no mental health diagnoses or treatment for at least two years prior to coronavirus infection.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-takes-huge-step-forward-by-announcing-mental-health-initiatives-in-its-budget-449965">India takes huge step forward by announcing mental health initiatives in its budget</a>

The latest research emphasises that the studies to date have been limited by a narrow selection of mental health outcomes and a maximum of six months follow-up.&nbsp;

As per the latest study, improving the understanding of the long term risk of mental health disorders in people with Covid can help guide "strategies for care during the post-acute phase".&nbsp;

The study has been done after extracting data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs national healthcare databases.&nbsp;

From these data, researchers constructed a cohort of 153 848 US veterans who survived the first 30 days of SARS-CoV-2 infection and two control groups, which were - a&nbsp;contemporary group consisting of 5 637 840 users with no evidence of infection and a historical control (predating the Covid pandemic) consisting of 5 859 251 users during 2017.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/the-worst-is-yet-to-come-study-finds-that-omicron-is-10-times-better-than-delta-at-evading-covid-vaccines-454212">'The worst is yet to come': Study finds that Omicron is 10 times better than Delta at evading Covid vaccines</a>

The results showed that those with COVID-19 were 39 per cent more likely to have depressive disorders and 35 per cent more likely to show an increased risk of incident anxiety disorders over the months after infection.&nbsp;

As per the study, the group with Covid was also 38 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with stress and adjustment disorders. They were also 41 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with sleep disorders.&nbsp;

The study also highlighted that the COVID-19 patients were 80 per cent more likely to develop neurocognitive problems.&nbsp;

It was also found that 18 per cent of COVID-19 patients received a diagnosis or prescription for a neuropsychiatric issue in the following year.&nbsp;

The findings suggest that people who survive the acute phase of Covid are at increased risk of an array of incident mental health disorders. The study suggested that tackling mental health disorders among survivors of Covid should be a priority.&nbsp;

The authors wrote, "The risk of incident mental health disorders was consistently higher in the COVID-19 group in comparisons of people with covid-19 not admitted to hospital versus those not admitted to hospital for seasonal influenza, admitted to hospital with covid-19 versus admitted to hospital with seasonal influenza, and admitted to hospital with covid-19 versus admitted to hospital for any other cause."&nbsp;

The economies around the world are looking forward to reopening after facing the repercussions of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past two years. The pandemic has impacted the world immensely and now a new study tells that it is causing mental health issues among patients.

The economies around the world are looking forward to reopening after facing the repercussions of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past two years. The pandemic has impacted the world immensely and now a new study tells that it is causing mental health issues among patients. Previous studies have also indicated a similar trend, revealing that high distress and anxiety due to coronavirus has resulted in poor psychological well-being. In the latest study published on Wednesday (February 16) in the journal The BMJ, it has been established risks of incident mental health disorders in survivors of the acute phase of Covid. Researchers from St. Louis analysed the records of 153,848 people from the Veterans Health Administration system in the United States. The study included only those who had no mental health diagnoses or treatment for at least two years prior to coronavirus infection. ALSO READ | India takes huge step forward by announcing mental health initiatives in its budget The latest research emphasises that the studies to date have been limited by a narrow selection of mental health outcomes and a maximum of six months follow-up. As per the latest study, improving the understanding of the long term risk of mental health disorders in people with Covid can help guide "strategies for care during the post-acute phase". The study has been done after extracting data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs national healthcare databases. From these data, researchers constructed a cohort of 153 848 US veterans who survived the first 30 days of SARS-CoV-2 infection and two control groups, which were - a contemporary group consisting of 5 637 840 users with no evidence of infection and a historical control (predating the Covid pandemic) consisting of 5 859 251 users during 2017. ALSO READ | 'The worst is yet to come': Study finds that Omicron is 10 times better than Delta at evading Covid vaccines The results showed that those with COVID-19 were 39 per cent more likely to have depressive disorders and 35 per cent more likely to show an increased risk of incident anxiety disorders over the months after infection. As per the study, the group with Covid was also 38 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with stress and adjustment disorders. They were also 41 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with sleep disorders. The study also highlighted that the COVID-19 patients were 80 per cent more likely to develop neurocognitive problems. It was also found that 18 per cent of COVID-19 patients received a diagnosis or prescription for a neuropsychiatric issue in the following year. The findings suggest that people who survive the acute phase of Covid are at increased risk of an array of incident mental health disorders. The study suggested that tackling mental health disorders among survivors of Covid should be a priority. The authors wrote, "The risk of incident mental health disorders was consistently higher in the COVID-19 group in comparisons of people with covid-19 not admitted to hospital versus those not admitted to hospital for seasonal influenza, admitted to hospital with covid-19 versus admitted to hospital with seasonal influenza, and admitted to hospital with covid-19 versus admitted to hospital for any other cause."

Study highlights risks of mental health outcomes in people with COVID-19

After the IPL mega auction, the focus has now shifted entirely on the forthcoming 15th edition of the cash-rich league. The IPL 2022 edition is set to be held entirely in India. BCCI had to host the IPL 2020 edition in the UAE, following the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, whereas the Indian cricket board had to shift the second-half of last year's edition in the Middle East, due to the second wave of Covid-19, but the 15th season will be held in India.

As per a report in Sportstar, BCCI are likely to host the league across six venues. Five venues in Maharashtra have been 'zeroed in on' -- due avoid flight travel amid such testing times nationwide --&nbsp;whereas the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad will host the knockout games.

For the unversed, the IPL 15 season is set to welcome two new teams -- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) -- as the number of games in the league will also increase. It will be a 70-match league stage followed by the playoffs (with the total being 74).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-jason-holder-to-tim-david-5-underrated-overseas-stars-who-fetched-big-fat-cheques-at-mega-auction-454108">From Jason Holder to Tim David: 5 underrated overseas stars who fetched big-fat cheques at mega auction</a>

The 15th season will be held in India from March 27 to May 28. The report further stated that the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI are also keen on hosting a couple of games&nbsp;at Jio Stadium, Navi Mumbai. Meanwhile, the Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium, Dr. D.Y. Patil Sports Stadium, Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium (in Pune) will&nbsp;host the&nbsp;majority of games during&nbsp;the league stage.&nbsp;

The report has added that the apex cricket board is expected to share the detailed schedule of the forthcoming season by February-end.

The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the defending champions, having clinched the title for the fourth time during IPL 2021.

After the IPL mega auction, the focus has now shifted entirely on the forthcoming 15th edition of the cash-rich league. The IPL 2022 edition is set to be held entirely in India.

After the IPL mega auction, the focus has now shifted entirely on the forthcoming 15th edition of the cash-rich league. The IPL 2022 edition is set to be held entirely in India. BCCI had to host the IPL 2020 edition in the UAE, following the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, whereas the Indian cricket board had to shift the second-half of last year's edition in the Middle East, due to the second wave of Covid-19, but the 15th season will be held in India. As per a report in Sportstar, BCCI are likely to host the league across six venues. Five venues in Maharashtra have been 'zeroed in on' -- due avoid flight travel amid such testing times nationwide -- whereas the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad will host the knockout games. For the unversed, the IPL 15 season is set to welcome two new teams -- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) -- as the number of games in the league will also increase. It will be a 70-match league stage followed by the playoffs (with the total being 74). ALSO READ | From Jason Holder to Tim David: 5 underrated overseas stars who fetched big-fat cheques at mega auction The 15th season will be held in India from March 27 to May 28. The report further stated that the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI are also keen on hosting a couple of games at Jio Stadium, Navi Mumbai. Meanwhile, the Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium, Dr. D.Y. Patil Sports Stadium, Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium (in Pune) will host the majority of games during the league stage. The report has added that the apex cricket board is expected to share the detailed schedule of the forthcoming season by February-end. The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the defending champions, having clinched the title for the fourth time during IPL 2021.

IPL 2022: BCCI likely to be host 15th edition across 6 venues from March 27 to May 28 - Report

A group of doctors in Israel have said that latest research questions the assumption that the official coronavirus (COVID-19) count in the country is underestimated.&nbsp;

In most of the countries, including India, there were reports based on suspicion that people had antibodies due to undetected Covid cases.&nbsp;

However, the researchers at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, which is also known as Ichilov Hospital, have done a research to shed light on the issue. The research is not peer-reviewed yet.&nbsp;

The researchers conducted antibody tests on around 500 medical staff who didn't knowingly have coronavirus since August.

The researchers were expecting to find that majority of people had antibodies, which means they had the virus and they didn't even know it.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kongs-dynamic-zero-covid-policy-put-to-test-covid-cases-multiply-by-60-times-454099">Hong Kong’s ‘dynamic zero Covid’ policy put to test as cases multiply by 60 times</a>

However, a senior Ichilov physician Dr Esti Sayag told The Times of Israel that only 2.6 per cent of them had been infected without them realising it. The percentage is lower than what they had anticipated.&nbsp;

Dr Sayag said, "We checked for a particular antibody — n — which is specific to those who have recovered from the virus and isn't found among those who just had the vaccine, so the study gave an accurate picture."&nbsp;

WION's Jodie Cohen reported from Sourasky Medical Center that the study suggests that undetected, asymptomatic Covid infections are actually rare. The report also added that the hospital is now going to widen the study and expects to confirm the findings.&nbsp;

"The first lesson here is that when you have careful checks for healthcare workers you can be sure that you are containing the disease among your staff, and you don't have people harming patients and spreading disease to patients and colleagues," said Sayag.&nbsp;

"But the more important lesson relates to the public. There have been voices in Israel saying that the real numbers of infection are two or three times what has been reported. We don’t believe this, and we’re widening the study to the public now to check this," she said.&nbsp;

"While numbers in the general population may not be as low as among health workers who have so much testing, we believe the figures from hospitals indicate they also will be low," she added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/next-covid-variant-may-be-more-dangerous-than-omicron-say-scientists-453061">Next Covid variant may be more dangerous than Omicron, say scientists</a>

Meanwhile, Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett held a discussion on Thursday (17 February) over easing the coronavirus restrictions.&nbsp;

Bennett said, "Our strategy, of an open economy alongside a struggle and many actions against the coronavirus, has led to the State of Israel being first in growth among the developed countries and to a level of economic growth that we have not seen in 21 years."&nbsp;

"We were the first country to close its gates in the Omicron wave; therefore, this is also the time for a gradual relaxation. As far as I am concerned, we must prepare to relax the restrictions soon," he added.&nbsp;

Last month, there were days when Israel saw more than 80,000 new Covid cases. However, the infection rate has now declined drastically, with this week daily numbers falling below 30,000.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israeli-survey-conducts-antibody-tests-on-medical-staff-finds-undetected-covid-infections-very-rare-454093/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

A group of doctors in Israel have said that latest research questions the assumption that the official coronavirus (COVID-19) count in the country is underestimated.

A group of doctors in Israel have said that latest research questions the assumption that the official coronavirus (COVID-19) count in the country is underestimated. In most of the countries, including India, there were reports based on suspicion that people had antibodies due to undetected Covid cases. However, the researchers at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, which is also known as Ichilov Hospital, have done a research to shed light on the issue. The research is not peer-reviewed yet. The researchers conducted antibody tests on around 500 medical staff who didn't knowingly have coronavirus since August. The researchers were expecting to find that majority of people had antibodies, which means they had the virus and they didn't even know it. ALSO READ | Hong Kong’s ‘dynamic zero Covid’ policy put to test as cases multiply by 60 times However, a senior Ichilov physician Dr Esti Sayag told The Times of Israel that only 2.6 per cent of them had been infected without them realising it. The percentage is lower than what they had anticipated. Dr Sayag said, "We checked for a particular antibody — n — which is specific to those who have recovered from the virus and isn't found among those who just had the vaccine, so the study gave an accurate picture." WION's Jodie Cohen reported from Sourasky Medical Center that the study suggests that undetected, asymptomatic Covid infections are actually rare. The report also added that the hospital is now going to widen the study and expects to confirm the findings. "The first lesson here is that when you have careful checks for healthcare workers you can be sure that you are containing the disease among your staff, and you don't have people harming patients and spreading disease to patients and colleagues," said Sayag. "But the more important lesson relates to the public. There have been voices in Israel saying that the real numbers of infection are two or three times what has been reported. We don’t believe this, and we’re widening the study to the public now to check this," she said. "While numbers in the general population may not be as low as among health workers who have so much testing, we believe the figures from hospitals indicate they also will be low," she added. ALSO READ | Next Covid variant may be more dangerous than Omicron, say scientists Meanwhile, Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett held a discussion on Thursday (17 February) over easing the coronavirus restrictions. Bennett said, "Our strategy, of an open economy alongside a struggle and many actions against the coronavirus, has led to the State of Israel being first in growth among the developed countries and to a level of economic growth that we have not seen in 21 years." "We were the first country to close its gates in the Omicron wave; therefore, this is also the time for a gradual relaxation. As far as I am concerned, we must prepare to relax the restrictions soon," he added. Last month, there were days when Israel saw more than 80,000 new Covid cases. However, the infection rate has now declined drastically, with this week daily numbers falling below 30,000. ×

COVID-19: Survey done by Israel doctors finds undetected cases are rare

World No. 1 player Novak Djokovic had created a huge storm ahead of the 2022 Australian Open. The Serbian had arrived in Australia with a Covid-19 vaccine exemption, however, landed in a huge controversy when he was sent to an immigration hotel in Melbourne (for not taking a jab). After he won the first legal battle versus the Australian government&nbsp;by confirming he had tested positive for Covid-19 recently in December 2021 --&nbsp;medical policies in Australia allowed the ones who have contracted the deadly virus to get an exemption from&nbsp;the vaccine for a period of 6 months -- he was eventually deported back to his country courtesy the immigration minister Alex&nbsp;Hawke.

Hawke used his powers to revoke Djokovic's visa&nbsp;suggesting that Djokovic staying in the country could lead to 'civil unrest' and harm the nation's relentless&nbsp;vaccination drive.&nbsp;Thus,&nbsp;the three-judge panel unanimously decided to reject the tennis superstar's appeal against visa cancellation and he was forced to return back home.

Following all this, the Serbian missed the Aus Open 2022 and has now broken his silence on the vaccine row. The 34-year-old has stated that he is not against vaccination but is ready to miss the French Open and Wimbledon this year if taking the jab becomes mandatory for participation.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/serbia-president-praises-world-no-1-novak-djokovics-great-fight-in-australia-450238">Serbia president praises World No. 1 Novak Djokovic's 'great fight' in Australia</a>

Speaking to BBC, Djokovic said, "I was never against vaccination but I've always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body."

"Because the principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. I'm trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/novak-djokovic-serbias-pride-and-controversys-favourite-child-444855">Novak Djokovic: Serbia's pride and controversy's favourite child</a>

On his criticism, Djokovic stated, "I understand that there is a lot of criticism, and I understand that people come out with different theories on how lucky I was or how convenient it is.&nbsp;But no one is lucky and convenient of getting Covid. Millions of people have and are still struggling with Covid around the world. So I take this very seriously, I really don't like someone thinking I've misused something or in my own favour, in order to, you know, get a positive PCR test and eventually go to Australia,"&nbsp;the 34-year old further said.

On his return to Serbia, Djokovic had met President Aleksandar Vucic&nbsp;on February 3. The President lauded the athlete and had said, "Thank you for the great fight you fought in Australia," Aleksandar Vucic told Djokovic during a meeting in Belgrade." He added, "And then I saw how ... he was ready to fight not only for himself, but for his country."

World No. 1 player Novak Djokovic had created a huge storm ahead of the 2022 Australian Open. The Serbian had arrived in Australia with a Covid-19 vaccine exemption, however, landed in a huge controversy when he was sent to an immigration hotel in Melbourne (for not taking a jab).

World No. 1 player Novak Djokovic had created a huge storm ahead of the 2022 Australian Open. The Serbian had arrived in Australia with a Covid-19 vaccine exemption, however, landed in a huge controversy when he was sent to an immigration hotel in Melbourne (for not taking a jab). After he won the first legal battle versus the Australian government by confirming he had tested positive for Covid-19 recently in December 2021 -- medical policies in Australia allowed the ones who have contracted the deadly virus to get an exemption from the vaccine for a period of 6 months -- he was eventually deported back to his country courtesy the immigration minister Alex Hawke. Hawke used his powers to revoke Djokovic's visa suggesting that Djokovic staying in the country could lead to 'civil unrest' and harm the nation's relentless vaccination drive. Thus, the three-judge panel unanimously decided to reject the tennis superstar's appeal against visa cancellation and he was forced to return back home. Following all this, the Serbian missed the Aus Open 2022 and has now broken his silence on the vaccine row. The 34-year-old has stated that he is not against vaccination but is ready to miss the French Open and Wimbledon this year if taking the jab becomes mandatory for participation. ALSO READ | Serbia president praises World No. 1 Novak Djokovic's 'great fight' in Australia Speaking to BBC, Djokovic said, "I was never against vaccination but I've always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body." "Because the principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. I'm trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can," he added. ALSO READ | Novak Djokovic: Serbia's pride and controversy's favourite child On his criticism, Djokovic stated, "I understand that there is a lot of criticism, and I understand that people come out with different theories on how lucky I was or how convenient it is. But no one is lucky and convenient of getting Covid. Millions of people have and are still struggling with Covid around the world. So I take this very seriously, I really don't like someone thinking I've misused something or in my own favour, in order to, you know, get a positive PCR test and eventually go to Australia," the 34-year old further said. On his return to Serbia, Djokovic had met President Aleksandar Vucic on February 3. The President lauded the athlete and had said, "Thank you for the great fight you fought in Australia," Aleksandar Vucic told Djokovic during a meeting in Belgrade." He added, "And then I saw how ... he was ready to fight not only for himself, but for his country."

Principles of decision making on my body more important than any title, says Novak Djokovic

French Police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting against COVID-19 restrictions in Paris. France requires people to show proof of vaccination to enter public places with a negative test no longer being sufficient for unvaccinated people.

France: Police fire tear gas as thousands protest against COVID-19 curbs

Australia's borders will reopen to fully vaccinated travellers on February 21, according to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, lifting arguably the world's tightest and longest-standing pandemic travel restrictions.&nbsp;

"It’s almost two years since we took the decision to close the borders to Australia," Morrison said during a media briefing on Monday.

"If you’re double vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia."

Australia shut its borders in March 2020 to protect itself against a surging COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-regulator-grants-emergency-use-permission-to-sputnik-light-covid-vaccine-451088">Also read | Indian regulator grants emergency use permission to Sputnik Light Covid vaccine</a>

Since then, Australians have been prevented from leaving, for the most part, and just a few visitors have been granted entry exemptions.

The laws have shattered families, harmed Australia's burgeoning tourism economy, and sparked heated discussions about the country's reputation as a modern, open, and outward-looking society.&nbsp;

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it "greatly welcomed" the move. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/this-country-in-europe-becomes-the-first-to-make-covid-vaccine-compulsory-450756">Also read | This country in Europe becomes the first to make Covid vaccine compulsory</a>

Many industries, including foreign education, will be relieved by the reopening on February 21.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Australia has had some of the tightest border controls in the world.

The government closed the borders in March 2020.

To counteract COVID, it prohibited most foreigners from entering the nation and capped total immigration.

Since December, some overseas students and skilled migrants have been allowed to enter the country.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Australia's borders will reopen to fully vaccinated travellers on February 21, according to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, lifting arguably the world's tightest and longest-standing pandemic travel restrictions.

Australia's borders will reopen to fully vaccinated travellers on February 21, according to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, lifting arguably the world's tightest and longest-standing pandemic travel restrictions. "It’s almost two years since we took the decision to close the borders to Australia," Morrison said during a media briefing on Monday. "If you’re double vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia." Australia shut its borders in March 2020 to protect itself against a surging COVID-19 pandemic. Also read | Indian regulator grants emergency use permission to Sputnik Light Covid vaccine Since then, Australians have been prevented from leaving, for the most part, and just a few visitors have been granted entry exemptions. The laws have shattered families, harmed Australia's burgeoning tourism economy, and sparked heated discussions about the country's reputation as a modern, open, and outward-looking society. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it "greatly welcomed" the move. Also read | This country in Europe becomes the first to make Covid vaccine compulsory Many industries, including foreign education, will be relieved by the reopening on February 21. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Australia has had some of the tightest border controls in the world. The government closed the borders in March 2020. To counteract COVID, it prohibited most foreigners from entering the nation and capped total immigration. Since December, some overseas students and skilled migrants have been allowed to enter the country. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: Australia to open borders to vaccinated tourists on February 21

A shareholders' meeting on Thursday (February 10) has decided that English Premier League will remove a number of emergency measures related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).&nbsp;

The United Kingdom was one of the countries that faced the wrath of the Omicron variant as Covid cases continued to rise in the UK after the 'variant of concern' was first detected last year in November.&nbsp;

In December and January, more than 20 Premier League games were called off due to COVID-19 outbreaks at several clubs. More than 100 cases were reported over the Christmas period as the teams didn't even have enough players to fulfil fixtures.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-it-worse-than-racism-west-ham-player-reacts-to-kurt-zoumas-cat-abuse-controversy-watch-452164">'Is it worse than racism?': West Ham player reacts to Kurt Zouma's cat abuse controversy - Watch</a>

To tackle the situation, the League had adopted several emergency measures such as increased testing of players and club staff, which included both lateral flow and PCR testing.&nbsp;

However, the number of cases has since come down to manageable levels and the League said lateral-flow testing "will revert to twice weekly from Monday".&nbsp;

The League said, "While the requirement to ensure social distancing indoors is maintained, restrictions such as wearing face coverings in indoor areas and limiting treatment time will be removed."&nbsp;

"The Premier League's COVID-19 Emergency Measures remain under regular review, with the aim of them expiring at the end of this month.," it added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/christian-eriksen-look-for-a-return-to-normal-life-with-brentford-as-he-returns-to-premier-league-451527">Christian Eriksen look for a return to 'normal life' with Brentford as he returns to Premier League</a>&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
At today’s Premier League Shareholders’ meeting, it was decided to remove a number of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures from Friday, 11 February 
 
Full statement: <a href="https://t.co/3V22Wl7cO6">https://t.co/3V22Wl7cO6</a> <a href="https://t.co/WAeikknKSA">pic.twitter.com/WAeikknKSA</a>
— Premier League (@premierleague) <a href="https://twitter.com/premierleague/status/1491796970175823880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hinted that there could be an early end to all coronavirus restrictions in the country if cases continue to fall.&nbsp;The government could remove the legal requirement to self-isolate for positive Covid cases.

"Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions - including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive - a full month early," Johnson said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

A shareholders' meeting on Thursday (February 10) has decided that English Premier League will remove a number of emergency measures related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

A shareholders' meeting on Thursday (February 10) has decided that English Premier League will remove a number of emergency measures related to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The United Kingdom was one of the countries that faced the wrath of the Omicron variant as Covid cases continued to rise in the UK after the 'variant of concern' was first detected last year in November. In December and January, more than 20 Premier League games were called off due to COVID-19 outbreaks at several clubs. More than 100 cases were reported over the Christmas period as the teams didn't even have enough players to fulfil fixtures. ALSO READ | 'Is it worse than racism?': West Ham player reacts to Kurt Zouma's cat abuse controversy - Watch To tackle the situation, the League had adopted several emergency measures such as increased testing of players and club staff, which included both lateral flow and PCR testing. However, the number of cases has since come down to manageable levels and the League said lateral-flow testing "will revert to twice weekly from Monday". The League said, "While the requirement to ensure social distancing indoors is maintained, restrictions such as wearing face coverings in indoor areas and limiting treatment time will be removed." "The Premier League's COVID-19 Emergency Measures remain under regular review, with the aim of them expiring at the end of this month.," it added. ALSO READ | Christian Eriksen look for a return to 'normal life' with Brentford as he returns to Premier League At today’s Premier League Shareholders’ meeting, it was decided to remove a number of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures from Friday, 11 February Full statement: https://t.co/3V22Wl7cO6 pic.twitter.com/WAeikknKSA — Premier League (@premierleague) February 10, 2022 × Also, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hinted that there could be an early end to all coronavirus restrictions in the country if cases continue to fall. The government could remove the legal requirement to self-isolate for positive Covid cases. "Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions - including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive - a full month early," Johnson said on Wednesday.

Premier League will remove many COVID-19 emergency measures

The last two years were difficult. As the pandemic continued to wreak havoc, we were forced to adapt to a new set of rules and guidelines to save us from the deadly coronavirus that killed millions of people worldwide.&nbsp;

People lost their family and friends and&nbsp;they grieved. They tried to move on then variants of Covid emerged, killing more. Distanced from their loved ones, confined to their homes, people came up with coping mechanisms, but some are still struggling.&nbsp;

The pandemic has changed how we live, transforming&nbsp;our relations and societal dynamics. A few of the changes that we have brought to our lifestyle are long-lasting.&nbsp;

For example, now some are comfortable with the work-from-home scenario as&nbsp;going to offices regularly might become taxing. It is not because people have become comfortable, the fear of the Covid is undeniable.&nbsp;

Well, we have talked about the adults and their problems. We communicate and share our sorrows. We read news stories about COVID-19, we try to understand the scenario. We sometimes get anxious, but at least we are aware.&nbsp;

But what about the children?&nbsp;

Covid's impact has been immense. Physical challenges due to long Covid are already there in addition to the mental trauma. There are calls worldwide to read the signs and seek help whenever needed.&nbsp;

That is for the grown-ups.&nbsp;How are we planning to raise those who are below five years of age and not aware of the gravitas of the situation?&nbsp;

Impact of Covid on kids

The impact of this global crisis will be lifelong for those who lost their childhood, who lost the fun of being in class with classmates, being in a park, enjoying slides with friends.&nbsp;

As the topic is so sensitive, WION reached out to Mr Ganesh Kohli, who is the founder of the IC3 movement, to know his valuable inputs.&nbsp;

Mr Kohli is a teacher and counsellor who founded, nurtured and led multiple education-focused organisations. He inspires others with his work and his educational counselling movement is one of its kind - based out of India.&nbsp;

Mr Kohli said that there are "huge challenges" that exist, particularly for children that we don't even realise.&nbsp;

He said that a whole generation of children is going to grow up to be "Covid generation", just like we had the World War II generation. There have been generations, like the Partition generation when we had Partition (India-Pakistan Partition).&nbsp;

"There are certain traumas in history... human beings are&nbsp;quite resilient but they tend to carry these traumas," Mr Kohli said.&nbsp;

"This generation of students and young people is going to have that trauma... where, that connection with people of their age, where they were stuck in a home environment, where they experience the disfunction to a much greater extent at home that they would otherwise not have experienced because they would be away in school," he added.&nbsp;

If we observe closely the behaviour of kids around us, we will definitely see some changes - the way they talk, they eat, they do things. Several factors are responsible, such as exposure to the internet, lack of in-person interaction with other kids.&nbsp;

How it can be tackled? As Mr Kohli said that there's definitely a trauma that will be "carried forward from this period". He added, "I think what we can do is to become sensitive. We just have to become much more aware and much more sensitive as educators, as parents and not just brush this [Covid crisis] aside."&nbsp;

Mr Kohli said, "As adults, we have found our own coping mechanism and even we have struggled to cope. Children obviously have found their own coping mechanisms."&nbsp;

"Some of the impacts that we have seen are that children spontaneously start crying, we have seen children becoming very quiet... these were not quiet children, children not wanting to connect with other children," he added.&nbsp;

Mr Kohli said&nbsp;that there are a lot of impacts that have happened. He added, "We just need to become sensitive, give the time and attention to these children and allow them to heal from this trauma that Covid has brought."&nbsp;

He said, "This whole approach of denying that something happened and let's get back now, yes, of course, we will get back to normal and schools will start and life will start to go back to normal."

"We need to acknowledge that this trauma is going to carry for some time and we need to help young people come out of this by being empathetic, by being aware," he added.&nbsp;

<meta name="uuid" content="uuidZMPoK6aAGvp6" /><meta charset="utf-8" />

Socio-economic impacts

The impacts are not limited to behavioural changes. If we talk about the ill impacts of the internet on kids, millions don't even have access to the internet and don't even have smartphones.&nbsp;

Covid has also widened the gap between rich and poor. During difficult times some families even lost their sources of income when the global economy plunged into a recession.&nbsp;

However, slowly and gradually the economies are reviving and such issues are to be tackled by global cooperations of governments and institutions.&nbsp;

In conclusion, it is important to note that the "Covid generation" is&nbsp;and will be distressed for years. We need to see it and keep a tab.&nbsp;

There's a need to be sensitive and be aware. Also, we need to acknowledge this trauma to help them cope when they will face the world in post-Covid times.&nbsp;

What can be done at an individual level to address the issues and challenges faced by children during the tough times, should be done on priority.&nbsp;

This is Part 1&nbsp;of the impact of COVID-19 on children. Part 2 is about parenting during the Covid crisis.&nbsp;

The last two years were difficult. As the pandemic continued to wreak havoc, we were forced to adapt to a new set of rules and guidelines to save us from the deadly coronavirus that killed millions of people worldwide.

The last two years were difficult. As the pandemic continued to wreak havoc, we were forced to adapt to a new set of rules and guidelines to save us from the deadly coronavirus that killed millions of people worldwide. People lost their family and friends and they grieved. They tried to move on then variants of Covid emerged, killing more. Distanced from their loved ones, confined to their homes, people came up with coping mechanisms, but some are still struggling. The pandemic has changed how we live, transforming our relations and societal dynamics. A few of the changes that we have brought to our lifestyle are long-lasting. For example, now some are comfortable with the work-from-home scenario as going to offices regularly might become taxing. It is not because people have become comfortable, the fear of the Covid is undeniable. Well, we have talked about the adults and their problems. We communicate and share our sorrows. We read news stories about COVID-19, we try to understand the scenario. We sometimes get anxious, but at least we are aware. But what about the children? Covid's impact has been immense. Physical challenges due to long Covid are already there in addition to the mental trauma. There are calls worldwide to read the signs and seek help whenever needed. That is for the grown-ups. How are we planning to raise those who are below five years of age and not aware of the gravitas of the situation? Impact of Covid on kids The impact of this global crisis will be lifelong for those who lost their childhood, who lost the fun of being in class with classmates, being in a park, enjoying slides with friends. As the topic is so sensitive, WION reached out to Mr Ganesh Kohli, who is the founder of the IC3 movement, to know his valuable inputs. Mr Kohli is a teacher and counsellor who founded, nurtured and led multiple education-focused organisations. He inspires others with his work and his educational counselling movement is one of its kind - based out of India. Mr Kohli said that there are "huge challenges" that exist, particularly for children that we don't even realise. He said that a whole generation of children is going to grow up to be "Covid generation", just like we had the World War II generation. There have been generations, like the Partition generation when we had Partition (India-Pakistan Partition). "There are certain traumas in history... human beings are quite resilient but they tend to carry these traumas," Mr Kohli said. "This generation of students and young people is going to have that trauma... where, that connection with people of their age, where they were stuck in a home environment, where they experience the disfunction to a much greater extent at home that they would otherwise not have experienced because they would be away in school," he added. If we observe closely the behaviour of kids around us, we will definitely see some changes - the way they talk, they eat, they do things. Several factors are responsible, such as exposure to the internet, lack of in-person interaction with other kids. How it can be tackled? As Mr Kohli said that there's definitely a trauma that will be "carried forward from this period". He added, "I think what we can do is to become sensitive. We just have to become much more aware and much more sensitive as educators, as parents and not just brush this [Covid crisis] aside." Mr Kohli said, "As adults, we have found our own coping mechanism and even we have struggled to cope. Children obviously have found their own coping mechanisms." "Some of the impacts that we have seen are that children spontaneously start crying, we have seen children becoming very quiet... these were not quiet children, children not wanting to connect with other children," he added. Mr Kohli said that there are a lot of impacts that have happened. He added, "We just need to become sensitive, give the time and attention to these children and allow them to heal from this trauma that Covid has brought." He said, "This whole approach of denying that something happened and let's get back now, yes, of course, we will get back to normal and schools will start and life will start to go back to normal." "We need to acknowledge that this trauma is going to carry for some time and we need to help young people come out of this by being empathetic, by being aware," he added. Socio-economic impacts The impacts are not limited to behavioural changes. If we talk about the ill impacts of the internet on kids, millions don't even have access to the internet and don't even have smartphones. Covid has also widened the gap between rich and poor. During difficult times some families even lost their sources of income when the global economy plunged into a recession. However, slowly and gradually the economies are reviving and such issues are to be tackled by global cooperations of governments and institutions. In conclusion, it is important to note that the "Covid generation" is and will be distressed for years. We need to see it and keep a tab. There's a need to be sensitive and be aware. Also, we need to acknowledge this trauma to help them cope when they will face the world in post-Covid times. What can be done at an individual level to address the issues and challenges faced by children during the tough times, should be done on priority. This is Part 1 of the impact of COVID-19 on children. Part 2 is about parenting during the Covid crisis.

Children face challenges that we don't even realise. There's a need to acknowledge the trauma

Vietnam opened most of its schools on Monday (February 7) to welcome 17 million students across the country. Country's health ministry announced plans to start vaccinating children five-years and older against Covid. Most of the Covid curbs in the country were lifted in October but almost all students were taking online classes since last year.

Health ministry said that almost all schools in the country would reopen by mid-February.

On Monday, Vietnam reported 16,815 new COVID-19 cases, including 16,809 locally transmitted and six imported, according to its Ministry of Health.

The Vietnamese capital Hanoi reported the highest number of infections on Monday with 2,988 cases, followed by central Nghe An province with 1,247 cases and central Da Nang city with 935 cases.

The infections brought the country`s total tally to 2,35,8786 with 38,424 deaths. Nationwide, 2,122,380 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered.

Some 182.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, including 29 million third shots, have been administered, said the ministry.

Vietnam has by far gone through four coronavirus waves of increasing scale, complication and infectivity.As of Monday, the country has registered over 2.35 million locally transmitted COVID-19 cases since the start of the current wave in late April last year, according to the ministry.

Vietnam opened most of its schools on Monday (February 7) to welcome 17 million students across the country. Country's health ministry announced plans to start vaccinating children five-years and older against Covid.

Vietnam opened most of its schools on Monday (February 7) to welcome 17 million students across the country. Country's health ministry announced plans to start vaccinating children five-years and older against Covid. Most of the Covid curbs in the country were lifted in October but almost all students were taking online classes since last year. Health ministry said that almost all schools in the country would reopen by mid-February. On Monday, Vietnam reported 16,815 new COVID-19 cases, including 16,809 locally transmitted and six imported, according to its Ministry of Health. The Vietnamese capital Hanoi reported the highest number of infections on Monday with 2,988 cases, followed by central Nghe An province with 1,247 cases and central Da Nang city with 935 cases. The infections brought the country`s total tally to 2,35,8786 with 38,424 deaths. Nationwide, 2,122,380 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered. Some 182.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, including 29 million third shots, have been administered, said the ministry. Vietnam has by far gone through four coronavirus waves of increasing scale, complication and infectivity.As of Monday, the country has registered over 2.35 million locally transmitted COVID-19 cases since the start of the current wave in late April last year, according to the ministry.

Schools open in Vietnam, more to open by middle of month

A COVID-19 vaccination drive for children aged five to 11 launched in the Philippine capital featuring a circus-themed inoculation centre complete with stilt walkers and puppeteers.

Philippine: children get vaccinated at centre with superheroes and puppets

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Organising Committee said on Monday that 24 new COVID-19 cases were detected among games-related personnel on Feb. 6.

Eleven of the cases were found among new airport arrivals, according to a notice on the Beijing 2022 official website.

Thirteen others were among those already in the “closed-loop” bubble that separates all event personnel from the public, five of whom were classified as either an athlete or team official, the notice said.

&nbsp;

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Organising Committee said on Monday that 24 new COVID-19 cases were detected among games-related personnel on Feb. 6. Eleven of the cases were found among new airport arrivals, according to a notice on the Beijing 2022 official website.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Organising Committee said on Monday that 24 new COVID-19 cases were detected among games-related personnel on Feb. 6. Eleven of the cases were found among new airport arrivals, according to a notice on the Beijing 2022 official website. Thirteen others were among those already in the “closed-loop” bubble that separates all event personnel from the public, five of whom were classified as either an athlete or team official, the notice said.

Beijing Olympics organiser says 24 new COVID-19 cases amongst games-related personnel on Feb 6

Amena, 7 months old, lay silently in her hospital crib amid the mewling of desperately ill infants in the malnutrition ward.

Her mother, Balqisa, had brought the child to Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, the night before. “Her body was so hot,” she said, stroking her daughter’s emaciated leg.

The baby had a high fever, convulsions and sepsis, said Dr. Mohammad Iqbal Sadiq, a pediatrician, glancing at her chart.

“Her chances are not good,” the doctor said. “We got her too late.”

At the Indira Gandhi hospital, and in faltering hospitals across Afghanistan, famished children arrive by car and taxi and ambulance every day and night. Acute malnutrition is just one of a cascade of maladies that threaten to topple the country’s fragile health system.

Late last month, António Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, told the Security Council that Afghanistan was “hanging by a thread,” as he called for countries to suspend all sanctions that restricted the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country.

“For 20 years, we kept Afghanistan on a transfusion,” said Filipe Ribeiro, country representative for Médecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors Without Borders, in Kabul. “Overnight, we removed the drip. Now we have to find a way to put it back.”

Three-quarters of Afghanistan’s population has plunged into acute poverty, with 4.7 million Afghans likely to suffer severe malnutrition this year, according to the United Nations. Last month, the organization made its biggest appeal ever for a single country, asking international donors to give more than $5 billion to fend off a humanitarian disaster.

Save the Children said the number of critically malnourished children visiting its clinics in Afghanistan had doubled since August, with 40 children dying in December on their way to receive medical care.

Jonas Gahr Store, the prime minister of Norway, whose country hosted meetings between Taliban representatives and Afghan civil society groups late last month, spoke to the Security Council about the urgency to expedite aid.

“We need new agreements and commitments in place to be able to assist and help an extremely vulnerable civil population, and most vulnerable among them, the children who face hunger and suffering,” he said.

Before the U.S.-backed Afghan government disintegrated in August as the Taliban overran the country, the health system relied on international aid to survive. But much of that funding has been frozen to comply with sanctions imposed on the Taliban.

As a result, the International Rescue Committee recently predicted that 90% of Afghanistan’s health clinics were likely to shut down in the coming months. The World Health Organization has said that outbreaks of diarrhea, measles, dengue fever, malaria and COVID-19 threaten to overwhelm overburdened hospitals.

Kabul’s Indira Gandhi hospital nearly shut down in October, when the unpaid staff had to cut down trees for cooking fires. A flush of funding in November from the International Committee of the Red Cross allowed it to keep its doors open and provide desperately needed medical supplies.

The infusion could keep the hospital afloat for the next several months, according to Sadiq, the pediatrician.

“After that, no one knows what will happen,” he said.

While there have been other infusions of aid, including $308 million in relief authorized by the United States, they have not been enough to cover 1,200 health facilities and 11,000 health workers.

Although the drastic decline in war-related casualties has relieved the burden of such patients on many hospitals, the suspension of operations by private facilities and the ability to safely travel Afghanistan’s roads has left other hospitals overrun with people.

On a recent morning, the corridors of Indira Gandhi hospital were crammed with beds as patients’ family members squatted on floors amid parcels of food bought at the local bazaar.

Patients’ meals consist of an egg, two apples, a milk packet, rice and juice, so many families supplement them with outside food. Some buy medicine at local pharmacies because the hospital can provide only about 70% of required medication, Sadiq said.

In the children’s critical care ward, many of the tiny cribs held two or three infants. In the ward for premature babies, two newborns had been placed in some incubators designed for a single infant.

“I’ve never seen it like this,” said Sadiq, who has worked at the hospital for more than three years. “And just imagine this same situation in every hospital in Afghanistan.”

The hospital, the largest in Afghanistan, is squeezing 500 patients into the 360-bed facility, Dr. Hasibullah Rahimzay Wardak, the hospital director, said. More than 1,000 patients arrive on a typical day, many from distant provinces. About 250-300 are admitted daily.

In the crowded malnutrition ward, 15-20 emaciated babies arrive daily, with about 60 infants filling the crowded malnutrition ward on any given day. The mortality rate is 2%-3%, Sadiq said.

Soraya, 2, had arrived 20 days earlier, dangerously underweight and gasping for breath. Her mother, Sara, 17, sat by her child’s bed as the girl’s bony chest heaved up and down. Sadiq tenderly lifted the girl’s legs, which were limp and swollen.

Soraya weighed 14 pounds on arrival, the doctor said, but weighed just 12 pounds now. Even so, he said, her condition had improved. Her chances of survival were good.

Adding more pressure on Afghanistan’s overburdened health care system is a fourth wave of COVID-19. Yet the virus is an afterthought in Afghanistan, where many people struggle to find enough to eat every day.

Few Afghans wear masks — even at the Ministry of Public Health in Kabul. There, officials clustered in groups on a recent weekday, greeting visitors with hugs and kisses, and ignoring faded signs saying masks were required throughout the building.

At the Afghan-Japan Communicable Disease Hospital in Kabul, the only remaining COVID-19 facility in the capital, few staff members or patients complied with worn stickers on the floors that proclaimed: “Let’s Beat Coronavirus — Please keep at least 2 meters from people around you.”

“When I try to talk to people about COVID-19, they say we have no food, no water, no electricity — why should we care about this virus?” said Dr. Tariq Ahmad Akbari, the hospital’s medical director.

Akbari suspected that the omicron variant had entered the country, but the hospital lacked the medical equipment to test for variants. He and his staff had not been paid for five months, he said, and the hospital was critically low on oxygen supplies and health care workers.

Seven of the hospital’s eight female doctors fled after the Taliban takeover in August, part of a hollowing out that reduced the staff from 350 to 190 the past five months. Four of the five staff microbiologists quit. And only five of the country’s 34 COVID-19 centers were still operating, Akbari said.

Several staff members lived in the hospital in Kabul because, without salaries, they cannot afford rent, he said.

The hospital was recently buoyed by a two-month stopgap grant of $800,000 from an affiliate of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Akbari said. And Afghanistan’s relative isolation after the Taliban takeover had likely helped contain the spread of COVID-19, he said.

Up to 20 patients died per day during the previous wave, but just one or two a day now. And the hospital tests about 150 patients a day now, down from 600 to 700 daily tests during the second wave, Akbari said.

He speculated that Afghans are so overwhelmed by other survival issues that they are less likely to seek treatment for COVID-19.

Before the Taliban takeover, the Ministry of Public Health published detailed daily charts showing the number of coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths — and the positivity rate for testing. But now the poorly funded ministry struggles to keep tabs on the pandemic.

Of the more than 856,000 tests conducted since the first wave of COVID-19 in early 2020 — of an estimated population of nearly 40 million — roughly 163,000 were positive, a Health Ministry spokesperson said. More than 7,400 COVID-19 deaths had been confirmed since 2020, he said.

But because testing is extremely limited and the cause of death is not recorded in many instances, particularly in rural areas of Afghanistan, no one knows the pandemic’s true scale.

Akbari shook his head in frustration as he described how little was known about the virus in Afghanistan.

Looking defeated, he said, “If we have a surge like we had during the second and third wave, we would not be equipped to handle it.”

Amena, 7 months old, lay silently in her hospital crib amid the mewling of desperately ill infants in the malnutrition ward. Her mother, Balqisa, had brought the child to Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, the night before.

Amena, 7 months old, lay silently in her hospital crib amid the mewling of desperately ill infants in the malnutrition ward. Her mother, Balqisa, had brought the child to Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, the night before. “Her body was so hot,” she said, stroking her daughter’s emaciated leg. The baby had a high fever, convulsions and sepsis, said Dr. Mohammad Iqbal Sadiq, a pediatrician, glancing at her chart. “Her chances are not good,” the doctor said. “We got her too late.” At the Indira Gandhi hospital, and in faltering hospitals across Afghanistan, famished children arrive by car and taxi and ambulance every day and night. Acute malnutrition is just one of a cascade of maladies that threaten to topple the country’s fragile health system. Late last month, António Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, told the Security Council that Afghanistan was “hanging by a thread,” as he called for countries to suspend all sanctions that restricted the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country. “For 20 years, we kept Afghanistan on a transfusion,” said Filipe Ribeiro, country representative for Médecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors Without Borders, in Kabul. “Overnight, we removed the drip. Now we have to find a way to put it back.” Three-quarters of Afghanistan’s population has plunged into acute poverty, with 4.7 million Afghans likely to suffer severe malnutrition this year, according to the United Nations. Last month, the organization made its biggest appeal ever for a single country, asking international donors to give more than $5 billion to fend off a humanitarian disaster. Save the Children said the number of critically malnourished children visiting its clinics in Afghanistan had doubled since August, with 40 children dying in December on their way to receive medical care. Jonas Gahr Store, the prime minister of Norway, whose country hosted meetings between Taliban representatives and Afghan civil society groups late last month, spoke to the Security Council about the urgency to expedite aid. “We need new agreements and commitments in place to be able to assist and help an extremely vulnerable civil population, and most vulnerable among them, the children who face hunger and suffering,” he said. Before the U.S.-backed Afghan government disintegrated in August as the Taliban overran the country, the health system relied on international aid to survive. But much of that funding has been frozen to comply with sanctions imposed on the Taliban. As a result, the International Rescue Committee recently predicted that 90% of Afghanistan’s health clinics were likely to shut down in the coming months. The World Health Organization has said that outbreaks of diarrhea, measles, dengue fever, malaria and COVID-19 threaten to overwhelm overburdened hospitals. Kabul’s Indira Gandhi hospital nearly shut down in October, when the unpaid staff had to cut down trees for cooking fires. A flush of funding in November from the International Committee of the Red Cross allowed it to keep its doors open and provide desperately needed medical supplies. The infusion could keep the hospital afloat for the next several months, according to Sadiq, the pediatrician. “After that, no one knows what will happen,” he said. While there have been other infusions of aid, including $308 million in relief authorized by the United States, they have not been enough to cover 1,200 health facilities and 11,000 health workers. Although the drastic decline in war-related casualties has relieved the burden of such patients on many hospitals, the suspension of operations by private facilities and the ability to safely travel Afghanistan’s roads has left other hospitals overrun with people. On a recent morning, the corridors of Indira Gandhi hospital were crammed with beds as patients’ family members squatted on floors amid parcels of food bought at the local bazaar. Patients’ meals consist of an egg, two apples, a milk packet, rice and juice, so many families supplement them with outside food. Some buy medicine at local pharmacies because the hospital can provide only about 70% of required medication, Sadiq said. In the children’s critical care ward, many of the tiny cribs held two or three infants. In the ward for premature babies, two newborns had been placed in some incubators designed for a single infant. “I’ve never seen it like this,” said Sadiq, who has worked at the hospital for more than three years. “And just imagine this same situation in every hospital in Afghanistan.” The hospital, the largest in Afghanistan, is squeezing 500 patients into the 360-bed facility, Dr. Hasibullah Rahimzay Wardak, the hospital director, said. More than 1,000 patients arrive on a typical day, many from distant provinces. About 250-300 are admitted daily. In the crowded malnutrition ward, 15-20 emaciated babies arrive daily, with about 60 infants filling the crowded malnutrition ward on any given day. The mortality rate is 2%-3%, Sadiq said. Soraya, 2, had arrived 20 days earlier, dangerously underweight and gasping for breath. Her mother, Sara, 17, sat by her child’s bed as the girl’s bony chest heaved up and down. Sadiq tenderly lifted the girl’s legs, which were limp and swollen. Soraya weighed 14 pounds on arrival, the doctor said, but weighed just 12 pounds now. Even so, he said, her condition had improved. Her chances of survival were good. Adding more pressure on Afghanistan’s overburdened health care system is a fourth wave of COVID-19. Yet the virus is an afterthought in Afghanistan, where many people struggle to find enough to eat every day. Few Afghans wear masks — even at the Ministry of Public Health in Kabul. There, officials clustered in groups on a recent weekday, greeting visitors with hugs and kisses, and ignoring faded signs saying masks were required throughout the building. At the Afghan-Japan Communicable Disease Hospital in Kabul, the only remaining COVID-19 facility in the capital, few staff members or patients complied with worn stickers on the floors that proclaimed: “Let’s Beat Coronavirus — Please keep at least 2 meters from people around you.” “When I try to talk to people about COVID-19, they say we have no food, no water, no electricity — why should we care about this virus?” said Dr. Tariq Ahmad Akbari, the hospital’s medical director. Akbari suspected that the omicron variant had entered the country, but the hospital lacked the medical equipment to test for variants. He and his staff had not been paid for five months, he said, and the hospital was critically low on oxygen supplies and health care workers. Seven of the hospital’s eight female doctors fled after the Taliban takeover in August, part of a hollowing out that reduced the staff from 350 to 190 the past five months. Four of the five staff microbiologists quit. And only five of the country’s 34 COVID-19 centers were still operating, Akbari said. Several staff members lived in the hospital in Kabul because, without salaries, they cannot afford rent, he said. The hospital was recently buoyed by a two-month stopgap grant of $800,000 from an affiliate of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Akbari said. And Afghanistan’s relative isolation after the Taliban takeover had likely helped contain the spread of COVID-19, he said. Up to 20 patients died per day during the previous wave, but just one or two a day now. And the hospital tests about 150 patients a day now, down from 600 to 700 daily tests during the second wave, Akbari said. He speculated that Afghans are so overwhelmed by other survival issues that they are less likely to seek treatment for COVID-19. Before the Taliban takeover, the Ministry of Public Health published detailed daily charts showing the number of coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths — and the positivity rate for testing. But now the poorly funded ministry struggles to keep tabs on the pandemic. Of the more than 856,000 tests conducted since the first wave of COVID-19 in early 2020 — of an estimated population of nearly 40 million — roughly 163,000 were positive, a Health Ministry spokesperson said. More than 7,400 COVID-19 deaths had been confirmed since 2020, he said. But because testing is extremely limited and the cause of death is not recorded in many instances, particularly in rural areas of Afghanistan, no one knows the pandemic’s true scale. Akbari shook his head in frustration as he described how little was known about the virus in Afghanistan. Looking defeated, he said, “If we have a surge like we had during the second and third wave, we would not be equipped to handle it.”

Afghanistan’s health care system is collapsing under stress

Jason Miller, the ex-senior adviser of the former US President Donald Trump spoke to WION on a range of issues, including the Biden administration, the current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in the United States.

Jason Miller, the ex-senior adviser of the former US President Donald Trump spoke to WION on a range of issues, including the Biden administration, the current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in the United States. Amid the escalating border situation between Russia and Ukraine, Miller also commented on Joe Biden's take on the Ukraine crisis and the stance that the US has taken on the conflict. Question) Donald Trump has said he may consider a pardon for the capitol hill rioters if he returns to office does that mean he is most definitely running in 2024 or is it still a maybe? Answer) That's with regard to people he believes were treated unfairly and did not commit any truly illegal or violent activity. Of course, if somebody assaulted law enforcement or if they created to damage or did something to assault or hurt another person. Obviously, they should be fully prosecuted. Even though there has not been a formal decision yet, I am pretty confident that Trump does run again in 2024. Many people would say they think there would be a rematch but I don't think Joe Biden runs again in 2024. My prediction is it would be Trump versus California Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024. Question) If and when Donald Trump does run for president in 2024, what would be the main focus of his campaign? Answer) First would be to try to restore some of the American greatness that he was able to lead us toward in his first term. I would say that Trump is by far the most consequential single-term president in US history. I have advised President Trump that he needs to make sure his relationship with Quad Allies in particular with India needs to be much stronger than it was in his first term. I do think they improved during his first term but they could be stronger especially when we look at this common concern with China. ALSO READ | Ex-Trump adviser speaks to WION on reports that some White House records were torn up and taped back Question) We are talking at a time when Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc across the United States. The US in fact has a far higher Covid death rate than other wealthy countries how would you grade the Biden administration's handling of the Covid-19 crisis? Answer) Joe Biden ran on a promise to effectively end Covid-19 and we have seen anything but that. We have not seen our stockpiles restored. We are just now starting to get to the point where at-home testing kits are being sent out. No efforts by the US to hold the CCP in China accountable. That's one of the things where I am most frustrated with the Biden administration for not taking stronger action in seeking some aspect of economic reparations. China and the CCP allowed this virus to spread all over the world and they lied about it and covered it up. Question) What do you make of the rhetoric we have seen coming in from Joe Biden on the Ukraine crisis and the stance that the US has taken on the conflict? Answer) We are stuck in the middle ground here. Joe Biden does not exhibit the confidence or the strength to ward off Putin's aggression. Much of Putin's strategy is to rally his domestic base. Do I think ultimately Putin will go and try to take over all of Ukraine? No. Do I think he wants to try to slow nato or even EU expansion? Absolutely. But the problem is with Joe Biden exhibiting such weakness on the global stage and having a lack of real international dialogue with Putin, it's allowed Putin to essentially be emboldened. The major threat, the real concern in the global geopolitical space is I think it's a matter of when and not if china takes over Taiwan. And I think that's something that's going to be a massive shock for the entire Indo-Pacific theatre. President xi is watching Biden's weakness in dealing with Putin and I think is probably emboldened to make that move against the island nation. China is an existential threat not just to the US but to democracies around the world. Watch the full interview here: ×

Ex-Donald Trump adviser Jason Miller weighs in on Biden administration, Covid crisis in US, and more

A sharp drop in COVID-19 cases on Feb. 5 among Beijing Olympics-related personnel was due to fewer arrivals at the airport and organisers said on Sunday that they did not expect any more large fluctuations in infection numbers.

China detected 10 new COVID cases among Olympic Games-related personnel on Feb. 5, the organising committee of the Games said. That was down from Feb. 4`s 45 cases - the second-highest daily tally since arrivals commenced last month.

Among the latest cases, four were new airport arrivals, including two athletes or team officials. The remaining six were already in the "closed loop", a bubble keeping Games personnel away from the local population during the Feb. 4-20 Olympics.

"With an increased number of arrivals there were more positive cases," Huang Chun, the Games` deputy director-general of the office of pandemic prevention and control, told a news conference.

"After the (Games`) opening ceremony on Friday there is a drop in arrivals and we have even less inbound flights which means there will be fewer positive cases.

"We hope that we can keep that trend going and there might be just minor fluctuations."

While reduced arrivals mean a lower risk of infected individuals entering the country, organisers said measures within the "closed loop" should remain tight to avoid any internal spread.

"We have to pay attention to measures in the closed loop. We do not see any cluster spread and so far it has not affected the smooth progress of the competitions," Huang said.

While competitions have not been seriously affected, dozens of athletes have already tested positive and moved into isolation, affecting their preparations and training.

"If we all follow the countermeasures I believe the level of positive cases will remain at relatively low levels," Huang said.

Almost all of the 2,900 athletes expected at the Games have arrived as well as most of the team support and coaching staff.

In contrast to many countries seeking to live with COVID-19, China has isolated itself with a zero-tolerance policy, cancelling nearly all international flights.

All Games participants - athletes, team officials, media and staff - arrive on special charter flights and are tested on a daily basis during their stay. They must also remain in the loop, which includes their accommodation as well as the sports venues, at all times.

A sharp drop in COVID-19 cases on Feb. 5 among Beijing Olympics-related personnel was due to fewer arrivals at the airport and organisers said on Sunday that they did not expect any more large fluctuations in infection numbers.

A sharp drop in COVID-19 cases on Feb. 5 among Beijing Olympics-related personnel was due to fewer arrivals at the airport and organisers said on Sunday that they did not expect any more large fluctuations in infection numbers. China detected 10 new COVID cases among Olympic Games-related personnel on Feb. 5, the organising committee of the Games said. That was down from Feb. 4`s 45 cases - the second-highest daily tally since arrivals commenced last month. Among the latest cases, four were new airport arrivals, including two athletes or team officials. The remaining six were already in the "closed loop", a bubble keeping Games personnel away from the local population during the Feb. 4-20 Olympics. "With an increased number of arrivals there were more positive cases," Huang Chun, the Games` deputy director-general of the office of pandemic prevention and control, told a news conference. "After the (Games`) opening ceremony on Friday there is a drop in arrivals and we have even less inbound flights which means there will be fewer positive cases. "We hope that we can keep that trend going and there might be just minor fluctuations." While reduced arrivals mean a lower risk of infected individuals entering the country, organisers said measures within the "closed loop" should remain tight to avoid any internal spread. "We have to pay attention to measures in the closed loop. We do not see any cluster spread and so far it has not affected the smooth progress of the competitions," Huang said. While competitions have not been seriously affected, dozens of athletes have already tested positive and moved into isolation, affecting their preparations and training. "If we all follow the countermeasures I believe the level of positive cases will remain at relatively low levels," Huang said. Almost all of the 2,900 athletes expected at the Games have arrived as well as most of the team support and coaching staff. In contrast to many countries seeking to live with COVID-19, China has isolated itself with a zero-tolerance policy, cancelling nearly all international flights. All Games participants - athletes, team officials, media and staff - arrive on special charter flights and are tested on a daily basis during their stay. They must also remain in the loop, which includes their accommodation as well as the sports venues, at all times.

No large fluctuations in COVID-19 cases expected, say Beijing Winter Olympics organisers

In what can be called reaching a grim milestone, the death toll in the United States due to Covid has surpassed 9,00,000, as per the tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University (JHU). &nbsp;

Since January 2020, over 76 million cases have been confirmed in the country. &nbsp;

The number of deaths due to coronavirus in the US reached 9,00,334 people, JHU tally showed on Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/destabilising-conflict-in-europe-will-impact-china-us-on-ukraine-row-450590" hreflang="en">Destabilising conflict in Europe will impact China: US on Ukraine row</a>

In mid-December 2021, the United States had crossed the 8,00,000 mark in the deaths related to this disease. The highly transmissible Omicron variant was spreading throughout the country at that time. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden's administration said that it will be distributing 400 million high quality Covid N95 masks for free to Americans. The step was taken in order to rein in the coronavirus pandemic. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/omicron-variant-originated-from-mice-say-chinese-scientists-is-the-narrative-changing-continuously-450343" hreflang="en">Omicron variant originated from mice, say Chinese scientists. Is the narrative changing continuously? &nbsp;</a>

Tens of thousands of distribution points will be set up nationwide in order to give away masks. Pharmacies and community centres are expected to be main distribution centres. The White House said that the distribution drive will kick into full gear in February. &nbsp;

"This is the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in US history," an unnamed White House official said in a statement. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In what can be called reaching a grim milestone, the death toll in the United States due to Covid has surpassed 9,00,000, as per the tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

In what can be called reaching a grim milestone, the death toll in the United States due to Covid has surpassed 9,00,000, as per the tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University (JHU). Since January 2020, over 76 million cases have been confirmed in the country. The number of deaths due to coronavirus in the US reached 9,00,334 people, JHU tally showed on Friday afternoon. Also Read: Destabilising conflict in Europe will impact China: US on Ukraine row In mid-December 2021, the United States had crossed the 8,00,000 mark in the deaths related to this disease. The highly transmissible Omicron variant was spreading throughout the country at that time. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden's administration said that it will be distributing 400 million high quality Covid N95 masks for free to Americans. The step was taken in order to rein in the coronavirus pandemic. Also Read: Omicron variant originated from mice, say Chinese scientists. Is the narrative changing continuously? Tens of thousands of distribution points will be set up nationwide in order to give away masks. Pharmacies and community centres are expected to be main distribution centres. The White House said that the distribution drive will kick into full gear in February. "This is the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in US history," an unnamed White House official said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: Death toll crosses 9,00,000 mark in US

Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel has tested positive for COVID-19, the Premier League club announced on Saturday, hours before their FA Cup fourth-round match against Plymouth Argyle.

Tuchel will go into self-isolation and the club said he would most likely join up with the team in Abu Dhabi next week for the Club World Cup. The team will fly out after the FA Cup game.

European champions Chelsea face either United Arab Emirates Pro League side Al Jazira or AFC Champions League winners Al Hilal in their semi-final at Abu Dhabi`s Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium on Wednesday.

If Chelsea qualify for the final, they will remain in Abu Dhabi until Feb. 12. Chelsea reached the final the last time they played in the Club World Cup in 2012, losing 1-0 to Brazilian side Corinthians in Japan.

Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel has tested positive for COVID-19, the Premier League club announced on Saturday, hours before their FA Cup fourth-round match against Plymouth Argyle.

Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel has tested positive for COVID-19, the Premier League club announced on Saturday, hours before their FA Cup fourth-round match against Plymouth Argyle. Tuchel will go into self-isolation and the club said he would most likely join up with the team in Abu Dhabi next week for the Club World Cup. The team will fly out after the FA Cup game. European champions Chelsea face either United Arab Emirates Pro League side Al Jazira or AFC Champions League winners Al Hilal in their semi-final at Abu Dhabi`s Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium on Wednesday. If Chelsea qualify for the final, they will remain in Abu Dhabi until Feb. 12. Chelsea reached the final the last time they played in the Club World Cup in 2012, losing 1-0 to Brazilian side Corinthians in Japan.

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel tests positive for COVID-19

COVID-19 cases inside Beijing`s Winter Olympic Games bubble hit the second-highest since arrivals began after 45 new cases were detected on Feb. 4, but organisers say the situation is under control and cases confined to the `closed loop`. 
 
The cases among Olympics-related personnel were up from 21 a day earlier while cases in the bubble that restricts the movements of Games participants, reached 19, compared with seven a day earlier. 
 
Feb. 2 saw the highest daily figure in the loop so far with 26 and the highest total daily figure with 55. 
 
Games organisers said that while cases within the loop could continue rising, there was no reason for concern. 
 
The loop allows athletes, officials and media to move between their accommodation and all Olympic venues, including the media centre, but on official transport only. 
 
However, they are forbidden to leave the bubble and move freely in the city, as China looks to minimise the risk of foreign visitors spreading the coronavirus during the Games. 
 
"The numbers (of overall positive cases) have been different every day," Huang Chun, the Games` deputy director-general of the office of pandemic prevention and control, told a news conference on Saturday. 
 
He said the different daily infection number from Games-related personnel, that had reached 55 on Feb. 2 and as few as two on Jan. 23, was related to the flight arrival times, with some tests conducted after midnight. 
 
"The day before yesterday we had almost 20 flights, many flights arriving at midnight," he said. "Some of the numbers have to be accumulated to the next day." 
 
Every participant has to arrive in Beijing with two negative PCR tests taken less than 96 hours prior to their departure. 
 
They are then tested at Beijing airport before undergoing a rigorous daily testing routine for the duration of their stay in China. 
 
"Even though the general number is increasing it is within our expectation," Huang said. "We think the number will start to decrease." 
 
So far 2,877 athletes have landed in Beijing with about 2,900 expected in total. Other arrivals include team support staff as well as sports and competition officials and media. 
 
A total of 353 Games participants have tested positive in Beijing since Jan. 23 both at the airport and in the loop. 
 
Dozens of athletes have tested positive, with many still in isolation and the Games officially under way since Friday. 
 
The latest cases involved two Swiss ice hockey players who went into isolation, according to the Swiss team on Saturday. 
 
"In general we think the situation is under control. The cases within the closed loop have not spread and they do not affect the competition," Huang said 
 
In contrast to many countries seeking to live with COVID-19, China has isolated itself with a zero-tolerance policy, cancelling nearly all international flights. 
 
 
 
(Additional reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) 
&nbsp;

COVID-19 cases inside Beijing`s Winter Olympic Games bubble hit the second-highest since arrivals began after 45 new cases were detected on Feb. 4, but organisers say the situation is under control and cases confined to the `closed loop`.

COVID-19 cases inside Beijing`s Winter Olympic Games bubble hit the second-highest since arrivals began after 45 new cases were detected on Feb. 4, but organisers say the situation is under control and cases confined to the `closed loop`. The cases among Olympics-related personnel were up from 21 a day earlier while cases in the bubble that restricts the movements of Games participants, reached 19, compared with seven a day earlier. Feb. 2 saw the highest daily figure in the loop so far with 26 and the highest total daily figure with 55. Games organisers said that while cases within the loop could continue rising, there was no reason for concern. The loop allows athletes, officials and media to move between their accommodation and all Olympic venues, including the media centre, but on official transport only. However, they are forbidden to leave the bubble and move freely in the city, as China looks to minimise the risk of foreign visitors spreading the coronavirus during the Games. "The numbers (of overall positive cases) have been different every day," Huang Chun, the Games` deputy director-general of the office of pandemic prevention and control, told a news conference on Saturday. He said the different daily infection number from Games-related personnel, that had reached 55 on Feb. 2 and as few as two on Jan. 23, was related to the flight arrival times, with some tests conducted after midnight. "The day before yesterday we had almost 20 flights, many flights arriving at midnight," he said. "Some of the numbers have to be accumulated to the next day." Every participant has to arrive in Beijing with two negative PCR tests taken less than 96 hours prior to their departure. They are then tested at Beijing airport before undergoing a rigorous daily testing routine for the duration of their stay in China. "Even though the general number is increasing it is within our expectation," Huang said. "We think the number will start to decrease." So far 2,877 athletes have landed in Beijing with about 2,900 expected in total. Other arrivals include team support staff as well as sports and competition officials and media. A total of 353 Games participants have tested positive in Beijing since Jan. 23 both at the airport and in the loop. Dozens of athletes have tested positive, with many still in isolation and the Games officially under way since Friday. The latest cases involved two Swiss ice hockey players who went into isolation, according to the Swiss team on Saturday. "In general we think the situation is under control. The cases within the closed loop have not spread and they do not affect the competition," Huang said In contrast to many countries seeking to live with COVID-19, China has isolated itself with a zero-tolerance policy, cancelling nearly all international flights. (Additional reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

Increased COVID-19 cases at Beijing Games no reason for concern, say Winter Olympics organisers

The Indian cricket team has been dealt with a huge setback ahead of the start of the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies. The Men in Blue will lock horns with Kieron Pollard-led visitors in the first ODI of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (February 06).

Ahead of the series opener, three Indian players have tested positive for COVID-19 and are unlikely to feature in the three ODIs. Opening batters Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer have all tested positive for coronavirus. Team India is facing a crunch in terms of the opening slot after Dhawan and Gaikwad's positive reports.

Vice-captain KL Rahul could have opened the batting with captain Rohit Sharma in the duo's absence. However, he is set to miss the first ODI due to personal reasons. As per a report in PTI, young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan has been added to India's ODI squad ahead of the start of the series.

Kishan, who also plays as an opener, has reportedly joined the Indian team in Ahmedabad and is likely to be the reserve opener in the squad. There are chances that the left-hander might open the batting with Rohit in the first ODI against West Indies on Sunday.

Apart from Kishan, Mayank Agarwal has also reportedly joined the Indian team in Ahmedabad amid COVID-19 infection to three players. While Kishan was only part of the T20I series against West Indies, Mayank was not a part of either of the two squads for the limited-overs series against West Indies.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/an-achievement-entire-nation-should-be-proud-of-sachin-tendulkar-on-indias-1000th-odi-milestone-450549">An achievement entire nation should be proud of: Sachin Tendulkar on India's 1000th ODI milestone</a>

On Friday, the Indian team had their first training session in Ahmedabad where head coach Rahul Dravid introduced young spinner Ravi Bishnoi to the other members of the Indian team. Captain Rohit took charge of the session and was seen gearing up for his first major ODI assignment as India's captain.

The Indian cricket team has been dealt with a huge setback ahead of the start of the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies. The Men in Blue will lock horns with Kieron Pollard-led visitors in the first ODI of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (February 06).

The Indian cricket team has been dealt with a huge setback ahead of the start of the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies. The Men in Blue will lock horns with Kieron Pollard-led visitors in the first ODI of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (February 06). Ahead of the series opener, three Indian players have tested positive for COVID-19 and are unlikely to feature in the three ODIs. Opening batters Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer have all tested positive for coronavirus. Team India is facing a crunch in terms of the opening slot after Dhawan and Gaikwad's positive reports. Vice-captain KL Rahul could have opened the batting with captain Rohit Sharma in the duo's absence. However, he is set to miss the first ODI due to personal reasons. As per a report in PTI, young wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan has been added to India's ODI squad ahead of the start of the series. Kishan, who also plays as an opener, has reportedly joined the Indian team in Ahmedabad and is likely to be the reserve opener in the squad. There are chances that the left-hander might open the batting with Rohit in the first ODI against West Indies on Sunday. Apart from Kishan, Mayank Agarwal has also reportedly joined the Indian team in Ahmedabad amid COVID-19 infection to three players. While Kishan was only part of the T20I series against West Indies, Mayank was not a part of either of the two squads for the limited-overs series against West Indies. Also Read: An achievement entire nation should be proud of: Sachin Tendulkar on India's 1000th ODI milestone On Friday, the Indian team had their first training session in Ahmedabad where head coach Rahul Dravid introduced young spinner Ravi Bishnoi to the other members of the Indian team. Captain Rohit took charge of the session and was seen gearing up for his first major ODI assignment as India's captain.

Ishan Kishan added to India's ODI squad as Dhawan, Gaikwad test positive for COVID-19 - Report

After the disastrous tour of South Africa, Team India return to familiar conditions as they get ready to host Kieron Pollard-led West Indies in the three-match ODI series, starting on February 6. Being whitewashed 3-0 in the ODIs in South Africa, India will be eager to return to winning ways in the 50-over format.

Rohit Sharma will also officially start his tenure as the full-time white-ball captain of the Men in Blue during the series. In early December 2021, Rohit was appointed as the limited-overs skipper by the BCCI selectors. After missing the SA ODIs, due to a hamstring injury, Rohit will have a stern test to start his tenure with a win.

Ahead of the India-WI ODI series, the Covid-19 crisis has hit the Indian camp. Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan,&nbsp;Navdeep Saini,&nbsp;Ruturaj Gaikwad and a few other support staff members have tested positive. Thus, the likes of Mayank Agarwal, Ishan Kishan, etc. have been added to the squad before the series opener.

Here's everything to know about the squads, streaming, schedule and telecast details before the ODI series

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-west-indies-covid-19-scares-rohit-sharma-led-indian-camp-before-windies-odis-450056">India vs West Indies: COVID-19 scares Rohit Sharma-led Indian camp before Windies ODIs</a>

Squads

India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, Mayank Agarwal

WI: Kieron Pollard (c), Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Nkrumah Bonner, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh.

Schedule

India will host West Indies in the three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad before the action moves to the three T20Is (in Kolkata).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-announces-rohit-led-india-squad-for-wi-series-jasprit-bumrah-md-shami-rested-jadeja-misses-out-447930">BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out</a>

Telecast and live streaming

The three ODIs'&nbsp;live telecast will be on Star Sports 1/1HD/1 and Star Sports Hindi/1HD Hindi from 1:30 PM IST. In addition, the&nbsp;fixtures will be streamed live on the Disney+Hotstar app.

After the disastrous tour of South Africa, Team India return to familiar conditions as they get ready to host Kieron Pollard-led West Indies in the three-match ODI series, starting on February 6.

After the disastrous tour of South Africa, Team India return to familiar conditions as they get ready to host Kieron Pollard-led West Indies in the three-match ODI series, starting on February 6. Being whitewashed 3-0 in the ODIs in South Africa, India will be eager to return to winning ways in the 50-over format. Rohit Sharma will also officially start his tenure as the full-time white-ball captain of the Men in Blue during the series. In early December 2021, Rohit was appointed as the limited-overs skipper by the BCCI selectors. After missing the SA ODIs, due to a hamstring injury, Rohit will have a stern test to start his tenure with a win. Ahead of the India-WI ODI series, the Covid-19 crisis has hit the Indian camp. Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Navdeep Saini, Ruturaj Gaikwad and a few other support staff members have tested positive. Thus, the likes of Mayank Agarwal, Ishan Kishan, etc. have been added to the squad before the series opener. Here's everything to know about the squads, streaming, schedule and telecast details before the ODI series ALSO READ | India vs West Indies: COVID-19 scares Rohit Sharma-led Indian camp before Windies ODIs Squads India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, Mayank Agarwal WI: Kieron Pollard (c), Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Nkrumah Bonner, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh. Schedule India will host West Indies in the three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad before the action moves to the three T20Is (in Kolkata). ALSO READ | BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out Telecast and live streaming The three ODIs' live telecast will be on Star Sports 1/1HD/1 and Star Sports Hindi/1HD Hindi from 1:30 PM IST. In addition, the fixtures will be streamed live on the Disney+Hotstar app.

India vs WI, ODIs: Everything to know about squads, schedule, telecast, streaming details

New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;will start easing some of the world's toughest pandemic border restrictions this month but will not fully reopen until October, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Thursday.

Ardern announced a five-step plan to reconnect&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;to the rest of the world, beginning with waiving hotel quarantine requirements for its nationals stranded overseas by the pandemic.

"It's time to move again," said Ardern, who has been under pressure recently to relax border policies that have been largely unchanged since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis almost two years ago.

"Families and friends need to reunite, our businesses need skills to grow, exporters need to travel to make&nbsp;new&nbsp;connections."

Ardern said&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealanders in Australia could return home and self-isolate, rather than going into quarantine, from February 27, followed two weeks later by Kiwis elsewhere in the world.

The option will then be progressively made available to other groups such as skilled migrants, international students, Australians, and eventually all vaccinated foreign nationals.

It will involve international arrivals self-isolating for 10 days instead of undergoing a 10-day hotel quarantine monitored by&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;military personnel.

Only 800 rooms per month are available under the current system, with demand regularly exceeding supply tenfold.

Many&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealanders have criticised it as too harsh on international arrivals,&nbsp;with business groups saying it was contributing to a labour shortage and crippling the tourism industry.

There have been numerous stories of fully vaccinated overseas-based&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealanders unable to get home to see dying loved ones or give birth, such as pregnant journalist Charlotte Bellis.

Bellis prompted a rare about-face from officials this week when she said her initial failure to secure a quarantine spot left her no choice but to deliver her baby in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/japan-more-than-20000-daily-covid-19-cases-reported-in-tokyo-449996/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

'Anguish and heartbreak'

Ardern said the quarantine system -- known locally as MIQ -- had been a key part of&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand's success containing the coronavirus, with only 53 deaths recorded in a population of five million.

"The anguish of MIQ has been real and heartbreaking but the choice to use it undeniably saved lives," she said.

New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;initially planned to start easing border controls last month and fully reopen in April&nbsp;but delayed the move as the Omicron variant emerged.

Ardern said&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand's high vaccination rate - almost 95 per cent of the population is double-jabbed, with a third also receiving a booster - meant change was now possible.

The prime minister said 92 per cent of adult Kiwis were expected to have a booster when the changes begin at the end of February.

The quarantine system will not be completely dismantled as it will still be needed to cater for unvaccinated international arrivals.

Air&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;said it was "thrilled" at the changes and was geared up to operate more than 300 flights between&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;and Australia in March.

"(It's) incredibly exciting news for&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealanders overseas," spokeswoman Leanne Geraghty said.

New Zealand will start easing some of the world's toughest pandemic border restrictions this month but will not fully reopen until October, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Thursday.

New Zealand will start easing some of the world's toughest pandemic border restrictions this month but will not fully reopen until October, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Thursday. Ardern announced a five-step plan to reconnect New Zealand to the rest of the world, beginning with waiving hotel quarantine requirements for its nationals stranded overseas by the pandemic. "It's time to move again," said Ardern, who has been under pressure recently to relax border policies that have been largely unchanged since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis almost two years ago. "Families and friends need to reunite, our businesses need skills to grow, exporters need to travel to make new connections." Ardern said New Zealanders in Australia could return home and self-isolate, rather than going into quarantine, from February 27, followed two weeks later by Kiwis elsewhere in the world. The option will then be progressively made available to other groups such as skilled migrants, international students, Australians, and eventually all vaccinated foreign nationals. It will involve international arrivals self-isolating for 10 days instead of undergoing a 10-day hotel quarantine monitored by New Zealand military personnel. Only 800 rooms per month are available under the current system, with demand regularly exceeding supply tenfold. Many New Zealanders have criticised it as too harsh on international arrivals, with business groups saying it was contributing to a labour shortage and crippling the tourism industry. There have been numerous stories of fully vaccinated overseas-based New Zealanders unable to get home to see dying loved ones or give birth, such as pregnant journalist Charlotte Bellis. Bellis prompted a rare about-face from officials this week when she said her initial failure to secure a quarantine spot left her no choice but to deliver her baby in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. × 'Anguish and heartbreak' Ardern said the quarantine system -- known locally as MIQ -- had been a key part of New Zealand's success containing the coronavirus, with only 53 deaths recorded in a population of five million. "The anguish of MIQ has been real and heartbreaking but the choice to use it undeniably saved lives," she said. New Zealand initially planned to start easing border controls last month and fully reopen in April but delayed the move as the Omicron variant emerged. Ardern said New Zealand's high vaccination rate - almost 95 per cent of the population is double-jabbed, with a third also receiving a booster - meant change was now possible. The prime minister said 92 per cent of adult Kiwis were expected to have a booster when the changes begin at the end of February. The quarantine system will not be completely dismantled as it will still be needed to cater for unvaccinated international arrivals. Air New Zealand said it was "thrilled" at the changes and was geared up to operate more than 300 flights between New Zealand and Australia in March. "(It's) incredibly exciting news for New Zealanders overseas," spokeswoman Leanne Geraghty said.

New Zealand to start easing tough Covid border controls

The Czech Republic will stop requiring COVID passes for entry to restaurants and other service or entertainment venues starting next week, opening them up to unvaccinated people, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said.

The country of 10.7 million, which was hit hard by previous waves of the COVID pandemic, is seeing a record spike in coronavirus cases as the Omicron variant spreads. However, officials expect an easing of infections this month.

The Health Ministry reported a record daily tally of 57,226 COVID infections on Tuesday, plus nearly 10,000 suspected re-infections. On Wednesday, a further 43,307 cases were reported and more than 7,000 re-infections on top of that.

But hospitalisations have not yet jumped and are well below peaks in previous waves of the pandemic. The government has sought to end some measures.

From Feb. 9, the need to show proof of vaccination or being recently recovered from COVID-19 to enter restaurants and other hospitality or service venues will end, Fiala said in a statement late Wednesday evening.

The government will also finish mandatory testing in firms and schools from Feb. 18.

Measures requiring mask wearing indoors and limits to the number of people at public events will remain.

The moves follow easing planned in other European countries. Neighbouring Austria will allow shops and restaurants to remain open longer and also ease restrictions on the unvaccinated from next week.

On Wednesday, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Italy would soon announce a timetable to roll back its COVID-19 curbs.

The Czech Republic will stop requiring COVID passes for entry to restaurants and other service or entertainment venues starting next week, opening them up to unvaccinated people, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said.

The Czech Republic will stop requiring COVID passes for entry to restaurants and other service or entertainment venues starting next week, opening them up to unvaccinated people, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said. The country of 10.7 million, which was hit hard by previous waves of the COVID pandemic, is seeing a record spike in coronavirus cases as the Omicron variant spreads. However, officials expect an easing of infections this month. The Health Ministry reported a record daily tally of 57,226 COVID infections on Tuesday, plus nearly 10,000 suspected re-infections. On Wednesday, a further 43,307 cases were reported and more than 7,000 re-infections on top of that. But hospitalisations have not yet jumped and are well below peaks in previous waves of the pandemic. The government has sought to end some measures. From Feb. 9, the need to show proof of vaccination or being recently recovered from COVID-19 to enter restaurants and other hospitality or service venues will end, Fiala said in a statement late Wednesday evening. The government will also finish mandatory testing in firms and schools from Feb. 18. Measures requiring mask wearing indoors and limits to the number of people at public events will remain. The moves follow easing planned in other European countries. Neighbouring Austria will allow shops and restaurants to remain open longer and also ease restrictions on the unvaccinated from next week. On Wednesday, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Italy would soon announce a timetable to roll back its COVID-19 curbs.

Czech government plans to end COVID passes, easing measures for unvaccinated

Serbia's state prosecutors have rejected suggestions that Novak Djokovic used a fake positive test for COVID-19 to try to enter Australia and compete in the Australian Open.

The prosecution office on Wednesday said in a statement that it had received a request for criminal proceedings against unnamed individuals who allegedly forged two PCR certificates, which were later used by Djokovic to apply for a medical exemption from vaccination when entering Australia.

The prosecution acted according to the regulations, checks were performed, and it was determined that Novak Djokovic was tested several times and that the certificates on the test results from December 16, 2021 and December 22, 2021 are valid, the statement said.

Foreign media, including Der Spiegel and the BBC, have reported discrepancies in the serial numbers of the tests Serbian authorities administered to the top-ranked Djokovic ahead of his trip to Australia, suggesting possible irregularities in the way they were issued.

Read Also |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/exclusive-fans-love-big-three-aslan-karatsev-on-lack-of-support-for-daniil-medvedev-in-aus-open-final-450040">EXCLUSIVE | 'Fans love Big Three': Aslan Karatsev on lack of support for Daniil Medvedev in Aus Open final</a>

Djokovic's media team and Serbian health authorities did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. Senior Serbian health officials have previously said that Djokovic's test was valid.

Djokovic was deported from Australia and barred from playing in the Australian Open last month after an 11-day visa saga on the eve of the tournament because he failed to meet Australia's strict COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

To enter Australia, Djokovic submitted a positive COVID-19 test issued in Serbia on Dec. 16 for a visa exemption on the grounds that he had recently recovered from the virus.

The 34-year-old player is not vaccinated and the Australian government later decided to cancel his visa and deport Djokovic, saying his presence in Australia could stir anti-vaccination sentiments.

Djokovic's rival Rafael Nadal won the Australian Open for a record 21st men's Grand Slam title. Djokovic and Roger Federer both have 20 major titles.

Read Also |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/roger-federer-novak-djokovic-and-i-have-understood-our-rivalry-in-positive-way-says-rafael-nadal-449491">Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and I have understood our rivalry in positive way, says Rafael Nadal</a>

Djokovic is adored in his native Serbia. Since he returned home, Djokovic was seen visiting churches and attending liturgies in both Serbia and neighboring Montenegro.

On Thursday, Djokovic is set to visit Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic who has been vocal in denouncing the Australian authorities for deporting the tennis star.

Serbia's state prosecutors have rejected suggestions that Novak Djokovic used a fake positive test for COVID-19 to try to enter Australia and compete in the Australian Open.

Serbia's state prosecutors have rejected suggestions that Novak Djokovic used a fake positive test for COVID-19 to try to enter Australia and compete in the Australian Open. The prosecution office on Wednesday said in a statement that it had received a request for criminal proceedings against unnamed individuals who allegedly forged two PCR certificates, which were later used by Djokovic to apply for a medical exemption from vaccination when entering Australia. The prosecution acted according to the regulations, checks were performed, and it was determined that Novak Djokovic was tested several times and that the certificates on the test results from December 16, 2021 and December 22, 2021 are valid, the statement said. Foreign media, including Der Spiegel and the BBC, have reported discrepancies in the serial numbers of the tests Serbian authorities administered to the top-ranked Djokovic ahead of his trip to Australia, suggesting possible irregularities in the way they were issued. Read Also | EXCLUSIVE | 'Fans love Big Three': Aslan Karatsev on lack of support for Daniil Medvedev in Aus Open final Djokovic's media team and Serbian health authorities did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. Senior Serbian health officials have previously said that Djokovic's test was valid. Djokovic was deported from Australia and barred from playing in the Australian Open last month after an 11-day visa saga on the eve of the tournament because he failed to meet Australia's strict COVID-19 vaccination requirements. To enter Australia, Djokovic submitted a positive COVID-19 test issued in Serbia on Dec. 16 for a visa exemption on the grounds that he had recently recovered from the virus. The 34-year-old player is not vaccinated and the Australian government later decided to cancel his visa and deport Djokovic, saying his presence in Australia could stir anti-vaccination sentiments. Djokovic's rival Rafael Nadal won the Australian Open for a record 21st men's Grand Slam title. Djokovic and Roger Federer both have 20 major titles. Read Also | Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and I have understood our rivalry in positive way, says Rafael Nadal Djokovic is adored in his native Serbia. Since he returned home, Djokovic was seen visiting churches and attending liturgies in both Serbia and neighboring Montenegro. On Thursday, Djokovic is set to visit Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic who has been vocal in denouncing the Australian authorities for deporting the tennis star.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic's COVID-19 test was valid, claim Serbian prosecutors

Beijing`s COVID-shortened Olympic torch relay began on Wednesday with basketball great Yao Ming and a Chinese soldier wounded in a bloody 2020 border clash with India among the first to carry the symbolic flame on a journey that will last just three days. The route taking the flame to landmarks including the Great Wall and Summer Palace is far more modest than the globe-spanning tour ahead of Beijing`s 2008 Summer Games that was disrupted by protests along the way.

Because of COVID-19, only selected members of the public will witness this week`s relay, as will be the case during the sporting events at the Olympics, which are taking place inside a "closed loop" that seals off athletes and other Olympics personnel from the public. "That is, of course, bad luck but what can you do?", Georgios Iliopoulos, Greece`s ambassador to China and a torch-bearer, said when asked if he was worried that the 2022 Games would be remembered as the "corona Olympics".

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-olympics-eleven-personnel-in-hospital-with-covid-19-virus-none-serious-449794">Beijing Olympics: Eleven personnel in hospital with COVID-19 virus, none serious</a>

"You cannot stop life and we do the best we can to continue with what we have to deal with. The main thing is we keep together at this and leave it behind us as soon as possible," he told reporters. 
The Olympics will run from Feb. 4 to Feb. 20. The flame, which was flown from Greece in October, will travel to competition zones, including Zhangjiakou in neighbouring Hebei province, before ending its journey with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron at Friday`s opening ceremony.

Wednesday`s event began under clear blue skies in Beijing when Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng lit a torch from a cauldron in the shape of traditional ritual vessel known as a zun, then handed it to 80-year-old Luo Zhihuan, who as a speed skater was China`s first winter sports world champion.

Among the torch-bearers was Qi Fabao, a regimental commander in the People`s Liberation Army who was seriously wounded during a 2020 border clash with Indian troops in the Galwan Valley that killed four Chinese soldiers. He took the torch from four-time short track speed skating gold medalist Wang Meng. 
More than 1,000 torch-bearers will participate in the relay. Asked during the sub-freezing morning how he felt as an Olympics torch-bearer, Yao responded: "Pretty cold, because the previous two times were for the Summer Olympics. But it`s warm to hold a flame in the winter."

Beijing`s COVID-shortened Olympic torch relay began on Wednesday with basketball great Yao Ming and a Chinese soldier wounded in a bloody 2020 border clash with India among the first to carry the symbolic flame on a journey that will last just three days.

Beijing`s COVID-shortened Olympic torch relay began on Wednesday with basketball great Yao Ming and a Chinese soldier wounded in a bloody 2020 border clash with India among the first to carry the symbolic flame on a journey that will last just three days. The route taking the flame to landmarks including the Great Wall and Summer Palace is far more modest than the globe-spanning tour ahead of Beijing`s 2008 Summer Games that was disrupted by protests along the way. Because of COVID-19, only selected members of the public will witness this week`s relay, as will be the case during the sporting events at the Olympics, which are taking place inside a "closed loop" that seals off athletes and other Olympics personnel from the public. "That is, of course, bad luck but what can you do?", Georgios Iliopoulos, Greece`s ambassador to China and a torch-bearer, said when asked if he was worried that the 2022 Games would be remembered as the "corona Olympics". ALSO READ | Beijing Olympics: Eleven personnel in hospital with COVID-19 virus, none serious "You cannot stop life and we do the best we can to continue with what we have to deal with. The main thing is we keep together at this and leave it behind us as soon as possible," he told reporters. The Olympics will run from Feb. 4 to Feb. 20. The flame, which was flown from Greece in October, will travel to competition zones, including Zhangjiakou in neighbouring Hebei province, before ending its journey with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron at Friday`s opening ceremony. Wednesday`s event began under clear blue skies in Beijing when Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng lit a torch from a cauldron in the shape of traditional ritual vessel known as a zun, then handed it to 80-year-old Luo Zhihuan, who as a speed skater was China`s first winter sports world champion. Among the torch-bearers was Qi Fabao, a regimental commander in the People`s Liberation Army who was seriously wounded during a 2020 border clash with Indian troops in the Galwan Valley that killed four Chinese soldiers. He took the torch from four-time short track speed skating gold medalist Wang Meng. More than 1,000 torch-bearers will participate in the relay. Asked during the sub-freezing morning how he felt as an Olympics torch-bearer, Yao responded: "Pretty cold, because the previous two times were for the Summer Olympics. But it`s warm to hold a flame in the winter."

Winter Olympics: Torch begins COVID-shortened trek past Beijing landmarks

Eleven Beijing Olympics-related personnel have been hospitalised with COVID-19 in the Chinese capital since Jan. 23 out of a total of 232 positive cases, Brian McCloskey, chair of the Beijing 2022 medical expert panel, said on Wednesday. Organisers recorded 32 cases in the past 24 hours, 15 of them new airport arrivals.

McCloskey said none of those hospitalised were in serious condition and the overall daily figure would start to drop once the number of participants arriving begins to decrease.

"Since Jan. 23 there have been 232 cases, 163 from the airport and 69 from the closed loop," McCloskey said. About 3,000 athletes, along with coaches, officials, federation delegates and media are expected for the Feb. 4-20 Games.

They will stay in a "closed loop" to prevent contact with the general public, moving between accommodation and Olympic venues on official transport. They are also tested on a daily basis in an effort to identify any infections within the loop quickly.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-asks-us-athletes-to-use-burner-phones-during-bejing-olympics-2022-citing-malicious-cyber-activities-449723">FBI asks US athletes to use burner phones during Bejing Olympics 2022 citing 'malicious' cyber activities</a>

Among the cases announced on Wednesday was an unidentified German team member who has been moved to isolation without any symptoms, the second case from Germany`s Olympic team in recent days. "We expected that but overall, I have to say that the track record with many arriving and being tested negative and then remaining negative for one, two, three days is very encouraging as they have a huge chance to stay negative in the loop," German team chief Dirk Schimmelpfennig told a news conference. 
Team members wanting to return to training and competition will need to be without symptoms and provide two negative tests 24 hours apart before being released from quarantine.

In contrast to many countries seeking to live with COVID-19, China has adopted a zero-tolerance policy, which has involved strict border controls and cancelling nearly all international flights. All participants are arriving on charter flights. "At the moment we have seen no significant spread within the loop. We are not particularly worried," McCloskey said. More than 540,000 tests have been conducted since Jan 23. 
"They won`t go down immediately but when we get to a stable number of people, then we expect it to go down," McCloskey said of positive cases. "The reality is every country in the world has a higher level of COVID-19 than China does."

Eleven Beijing Olympics-related personnel have been hospitalised with COVID-19 in the Chinese capital since Jan. 23 out of a total of 232 positive cases, Brian McCloskey, chair of the Beijing 2022 medical expert panel, said on Wednesday.

Eleven Beijing Olympics-related personnel have been hospitalised with COVID-19 in the Chinese capital since Jan. 23 out of a total of 232 positive cases, Brian McCloskey, chair of the Beijing 2022 medical expert panel, said on Wednesday. Organisers recorded 32 cases in the past 24 hours, 15 of them new airport arrivals. McCloskey said none of those hospitalised were in serious condition and the overall daily figure would start to drop once the number of participants arriving begins to decrease. "Since Jan. 23 there have been 232 cases, 163 from the airport and 69 from the closed loop," McCloskey said. About 3,000 athletes, along with coaches, officials, federation delegates and media are expected for the Feb. 4-20 Games. They will stay in a "closed loop" to prevent contact with the general public, moving between accommodation and Olympic venues on official transport. They are also tested on a daily basis in an effort to identify any infections within the loop quickly. ALSO READ | FBI asks US athletes to use burner phones during Bejing Olympics 2022 citing 'malicious' cyber activities Among the cases announced on Wednesday was an unidentified German team member who has been moved to isolation without any symptoms, the second case from Germany`s Olympic team in recent days. "We expected that but overall, I have to say that the track record with many arriving and being tested negative and then remaining negative for one, two, three days is very encouraging as they have a huge chance to stay negative in the loop," German team chief Dirk Schimmelpfennig told a news conference. Team members wanting to return to training and competition will need to be without symptoms and provide two negative tests 24 hours apart before being released from quarantine. In contrast to many countries seeking to live with COVID-19, China has adopted a zero-tolerance policy, which has involved strict border controls and cancelling nearly all international flights. All participants are arriving on charter flights. "At the moment we have seen no significant spread within the loop. We are not particularly worried," McCloskey said. More than 540,000 tests have been conducted since Jan 23. "They won`t go down immediately but when we get to a stable number of people, then we expect it to go down," McCloskey said of positive cases. "The reality is every country in the world has a higher level of COVID-19 than China does."

Beijing Olympics: Eleven personnel in hospital with COVID-19 virus, none serious

The BCCI has had a tough time to host the last two IPL seasons. IPL 2020 was held entirely in the UAE whereas the IPL 2021 season took place in two halves, in India and the Middle East. While the 2020 edition was delayed by over five&nbsp;months due to the Covid-19 virus, the previous edition was also severely affected when at mid-way the tournament was postponed indefinitely due to the second wave of Covid-19 in India.

The second half of IPL 14 finally took place in late 2021 in the UAE. Hence, all eyes are on the BCCI as to where they will host the 15th edition. Amid the current Covid-19 wave slowing down in the country and restrictions being lifted nationwide, BCCI is all but set to host the upcoming season in India.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ishan-kishan-to-pat-cummins-final-list-of-players-with-highest-base-price-of-rs-2-crore-for-ipl-mega-auction-449664">Ishan Kishan to Pat Cummins: Final list of players with highest base price of Rs 2 crore for IPL mega auction</a>

A BCCI official, on the matter, confirmed that the league will 100% be held in the country. The official told the&nbsp;Indian Express, "It will be in India,” on being asked the burning question. On the other hand, the ten franchises have urged the board to finalise the venue of the league ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. For the unversed, the auction will be held in mid-February in Bengaluru.

Regarding the venus of IPL 2022, many reports&nbsp;suggested that BCCI have kept Maharashtra as an option for the league stages&nbsp;-- taking two or three venues into account -- along with Ahmedabad to host the playoffs.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-warner-or-dhawan-chopra-predicts-indian-youngster-as-most-expensive-opener-in-ipl-2022-auction-449533">Not Warner or Dhawan! Chopra predicts Indian youngster as 'most expensive opener' in IPL 2022 auction</a>

Earlier, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah had stated that the board will leave 'no stone unturned'&nbsp;to host the entire forthcoming season in the country.

"I can tell you that we will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that IPL stays in India. The BCCI has not compromised on the health and safety of its stakeholders in the past and will concurrently work on Plan B since the COVID-19 situation with new variants remains fluid. The mega IPL Auction will take place on February 12-13th and we will lock in venues before that," BCCI secretary Jay Shah had earlier confirmed in a statement.

The BCCI has had a tough time to host the last two IPL seasons. IPL 2020 was held entirely in the UAE whereas the IPL 2021 season took place in two halves, in India and the Middle East.

The BCCI has had a tough time to host the last two IPL seasons. IPL 2020 was held entirely in the UAE whereas the IPL 2021 season took place in two halves, in India and the Middle East. While the 2020 edition was delayed by over five months due to the Covid-19 virus, the previous edition was also severely affected when at mid-way the tournament was postponed indefinitely due to the second wave of Covid-19 in India. The second half of IPL 14 finally took place in late 2021 in the UAE. Hence, all eyes are on the BCCI as to where they will host the 15th edition. Amid the current Covid-19 wave slowing down in the country and restrictions being lifted nationwide, BCCI is all but set to host the upcoming season in India. ALSO READ | Ishan Kishan to Pat Cummins: Final list of players with highest base price of Rs 2 crore for IPL mega auction A BCCI official, on the matter, confirmed that the league will 100% be held in the country. The official told the Indian Express, "It will be in India,” on being asked the burning question. On the other hand, the ten franchises have urged the board to finalise the venue of the league ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. For the unversed, the auction will be held in mid-February in Bengaluru. Regarding the venus of IPL 2022, many reports suggested that BCCI have kept Maharashtra as an option for the league stages -- taking two or three venues into account -- along with Ahmedabad to host the playoffs. ALSO READ | Not Warner or Dhawan! Chopra predicts Indian youngster as 'most expensive opener' in IPL 2022 auction Earlier, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah had stated that the board will leave 'no stone unturned' to host the entire forthcoming season in the country. "I can tell you that we will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that IPL stays in India. The BCCI has not compromised on the health and safety of its stakeholders in the past and will concurrently work on Plan B since the COVID-19 situation with new variants remains fluid. The mega IPL Auction will take place on February 12-13th and we will lock in venues before that," BCCI secretary Jay Shah had earlier confirmed in a statement.

IPL 2022: Mega event to be held in India; franchises eager for BCCI to finalise venues - Report

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday he had tested positive for Covid-19 but was not experiencing severe symptoms.

The 50-year-old leader -- who is vaccinated and boosted -- had announced last week he was isolating after being exposed to the coronavirus.

"This morning, I tested positive for Covid-19. I'm feeling fine -- and I'll continue to work remotely this week while following public health guidelines," the premier wrote on Twitter Monday.

Trudeau, who received his third vaccine dose in January, urged Canadians to get vaccinated and boosted as the nation battles a rise in Covid cases and hospitalizations due to the Omicron variant.&nbsp;

The province of Ontario, where Trudeau lives in the Canadian capital Ottawa, requires people to isolate after a Covid exposure for 10 days if unvaccinated.

Ontario, Canada's most populous province, is expected to start easing Covid restrictions from Monday, allowing restaurants, bars, sports venues and movie theaters to re-open.

Canada has recorded more than 2.9 million cases of Covid-19 and more than 33,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Ottawa was hit over the weekend by mass protests led by Canadian truckers opposed to vaccine mandates for crossing the Canada-US border.

Trudeau defended the vaccination mandate last week, noting that 90 percent of drivers are already vaccinated.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday he had tested positive for Covid-19 but was not experiencing severe symptoms. The 50-year-old leader -- who is vaccinated and boosted -- had announced last week he was isolating after being exposed to the coronavirus.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday he had tested positive for Covid-19 but was not experiencing severe symptoms. The 50-year-old leader -- who is vaccinated and boosted -- had announced last week he was isolating after being exposed to the coronavirus. "This morning, I tested positive for Covid-19. I'm feeling fine -- and I'll continue to work remotely this week while following public health guidelines," the premier wrote on Twitter Monday. Trudeau, who received his third vaccine dose in January, urged Canadians to get vaccinated and boosted as the nation battles a rise in Covid cases and hospitalizations due to the Omicron variant. The province of Ontario, where Trudeau lives in the Canadian capital Ottawa, requires people to isolate after a Covid exposure for 10 days if unvaccinated. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, is expected to start easing Covid restrictions from Monday, allowing restaurants, bars, sports venues and movie theaters to re-open. Canada has recorded more than 2.9 million cases of Covid-19 and more than 33,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Ottawa was hit over the weekend by mass protests led by Canadian truckers opposed to vaccine mandates for crossing the Canada-US border. Trudeau defended the vaccination mandate last week, noting that 90 percent of drivers are already vaccinated.

Canada PM Trudeau says tests positive for Covid-19

covid-19-0

Covid 19, News on Covid 19, stories on Covid 19, articles on Covid 19, Covid 19 stories at Wion, Covid 19 news, Covid 19 latest news

covid 19-0