India has reported its biggest surge since June 2021. The Omicron fuelled surge added 10 million new cases worldwide last week. The UK is restricting testing. Lockdown in China's Xi'an has led to chaos. Palki Sharma brings you the 10 big developments.

Gravitas: Omicron: Why India is preparing for a big surge

Omicron variant is rampant in Europe. France has set the record for new covid cases, more than 300,000 new infections were recorded over the last 24 hours. 66,000 people received their first jab in a single day.

Omicron variant surges across Europe, France recorded 300,000 new covid-19 infections

<p>Pakistan may have a trouble at hand as the country is witnessing surge in Covid-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant. Major cities are increasingly reporting hundreds of cases of the new variant..</p>

<p>Omicron variant was first detected in Pakistan on December 13 in Karachi. Till yesterday, Lahore had 170 cases of Omicron and Islamabad has 141. Children under the age of fourteen have also got infected with the virus.</p>

<p>Lahore and Karachi have accounted for 60 per cent of the cases found in Pakistan in last 7 days.</p>

<p>On Wednesday, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar expressed worry. He said that Omicron cases were increasing at a "fast pace" in the country. He was speaking at a press conference</p>

<p>Joining him at the presser was Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Asad Umar said, "The masses should avoid crowded places besides also wearing a facemask and adopting other precautionary measures".</p>

<p>He added, "The positivity ratio has reached 8.1 after the emergence of Omicron cases and those living in urban centres will be hurt the most".</p>

<p>Giving examples of the US, UK and South Africa, he spoke of how the surge in the Omicron cases has burdened the hospitals in these countries.</p>

<p>He further emphasized the importance of vaccination and said that vaccination can play a significant role in fighting the Omicron wave.He shared his concern on the Omicron variant and said that vaccination will lead to a lesser impact of the Omicron wave, reported ARY News.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Pakistan may have a trouble at hand as the country is witnessing surge in Covid-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant. Major cities are increasingly reporting hundreds of cases of the new variant.

Pakistan may have a trouble at hand as the country is witnessing surge in Covid-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant. Major cities are increasingly reporting hundreds of cases of the new variant.. Omicron variant was first detected in Pakistan on December 13 in Karachi. Till yesterday, Lahore had 170 cases of Omicron and Islamabad has 141. Children under the age of fourteen have also got infected with the virus. Lahore and Karachi have accounted for 60 per cent of the cases found in Pakistan in last 7 days. On Wednesday, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar expressed worry. He said that Omicron cases were increasing at a "fast pace" in the country. He was speaking at a press conference Joining him at the presser was Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan. Asad Umar said, "The masses should avoid crowded places besides also wearing a facemask and adopting other precautionary measures". He added, "The positivity ratio has reached 8.1 after the emergence of Omicron cases and those living in urban centres will be hurt the most". Giving examples of the US, UK and South Africa, he spoke of how the surge in the Omicron cases has burdened the hospitals in these countries. He further emphasized the importance of vaccination and said that vaccination can play a significant role in fighting the Omicron wave.He shared his concern on the Omicron variant and said that vaccination will lead to a lesser impact of the Omicron wave, reported ARY News. (With inputs from agencies)

Omicron cases on the rise in Pakistan, government advises caution

<p>After FDA, Centers for Disease Control Director Dr Rochelle Walensky has suggested the use of Pfizer booster doses for teenagers from 12 through 15 years of age. "It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease," CDC Director said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This booster dose will provide optimised protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. I encourage all parents to keep their children up to date with CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations," she further added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The booster shot will be given at least five months after the two doses have been given. The decision was taken after a CDC advisory panel voted 13-1 in favour of booster dose.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-update-fda-amends-emergency-use-of-pfizer-booster-dose-for-more-teens-442035"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Omicron update: FDA amends emergency use of Pfizer booster dose for more teens</strong></a></p>

<p>The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only US option for children of any age. According to the CDC, about 13.5 million 12- to 17-year-olds, just over half that age group, have received two Pfizer shots.</p>

<p>The FDA approved the same booster shot for teens earlier this week. According to Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock,</p>

<p>“Throughout the pandemic, as the virus that causes COVID-19 has continuously evolved, the need for the FDA to quickly adapt has meant using the best available science to make informed decisions with the health and safety of the American public in mind.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Global Covid cases experiencing a surge due to the Omicron variant. The health authorities have warned that its extremely high transmissibility could overwhelm many health systems all across the globe.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


After FDA, Centers for Disease Control Director Dr Rochelle Walensky has suggested the use of Pfizer booster doses for teenagers from 12 through 15 years of age.

After FDA, Centers for Disease Control Director Dr Rochelle Walensky has suggested the use of Pfizer booster doses for teenagers from 12 through 15 years of age. "It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease," CDC Director said in a statement. "This booster dose will provide optimised protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. I encourage all parents to keep their children up to date with CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations," she further added. The booster shot will be given at least five months after the two doses have been given. The decision was taken after a CDC advisory panel voted 13-1 in favour of booster dose. Also read | Omicron update: FDA amends emergency use of Pfizer booster dose for more teens The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only US option for children of any age. According to the CDC, about 13.5 million 12- to 17-year-olds, just over half that age group, have received two Pfizer shots. The FDA approved the same booster shot for teens earlier this week. According to Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, “Throughout the pandemic, as the virus that causes COVID-19 has continuously evolved, the need for the FDA to quickly adapt has meant using the best available science to make informed decisions with the health and safety of the American public in mind.” Global Covid cases experiencing a surge due to the Omicron variant. The health authorities have warned that its extremely high transmissibility could overwhelm many health systems all across the globe. (With inputs from agencies)

Omicron update: CDC suggests Pfizer booster shot for kids aged 12 and above

After a relatively stable trend in the COVID-19 cases, India is recording a rise in the number of infections dominated by the omicron variant. A total of 90,928 COVID-19 cases were reported in India in the last 24 hours this is a 56 per cent increase in cases in just one day.

India records 90,928 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours

<p>Researchers report that mutations in Omicron can increase the coronavirus' affinity for human cells, enabling the virus to evade antibodies and spread more easily.</p>

<p>A team from Boston College in the US developed a computer model that predicts mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, providing insight into future variants of concern before they emerge.</p>

<p>Based on the model, the team developed preliminary predictions about how mutations may affect Omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants' infectivity and immune response evasion.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-toughens-vaccination-rules-mandates-jab-for-those-over-50-442536" hreflang="en">Italy toughens vaccination rules, mandates jab for those over 50</a></strong></p>

<p>"We find that Omicron has not reached its full potential to bind human host cells," said Babak Momeni, Assistant Professor at Boston College.</p>

<p>"We identify mutations that can strengthen the virus affinity for the human cell, which could increase infectivity and evasion of antibodies," said Momeni, lead researcher on the project.</p>

<p>Coronavirus Omicron is believed to be the most infectious yet because it binds better to human receptors than Delta.&nbsp;The study also indicates&nbsp;the spike proteins of Omicron bind better to the ACE2 receptor than their Delta counterparts.</p>

<p>The yet-to-be peer-reviewed research posted on <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.01.470748v1">bioRxiv</a> indicates that Omicron may be able to evolve even stronger binding in order to increase transmission and infectivity.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-sets-global-record-reports-more-than-1-million-cases-uk-australia-france-also-break-previous-records-442400" hreflang="en">US sets global record, reports more than 1 million cases; UK, Australia, France also break previous records</a></strong></p>

<p>The spike protein of Coronavirus binds to a receptor on the host cell called ACE2, allowing it to enter and infect the cells.</p>

<p>First, the spike must bind to ACE2, and several mutations in previous variants of concern have been found to be important for increasing its binding to ACE2.</p>

<p>"We use a fully quantum mechanical model to theoretically assess how different mutations in the spike can contribute to its increased, or decreased, binding strength to human ACE2," said Momeni.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Omicron cases surge across Europe, with France reporting over 300,000 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/omicron-cases-surge-across-europe-with-france-reporting-over-300000-covid-19-cases-in-24-hours-442595/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>"The modelling shows that Omicron binds to receptor proteins stronger than the Delta variant," he said.&nbsp;Researchers said the model predicts what mutations allow for better binding to host receptors and better antibody evasion. According to the researchers, such mutations could lead to a future variant of concern.</p>

<p>"Having this knowledge from our model would help with readiness for detecting and preventing, as well as treating, emerging and future variants," Momeni added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Researchers report that mutations in Omicron can increase the coronavirus' affinity for human cells, enabling the virus to evade antibodies and spread more easily.

Researchers report that mutations in Omicron can increase the coronavirus' affinity for human cells, enabling the virus to evade antibodies and spread more easily. A team from Boston College in the US developed a computer model that predicts mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, providing insight into future variants of concern before they emerge. Based on the model, the team developed preliminary predictions about how mutations may affect Omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants' infectivity and immune response evasion. Also read | Italy toughens vaccination rules, mandates jab for those over 50 "We find that Omicron has not reached its full potential to bind human host cells," said Babak Momeni, Assistant Professor at Boston College. "We identify mutations that can strengthen the virus affinity for the human cell, which could increase infectivity and evasion of antibodies," said Momeni, lead researcher on the project. Coronavirus Omicron is believed to be the most infectious yet because it binds better to human receptors than Delta. The study also indicates the spike proteins of Omicron bind better to the ACE2 receptor than their Delta counterparts. The yet-to-be peer-reviewed research posted on bioRxiv indicates that Omicron may be able to evolve even stronger binding in order to increase transmission and infectivity. Also read | US sets global record, reports more than 1 million cases; UK, Australia, France also break previous records The spike protein of Coronavirus binds to a receptor on the host cell called ACE2, allowing it to enter and infect the cells. First, the spike must bind to ACE2, and several mutations in previous variants of concern have been found to be important for increasing its binding to ACE2. "We use a fully quantum mechanical model to theoretically assess how different mutations in the spike can contribute to its increased, or decreased, binding strength to human ACE2," said Momeni. Watch | Omicron cases surge across Europe, with France reporting over 300,000 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours "The modelling shows that Omicron binds to receptor proteins stronger than the Delta variant," he said. Researchers said the model predicts what mutations allow for better binding to host receptors and better antibody evasion. According to the researchers, such mutations could lead to a future variant of concern. "Having this knowledge from our model would help with readiness for detecting and preventing, as well as treating, emerging and future variants," Momeni added. (With inputs from agencies)

Research model predicts Omicron is not done evolving, it can further evolve to increase transmission

<p>As the UK continues to report nearly 200,000 COVID-19 cases a day, Britain's Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that one in 15 people were estimated to have been infected with<strong> COVID-19 </strong>until December 31 in England.</p>

<p><strong>ONS data</strong> revealed an estimated one in ten people in London had tested positive for coronavirus.</p>

<p>"COVID-19 infection rates continued to increase across all age groups in England with the highest rates still seen in school-age children and young adults," ONS said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-toughens-vaccination-rules-mandates-jab-for-those-over-50-442536">Also Read:&nbsp;Italy toughens vaccination rules, mandates jab for those over 50</a></p>

<p>The <strong>UK</strong> has eased testing rules for travelling into England even as British PM Boris Johnson told parliament that COVID-19 cases have been increasing at the fastest rate ever.</p>

<p>The UK prime minister informed that <strong>hospitalisation </strong>was increasing among older age groups.</p>

<p>"I'm confident that we can get through this wave of <strong>Omicron </strong>with the measures, with the balanced and proportionate approach that we are taking," PM Johnson told UK lawmakers.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Omicron cases surge across Europe</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/omicron-cases-surge-across-europe-with-france-reporting-over-300000-covid-19-cases-in-24-hours-442595/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The UK has eased testing rules for people travelling to England from Friday onwards. Fully <strong>vaccinated </strong>travellers coming to the UK do not have to take a pre-departure test and from Sunday onwards travellers can take a lateral flow test rather an RT-PCR.</p>

<p>However, <strong>unvaccinated </strong>passengers will have to take the pre-departure tests and&nbsp;PCR tests on day two and day eight, and self-isolate for ten days.</p>

<p>UK is one the worst-hit countries with the virus recording&nbsp;nearly 150,000 fatalities and more than 11 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in March 2020.</p>

<p>After the arrival of the Omicron variant in late November last year, the country witnessed a surge in COVID-19 cases.</p>

<p>"Now Omicron is so prevalent, these measures are having limited impact on the growth in cases&nbsp;while continuing to pose significant costs on our travel industry," PM Johnson told Parliament.</p>

<p>(With inputs from Agencies)</p>


As the UK continues to report nearly 200,000 COVID-19 cases a day, Britain's Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that one in 15 people were estimated to have been infected with COVID-19 until December 31 in England.

As the UK continues to report nearly 200,000 COVID-19 cases a day, Britain's Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that one in 15 people were estimated to have been infected with COVID-19 until December 31 in England. ONS data revealed an estimated one in ten people in London had tested positive for coronavirus. "COVID-19 infection rates continued to increase across all age groups in England with the highest rates still seen in school-age children and young adults," ONS said. Also Read: Italy toughens vaccination rules, mandates jab for those over 50 The UK has eased testing rules for travelling into England even as British PM Boris Johnson told parliament that COVID-19 cases have been increasing at the fastest rate ever. The UK prime minister informed that hospitalisation was increasing among older age groups. "I'm confident that we can get through this wave of Omicron with the measures, with the balanced and proportionate approach that we are taking," PM Johnson told UK lawmakers. Watch: Omicron cases surge across Europe The UK has eased testing rules for people travelling to England from Friday onwards. Fully vaccinated travellers coming to the UK do not have to take a pre-departure test and from Sunday onwards travellers can take a lateral flow test rather an RT-PCR. However, unvaccinated passengers will have to take the pre-departure tests and PCR tests on day two and day eight, and self-isolate for ten days. UK is one the worst-hit countries with the virus recording nearly 150,000 fatalities and more than 11 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. After the arrival of the Omicron variant in late November last year, the country witnessed a surge in COVID-19 cases. "Now Omicron is so prevalent, these measures are having limited impact on the growth in cases while continuing to pose significant costs on our travel industry," PM Johnson told Parliament. (With inputs from Agencies)

As UK battles Omicron wave, 1 in 15 infected with COVID-19 in England

COVID-19 cases across Europe have surged multifold driven by the Omicron mutant variant. France has reported over 300,000 COVID-19 cases for the first time in the last 24 hours.

Omicron cases surge across Europe, with France reporting over 300,000 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours

<p><br />
India reported over 58,000<strong> coronavirus</strong> cases in the last 24 hours including 534 fatalities.</p>

<p>According to India's <strong>health ministry</strong>, the daily positivity rate is at 4.18 per cent with 2,14,004 active cases. The total coronavirus cases reported was 58,097 along with 15,389 recoveries on Wednesday.</p>

<p>The total death toll due to the virus in the country has risen to 4,82,551 since the <strong>pandemic</strong> began last year. India had reported 37,379 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday with&nbsp;1,892 Omicron cases across 23 states and Union Territories.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-reports-over-37000-new-cases-124-deaths-as-omicron-tally-reaches-to-1892-442124">Also Read:&nbsp;124 deaths as Omicron tally reaches to 1,892 in India</a></p>

<p>India's&nbsp;health ministry said there were 2,135 cases of Omicron variant detected across states and Union Territories with&nbsp;Maharashtra recording 653 cases followed by Delhi (464 cases)&nbsp;Kerala(185 cases), Rajasthan (174 cases),&nbsp;Gujarat(154 cases)&nbsp;and Tamil Nadu with 121 Omicron cases.</p>

<p>India's western state of <strong>Maharashtra</strong> which has recorded the most number of fresh cases declared that rapid RT-PCR test would be required for all the international passengers landing at Mumbai international airport.</p>

<p>On Tuesday, <strong>Mumbai </strong>had reported 10,860 coronavirus cases which was the highest number of daily COVID-19 cases since April 7 last year as Nagpur district recorded 196 new coronavirus cases.</p>

<p>India <strong>Jharkhand</strong> state also witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases with 2,681 fresh cases on Tuesday as authorities said the cases had doubled from the previous day.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/11-month-old-tests-positive-for-covid-19-in-india-442108">Also Read:&nbsp;11-month-old tests positive for COVID-19 in India</a></p>

<p>In Arunachal Pradesh, there were 23 new positive cases.&nbsp;As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in Mumbai and India's capital Delhi, the West Bengal government said it will allow flights from New Delhi and Mumbai thrice a week.</p>

<p>(With inputs from Agencies)</p>


India reported over 58,000 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours including 534 fatalities. According to India's health ministry, the daily positivity rate is at 4.

India reported over 58,000 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours including 534 fatalities. According to India's health ministry, the daily positivity rate is at 4.18 per cent with 2,14,004 active cases. The total coronavirus cases reported was 58,097 along with 15,389 recoveries on Wednesday. The total death toll due to the virus in the country has risen to 4,82,551 since the pandemic began last year. India had reported 37,379 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday with 1,892 Omicron cases across 23 states and Union Territories. Also Read: 124 deaths as Omicron tally reaches to 1,892 in India India's health ministry said there were 2,135 cases of Omicron variant detected across states and Union Territories with Maharashtra recording 653 cases followed by Delhi (464 cases) Kerala(185 cases), Rajasthan (174 cases), Gujarat(154 cases) and Tamil Nadu with 121 Omicron cases. India's western state of Maharashtra which has recorded the most number of fresh cases declared that rapid RT-PCR test would be required for all the international passengers landing at Mumbai international airport. On Tuesday, Mumbai had reported 10,860 coronavirus cases which was the highest number of daily COVID-19 cases since April 7 last year as Nagpur district recorded 196 new coronavirus cases. India Jharkhand state also witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases with 2,681 fresh cases on Tuesday as authorities said the cases had doubled from the previous day. Also Read: 11-month-old tests positive for COVID-19 in India In Arunachal Pradesh, there were 23 new positive cases. As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in Mumbai and India's capital Delhi, the West Bengal government said it will allow flights from New Delhi and Mumbai thrice a week. (With inputs from Agencies)

India reports over 58,000 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours; over 2,000 Omicron cases

Amid a rapid surge in COVID-19 cases across the US, the authorities have reopened schools in New York City for children.

India reports over 37,000 people testing positive in the last 24 hours amid the Omicron threat

After a relatively stable trend in the Covid 19 cases, India is recording a rise in the number of infections dominated by the omicron variant. A total of 58 000 Covid 19 cases were reported in India in the last 24 hours this is a 55 percent increase in cases in just one day.

India records 2,135 Omicron cases in last 24 hours

India today reported its highest daily tally of Covid-19 cases since September 2021 with over 37,000 people testing positive in the last 24 hours. The country has also recorded over 1,800 Omicron cases and the country has also reported 124 deaths in the past 24 hours.

India reports over 37,000 people testing positive in the last 24 hours amid Omicron threat

<p>The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the rising Omicron cases—which is fast becoming the dominant variant—could pave the way for a new, more dangerous variant.</p>

<p>Speaking to news agency AFP, the WHO in Europe said that the soaring infection rates may have opposite effects.</p>

<p>“The more Omicron spreads, the more it transmits and the more it replicates, the more likely it is to throw out a new variant. Now, Omicron is lethal, it can cause death ... maybe a little bit less than Delta, but who's to say what the next variant might throw out,” WHO senior emergencies officer Catherine Smallwood said.</p>

<p>So far, studies have indicated that though the Omicron variant can easily bypass the immunity offered by vaccines, the new strain is milder than the previous variants.</p>

<p>Europe is in the midst of a fresh Covid wave, with several regions recording over 100 million Covid cases since the start of the pandemic, and more than five million new cases in the last week of 2021.</p>

<p>“We're in a very dangerous phase, we're seeing infection rates rise very significantly in Western Europe, and the full impact of that is not yet clear," Smallwood said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-sustainable-to-vaccinate-the-planet-every-6-months-says-oxford-vaccine-co-creator-442308">Not sustainable to vaccinate the planet every 6 months, says Oxford vaccine co-creator</a></p>

<p>Of the European infections, more than 4.9 million have been reported over the past seven days alone, with 17 out of 52 countries or territories beating their previous record of most cases in a single week.</p>

<p>France alone has recorded more than one million new cases over the past week, which is equivalent to 10 per cent of all positive cases it has announced since the start of the pandemic.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-update-fda-amends-emergency-use-of-pfizer-booster-dose-for-more-teens-442035">Omicron update: FDA amends emergency use of Pfizer booster dose for more teens</a></p>

<p>Covid-related deaths are however decreasing in Europe, reports AFP.</p>

<p>Europe recorded on average 3,413 coronavirus deaths a day over the past week, a seven per cent drop from the previous week.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the rising Omicron cases—which is fast becoming the dominant variant—could pave the way for a new, more dangerous variant.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the rising Omicron cases—which is fast becoming the dominant variant—could pave the way for a new, more dangerous variant. Speaking to news agency AFP, the WHO in Europe said that the soaring infection rates may have opposite effects. “The more Omicron spreads, the more it transmits and the more it replicates, the more likely it is to throw out a new variant. Now, Omicron is lethal, it can cause death ... maybe a little bit less than Delta, but who's to say what the next variant might throw out,” WHO senior emergencies officer Catherine Smallwood said. So far, studies have indicated that though the Omicron variant can easily bypass the immunity offered by vaccines, the new strain is milder than the previous variants. Europe is in the midst of a fresh Covid wave, with several regions recording over 100 million Covid cases since the start of the pandemic, and more than five million new cases in the last week of 2021. “We're in a very dangerous phase, we're seeing infection rates rise very significantly in Western Europe, and the full impact of that is not yet clear," Smallwood said. Also read | Not sustainable to vaccinate the planet every 6 months, says Oxford vaccine co-creator Of the European infections, more than 4.9 million have been reported over the past seven days alone, with 17 out of 52 countries or territories beating their previous record of most cases in a single week. France alone has recorded more than one million new cases over the past week, which is equivalent to 10 per cent of all positive cases it has announced since the start of the pandemic. Also read | Omicron update: FDA amends emergency use of Pfizer booster dose for more teens Covid-related deaths are however decreasing in Europe, reports AFP. Europe recorded on average 3,413 coronavirus deaths a day over the past week, a seven per cent drop from the previous week. (With inputs from agencies)

Rising Omicron cases may lead to more dangerous variants, warns WHO

The UK is currently witnessing one of the most severe omicron surges. However, UK PM resists lockdown plans for now.

UK PM resists another lockdown, insists 'Plan B' is working amid record surge in COVID-19 cases

It was supposed to be a new year, a post-pandemic 2022 one, where we put the pandemic behind us. Instead, it is the year of a new variant one that is wreaking havoc across the world omicron is currently shaking the globe to its core.

Omicron causing crippling staff shortages in UK & US

India reports fresh 58000 Covid 19 cases in 24 hours

<p>Centres for Disease Control and Prevention explained the scientific rationale for shortening their isolation and quarantine guidelines for COVID-19 and said that the guidelines also apply to children.</p>

<p>The Dec 27 guidance reduced isolation restrictions for people with COVID-19 from 10 to five days if they are no longer feeling symptoms or have a fever. In the following five days, they are required to wear masks at all times around others.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-sets-global-record-of-over-1-million-daily-covid-19-cases-after-fauci-warns-of-vertical-increase-442179">US sets global record of over 1 million daily Covid-19 cases after Fauci warns of 'vertical increase'</a></strong></p>

<p>Despite hints from other federal officials that it was reconsidering its position, the CDC on Tuesday maintained that people who catch COVID-19 are not required to undergo testing before they can emerge from five days of isolation.</p>

<p>Last week, the CDC announced a reduction in isolation time for Americans who caught the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">Coronavirus</a> but did not experience any symptoms or only experienced a brief illness. For isolation to end, a person must have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications and all other symptoms have resolved, according to the CDC.</p>

<p>Previously, CDC officials said the changes were in line with evidence that people with coronaviruses are most infectious two days before and three days after symptoms develop.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/omicron-skin-lips-and-nail-symptoms-that-mean-you-need-urgent-covid-19-treatment-442234">Omicron: Skin, lips, and nail symptoms that mean you need urgent COVID-19 treatment</a></strong></p>

<p>Experts have questioned how the new recommendations were crafted and why they changed amid the spike in cases linked largely to the highly contagious omicron variant. Many health professionals have criticised the guidelines for failing to specify a negative antigen test as a requirement for leaving isolation.</p>

<p>CDC posted documents on Tuesday designed to answer these questions as well as others. In response to questions raised by school leaders around the country, the CDC said the guidance applies to both school children and adults.<br />
As part of its justification for the revisions, the agency cited more than 100 studies from 17 countries that found most transmission occurs early in an infection.</p>

<p>CDC officials acknowledged that the data were derived from studies carried out when delta and other pre-omicron variants caused the majority of infections. However, the agency also pointed to limited, early data from the US and South Korea, which suggest that the time between exposure and the onset of symptoms may be shorter for the omicron strain than for the earlier variants.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Will Rich Countries extend the Pandemic?</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-rich-countries-extend-the-pandemic-442276/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Furthermore, the CDC addressed its decision not to call for a negative test prior to releasing the population from isolation.</p>

<p>The agency says lab tests can yield positive results even after someone has stopped being contagious, and an at-home test result can be misleading. In light of that, the agency recommends wearing masks everywhere after the five-day period of isolation ends.</p>

<p>Moreover, the agency admitted that many people did not follow the previous isolation and quarantine recommendations anyway. It has been found that only 25 to 30 per cent of people isolated for a full 10 days under the old guidelines.</p>

<p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people exposed to this virus be quarantined for five days unless they have recently received their first dose of vaccine. This is also true if they have recently gotten booster shots. The agency also suggested that anyone exposed "regardless of vaccination status" should get tested five days later.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Centres for Disease Control and Prevention explained the scientific rationale for shortening their isolation and quarantine guidelines for COVID-19 and said that the guidelines also apply to children.

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention explained the scientific rationale for shortening their isolation and quarantine guidelines for COVID-19 and said that the guidelines also apply to children. The Dec 27 guidance reduced isolation restrictions for people with COVID-19 from 10 to five days if they are no longer feeling symptoms or have a fever. In the following five days, they are required to wear masks at all times around others. Also read | US sets global record of over 1 million daily Covid-19 cases after Fauci warns of 'vertical increase' Despite hints from other federal officials that it was reconsidering its position, the CDC on Tuesday maintained that people who catch COVID-19 are not required to undergo testing before they can emerge from five days of isolation. Last week, the CDC announced a reduction in isolation time for Americans who caught the Coronavirus but did not experience any symptoms or only experienced a brief illness. For isolation to end, a person must have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications and all other symptoms have resolved, according to the CDC. Previously, CDC officials said the changes were in line with evidence that people with coronaviruses are most infectious two days before and three days after symptoms develop. Also read | Omicron: Skin, lips, and nail symptoms that mean you need urgent COVID-19 treatment Experts have questioned how the new recommendations were crafted and why they changed amid the spike in cases linked largely to the highly contagious omicron variant. Many health professionals have criticised the guidelines for failing to specify a negative antigen test as a requirement for leaving isolation. CDC posted documents on Tuesday designed to answer these questions as well as others. In response to questions raised by school leaders around the country, the CDC said the guidance applies to both school children and adults. As part of its justification for the revisions, the agency cited more than 100 studies from 17 countries that found most transmission occurs early in an infection. CDC officials acknowledged that the data were derived from studies carried out when delta and other pre-omicron variants caused the majority of infections. However, the agency also pointed to limited, early data from the US and South Korea, which suggest that the time between exposure and the onset of symptoms may be shorter for the omicron strain than for the earlier variants. Watch | Gravitas: Will Rich Countries extend the Pandemic? Furthermore, the CDC addressed its decision not to call for a negative test prior to releasing the population from isolation. The agency says lab tests can yield positive results even after someone has stopped being contagious, and an at-home test result can be misleading. In light of that, the agency recommends wearing masks everywhere after the five-day period of isolation ends. Moreover, the agency admitted that many people did not follow the previous isolation and quarantine recommendations anyway. It has been found that only 25 to 30 per cent of people isolated for a full 10 days under the old guidelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people exposed to this virus be quarantined for five days unless they have recently received their first dose of vaccine. This is also true if they have recently gotten booster shots. The agency also suggested that anyone exposed "regardless of vaccination status" should get tested five days later. (With inputs from agencies)

Check out CDC's new COVID guidelines and the scientific rationale behind them

<p>People living in the Japanese prefecture Okinawa are angry at the personnel of the United States military for spreading coronavirus cases.</p>

<p>Okinawa's governor said, “I’m outraged because the sharp increase in cases among US military personnel suggests that their management is insufficient.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I urge both the Japanese and US governments to have a strong sense of alarm that [the spread of Covid-19 in Okinawa is being caused by] a systemic problem,” he added.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-is-the-new-coronavirus-strain-discovered-in-japan-about-355904"><strong>Also see |&nbsp;What is the new coronavirus strain discovered in Japan about?</strong></a></p>

<p>As the Omicron variant is fuelling a sixth wave of COVID-19 infections, the prefecture is planning to impose emergency measures.</p>

<p>It would be the first such declaration of what are known in Japan as quasi-emergency measures since September 30, when all states of emergency and quasi-emergency that had been in effect for a good part of 2021 were lifted.</p>

<p>“It is clear that infections with the Omicron strain have spread due to the fact that tests were not conducted upon entry and exit from US bases. So should the United States not bear the cost of the resulting economic losses?” asked Tadashi Kadokura, an economist with the BRICs Economic Research Institute.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japans-ruling-party-unveils-manifesto-with-focus-on-coronavirus-defence-420125"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Japan's ruling party unveils manifesto with focus on coronavirus, defence</strong></a></p>

<p>Okinawa, an island chain 1,500 km (932 miles) southwest of Tokyo, hosts 70 per cent of US military facilities in Japan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Discoveries of coronavirus clusters and Omicron cases among service members have rankled relations with Japanese authorities there and residents, who number just under 1.5 million.</p>

<p>The region is emerging as the epicentre of a new coronavirus surge with cases more than doubling from the previous day.</p>

<p>New infections in the southern prefecture jumped to 623 from 225 on Tuesday, the most since August.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


People living in the Japanese prefecture Okinawa are angry at the personnel of the United States military for spreading coronavirus cases. Okinawa's governor said, “I’m outraged because the sharp increase in cases among US military personnel suggests that their management is insufficient.

People living in the Japanese prefecture Okinawa are angry at the personnel of the United States military for spreading coronavirus cases. Okinawa's governor said, “I’m outraged because the sharp increase in cases among US military personnel suggests that their management is insufficient.” “I urge both the Japanese and US governments to have a strong sense of alarm that [the spread of Covid-19 in Okinawa is being caused by] a systemic problem,” he added. Also see | What is the new coronavirus strain discovered in Japan about? As the Omicron variant is fuelling a sixth wave of COVID-19 infections, the prefecture is planning to impose emergency measures. It would be the first such declaration of what are known in Japan as quasi-emergency measures since September 30, when all states of emergency and quasi-emergency that had been in effect for a good part of 2021 were lifted. “It is clear that infections with the Omicron strain have spread due to the fact that tests were not conducted upon entry and exit from US bases. So should the United States not bear the cost of the resulting economic losses?” asked Tadashi Kadokura, an economist with the BRICs Economic Research Institute. Also read | Japan's ruling party unveils manifesto with focus on coronavirus, defence Okinawa, an island chain 1,500 km (932 miles) southwest of Tokyo, hosts 70 per cent of US military facilities in Japan. Discoveries of coronavirus clusters and Omicron cases among service members have rankled relations with Japanese authorities there and residents, who number just under 1.5 million. The region is emerging as the epicentre of a new coronavirus surge with cases more than doubling from the previous day. New infections in the southern prefecture jumped to 623 from 225 on Tuesday, the most since August. (With inputs from agencies)

Japan: People in Okinawa are angry at US military personnel for spreading coronavirus cases

<p>A record number of COVID-19 cases has been reported in the US, United Kingdom, France, and Australia as the WHO warned that Omicron's rapid spread could lead to the spread of new, more dangerous variants.</p>

<p>On Tuesday, Britain reached 200,000 cases for the first time, Australia posted almost 50,000, and France tallied over 270,000, easily surpassing their previous records.</p>

<p>A global record was set on Monday by the United States with 1,080,211 cases reported, dwarfing even the high numbers of these countries.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-silver-bullets-australia-reports-record-high-in-covid-19-cases-hospitalisations-surge-442377" hreflang="en">'No silver bullets': Australia reports record high in COVID-19 cases; hospitalisations surge</a></strong></p>

<p>Due to weekend tally delays, Monday's figures are usually higher than those of the weekend and may have been inflated by a three-day New Year's holiday weekend.</p>

<p>As of Monday evening, Johns Hopkins University reported that the rolling average over seven days, which experts deem more reliable, was 486,000 cases per day.</p>

<p>The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/omicron">Omicron variant</a>, the most transmissible to date, accounted for around 59 per cent of cases in the United States near the end of last year.</p>

<p>Deaths and hospitalizations due to Omicron have been lower across the world, which raises hopes that the virus could be evolving into a relatively benign seasonal illness.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-what-is-the-new-ihu-variant-discovered-in-france-442349" hreflang="en">Explained: What is the new 'IHU' variant discovered in France?</a></strong></p>

<p>In Europe, the World Health Organization sounded an ominous note of caution on Tuesday, warning that the soaring infection rates could have the opposite effect.</p>

<p>"The more Omicron spreads, the more it transmits and the more it replicates, the more likely it is to throw out a new variant," said WHO senior emergencies officer Catherine Smallwood.</p>

<p>"Now, Omicron is lethal, it can cause death... maybe a little bit less than Delta, but who's to say what the next variant might throw out," she added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Even in well-capacitated, sophisticated health systems, there are real struggles that are happening at the moment."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rising-omicron-cases-may-lead-to-more-dangerous-variants-warns-who-442321" hreflang="en">Rising Omicron cases may lead to more dangerous variants, warns WHO</a></strong></p>

<p>In Britain, where the government announced Tuesday that hospitals were on "war footing" due to staff shortages, such a scenario has long been feared.</p>

<p>In the wake of a record number of 218,724 cases in 24 hours in the UK, President Boris Johnson promised action to plug staff shortages in the worst-hit areas, including the recruitment of medical volunteers backed by army support.</p>

<p>Johnson also said another nationwide lockdown is unlikely in England defending his decision not to increase restrictions over the festive season unlike other parts of the country.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Omicron: Australia's COVID-19 infections have hit a record high for the third consecutive day</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/omicron-australias-covid-19-infections-have-hit-a-record-high-for-the-third-consecutive-day-442360/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>With over 47,700 cases, Australia has also smashed its previous caseload record.</p>

<p>Rich nations have rushed to give their populations the third booster shot in an effort to curb the rising cases, while the poorest nations have only been able to receive the first.</p>

<p>Ahead of the pack, Israel has already begun rolling out the fourth dose last week.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A record number of COVID-19 cases has been reported in the US, United Kingdom, France, and Australia as the WHO warned that Omicron's rapid spread could lead to the spread of new, more dangerous variants.

A record number of COVID-19 cases has been reported in the US, United Kingdom, France, and Australia as the WHO warned that Omicron's rapid spread could lead to the spread of new, more dangerous variants. On Tuesday, Britain reached 200,000 cases for the first time, Australia posted almost 50,000, and France tallied over 270,000, easily surpassing their previous records. A global record was set on Monday by the United States with 1,080,211 cases reported, dwarfing even the high numbers of these countries. Also read | 'No silver bullets': Australia reports record high in COVID-19 cases; hospitalisations surge Due to weekend tally delays, Monday's figures are usually higher than those of the weekend and may have been inflated by a three-day New Year's holiday weekend. As of Monday evening, Johns Hopkins University reported that the rolling average over seven days, which experts deem more reliable, was 486,000 cases per day. The Omicron variant, the most transmissible to date, accounted for around 59 per cent of cases in the United States near the end of last year. Deaths and hospitalizations due to Omicron have been lower across the world, which raises hopes that the virus could be evolving into a relatively benign seasonal illness. Also read | Explained: What is the new 'IHU' variant discovered in France? In Europe, the World Health Organization sounded an ominous note of caution on Tuesday, warning that the soaring infection rates could have the opposite effect. "The more Omicron spreads, the more it transmits and the more it replicates, the more likely it is to throw out a new variant," said WHO senior emergencies officer Catherine Smallwood. "Now, Omicron is lethal, it can cause death... maybe a little bit less than Delta, but who's to say what the next variant might throw out," she added. "Even in well-capacitated, sophisticated health systems, there are real struggles that are happening at the moment." Also read | Rising Omicron cases may lead to more dangerous variants, warns WHO In Britain, where the government announced Tuesday that hospitals were on "war footing" due to staff shortages, such a scenario has long been feared. In the wake of a record number of 218,724 cases in 24 hours in the UK, President Boris Johnson promised action to plug staff shortages in the worst-hit areas, including the recruitment of medical volunteers backed by army support. Johnson also said another nationwide lockdown is unlikely in England defending his decision not to increase restrictions over the festive season unlike other parts of the country. Watch | Omicron: Australia's COVID-19 infections have hit a record high for the third consecutive day With over 47,700 cases, Australia has also smashed its previous caseload record. Rich nations have rushed to give their populations the third booster shot in an effort to curb the rising cases, while the poorest nations have only been able to receive the first. Ahead of the pack, Israel has already begun rolling out the fourth dose last week. (With inputs from agencies)

US sets global record, reports more than 1 million cases; UK, Australia, France also break previous records

<p>For the third day in a row, Australia's COVID-19 cases surpassed their daily record high, further straining hospital resources and testing facilities as public anger grows over the response to the speedy response to the rapidly spreading Omicron outbreak.</p>

<p>New South Wales and Victoria, the most populous states in the country, reported 64,774 new cases, a record number. The number easily exceeded the previous day's national total of 47,800.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/check-out-cdcs-new-covid-guidelines-and-the-scientific-rationale-behind-them-442306" hreflang="en">Check out CDC's new COVID guidelines and the scientific rationale behind them</a></strong></p>

<p>The number of Omicron infections has risen more than 50 times from around 1,200 since late November when the first case was detected in the country.</p>

<p>Hospital admissions in New South Wales and Victoria increased by 10 per cent over the previous day and the number is expected to rise even further over the next few weeks.</p>

<p>"We have got some challenging weeks ahead of us," NSW Deputy Health Secretary Susan Pearce told reporters.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rising-omicron-cases-may-lead-to-more-dangerous-variants-warns-who-442321" hreflang="en">Rising Omicron cases may lead to more dangerous variants, warns WHO</a></strong></p>

<p>In recent weeks, there has been an explosion of cases which has led to long lines at publicly-funded PCR testing centres. As a result, authorities encouraged people to only seek PCRs if asymptomatic. This led to a shortage of rapid antigen tests, which can be performed at home but must be purchased privately.</p>

<p>Under pressure as an election year begins, Scott Morrison, leader of the centre-right Liberal-National Party coalition, has attempted to reassure voters that the situation is under control while keeping the purse strings tightly cinched.</p>

<p>"You've just got to work the problem, work it together and push through."</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Omicron: Australia's COVID-19 infections have hit a record high for the third consecutive day</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/omicron-australias-covid-19-infections-have-hit-a-record-high-for-the-third-consecutive-day-442360/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Morrison, who must call an election before May, has ruled out subsidising the majority of at-home testing kits, citing the need for individual responsibility.</p>

<p>However, state leaders are expected to press Morrison to subsidise rapid antigen tests at Wednesday's cabinet meeting.</p>

<p>"There are no silver bullets here," Morrison told reporters ahead of a meeting of the national cabinet, the group of federal and state and territory leaders tasked with handling the pandemic.</p>

<p>As if long queues at public testing centres and a lack of at-home testing weren't bad enough, news broke that tennis world number one Novak Djokovic had been given a medical exemption to enter the country.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shame-shame-shame-australia-reacts-to-novak-djokovics-australian-open-vaccine-exemption-442330" hreflang="en">'Shame!! shame, shame': Australia reacts to Novak Djokovic's Australian Open vaccine exemption</a></strong></p>

<p>There have also been strong criticisms of the decision to grant Djokovic, who has refused to reveal his vaccination status but previously stated his objection to mandatory vaccines, a medical exemption for the Australian Open tennis tournament.</p>

<p>In addition to social media outrage, medical professionals, lawmakers, and other sports people have also criticised the decision.</p>

<p>The coronavirus pandemic in Australia has led to more than 612,000 cases and 2,290 deaths, with more than half of those infections occurring over the past two weeks.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


For the third day in a row, Australia's COVID-19 cases surpassed their daily record high, further straining hospital resources and testing facilities as public anger grows over the response to the speedy response to the rapidly spreading Omicron outbreak.

For the third day in a row, Australia's COVID-19 cases surpassed their daily record high, further straining hospital resources and testing facilities as public anger grows over the response to the speedy response to the rapidly spreading Omicron outbreak. New South Wales and Victoria, the most populous states in the country, reported 64,774 new cases, a record number. The number easily exceeded the previous day's national total of 47,800. Also read | Check out CDC's new COVID guidelines and the scientific rationale behind them The number of Omicron infections has risen more than 50 times from around 1,200 since late November when the first case was detected in the country. Hospital admissions in New South Wales and Victoria increased by 10 per cent over the previous day and the number is expected to rise even further over the next few weeks. "We have got some challenging weeks ahead of us," NSW Deputy Health Secretary Susan Pearce told reporters. Also read | Rising Omicron cases may lead to more dangerous variants, warns WHO In recent weeks, there has been an explosion of cases which has led to long lines at publicly-funded PCR testing centres. As a result, authorities encouraged people to only seek PCRs if asymptomatic. This led to a shortage of rapid antigen tests, which can be performed at home but must be purchased privately. Under pressure as an election year begins, Scott Morrison, leader of the centre-right Liberal-National Party coalition, has attempted to reassure voters that the situation is under control while keeping the purse strings tightly cinched. "You've just got to work the problem, work it together and push through." Watch | Omicron: Australia's COVID-19 infections have hit a record high for the third consecutive day Morrison, who must call an election before May, has ruled out subsidising the majority of at-home testing kits, citing the need for individual responsibility. However, state leaders are expected to press Morrison to subsidise rapid antigen tests at Wednesday's cabinet meeting. "There are no silver bullets here," Morrison told reporters ahead of a meeting of the national cabinet, the group of federal and state and territory leaders tasked with handling the pandemic. As if long queues at public testing centres and a lack of at-home testing weren't bad enough, news broke that tennis world number one Novak Djokovic had been given a medical exemption to enter the country. Also read | 'Shame!! shame, shame': Australia reacts to Novak Djokovic's Australian Open vaccine exemption There have also been strong criticisms of the decision to grant Djokovic, who has refused to reveal his vaccination status but previously stated his objection to mandatory vaccines, a medical exemption for the Australian Open tennis tournament. In addition to social media outrage, medical professionals, lawmakers, and other sports people have also criticised the decision. The coronavirus pandemic in Australia has led to more than 612,000 cases and 2,290 deaths, with more than half of those infections occurring over the past two weeks. (With inputs from agencies)

'No silver bullets': Australia reports record high in COVID-19 cases; hospitalisations surge

As countries across the world tackle an Omicron surge, the World Health Organization has said that countries with a high portion of unvaccinated are at risk.

WHO warns that next variant could be more dangerous

<p>India detected 37,379 new coronavirus cases and 124 more fatalities in the span of 24 hours, the most Covid cases since September, according to the Union health ministry's data updated on Tuesday.</p>

<p>The Omicron tally too saw a jump, as 1,892 cases were reported across 23 states and Union Territories so far. Of those cases, 766 have recovered or migrated, the health ministry said.</p>

<p>Maharashtra recorded the maximum number of 568 cases, followed by Delhi (382), Kerala (185), Rajasthan (174), Gujarat (152), and Tamil Nadu (121).</p>

<p>With Tuesday’s figures, India’s active cases have now increased to 1,71,830 and the country’s Covid tally rose to 3,49,60,261, according to the data.</p>

<p>The active cases comprise 0.49 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.13 per cent, the health ministry said.</p>

<p>The daily positivity rate was recorded at 3.24 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.05 per cent, according to the health ministry.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-update-fda-amends-emergency-use-of-pfizer-booster-dose-for-more-teens-442035">&nbsp;Omicron update: FDA amends emergency use of Pfizer booster dose for more teens</a></p>

<p>The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.</p>

<p>“Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding the state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/record-levels-of-coronavirus-revealed-in-wastewater-samples-across-united-states-442013">Record levels of coronavirus revealed in wastewater samples across US</a></strong></p>

<p>The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 146.70 crore.</p>

<p>India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 2 million mark on August 7, 2020, 3 million lakh on August 23, 4 million on September 5 and 5 million on September 16.</p>

<p>It went past 6 million on September 28, 7 million on October 11, crossed 8 million on October 29, 9 million on November 20 and surpassed the 10million-mark on December 19.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


India detected 37,379 new coronavirus cases and 124 more fatalities in the span of 24 hours, the most Covid cases since September, according to the Union health ministry's data updated on Tuesday.

India detected 37,379 new coronavirus cases and 124 more fatalities in the span of 24 hours, the most Covid cases since September, according to the Union health ministry's data updated on Tuesday. The Omicron tally too saw a jump, as 1,892 cases were reported across 23 states and Union Territories so far. Of those cases, 766 have recovered or migrated, the health ministry said. Maharashtra recorded the maximum number of 568 cases, followed by Delhi (382), Kerala (185), Rajasthan (174), Gujarat (152), and Tamil Nadu (121). With Tuesday’s figures, India’s active cases have now increased to 1,71,830 and the country’s Covid tally rose to 3,49,60,261, according to the data. The active cases comprise 0.49 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.13 per cent, the health ministry said. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 3.24 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.05 per cent, according to the health ministry. Also read | Omicron update: FDA amends emergency use of Pfizer booster dose for more teens The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding the state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation. Also read | Record levels of coronavirus revealed in wastewater samples across US The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 146.70 crore. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 2 million mark on August 7, 2020, 3 million lakh on August 23, 4 million on September 5 and 5 million on September 16. It went past 6 million on September 28, 7 million on October 11, crossed 8 million on October 29, 9 million on November 20 and surpassed the 10million-mark on December 19. (With inputs from agencies)

India reports over 37,000 new cases, 124 deaths as Omicron tally reaches to 1,892

<p>A mother in rural Wisconsin said she felt “utterly helpless” as she sent her 13-year-old off to school. Another, in suburban New Jersey, expressed frustration that her highly vaccinated district had returned to remote learning. One in Chicago said she hoped the city’s teachers followed through on their threat to walk out so her 12-year-old daughter wouldn’t have to return to a crowded classroom.</p>

<p>This is parenthood nearly two years into the pandemic, as schools reopen after the holidays. Or don’t. Or do halfway, or open and close again, or — they’re not sure. They’ll let you know tomorrow.</p>

<p>The New York Times asked parents to share how they were handling their schools’ approaches. Hundreds responded, almost all of them mothers. Their answers varied widely in specifics but mostly boiled down to: Not well.</p>

<p>“I am screaming inside,” wrote Cathy Nieng, the Chicago mother.</p>

<p>“I cry a lot,” said Juliana Gamble, whose children — ages 2 and 7 — have been in school and day care in Boston for just 11 days in the past eight weeks. “I feel a total loss of control of my life.”</p>

<p>Kate Hurley, of Minneapolis, sent her 7-year-old daughter to school Monday with a KN95 mask but kept her 4-year-old son home because he isn’t eligible for a vaccine yet.</p>

<p>“When we started the pandemic, parenting and teaching while working remotely was hard,” she wrote. “Now we are tired and drained and nearly two years in. Doing it all over again feels insurmountable.”</p>

<p>Some parents whose children are learning remotely are upset that they aren’t in school in person. Some whose children are learning in person are upset that they can’t be remote. Many are torturously ambivalent, trying to claw good solutions out of situations that offer none.</p>

<p>“I don’t want him to miss out on weeks of school, and it looks like omicron is with us for at least that long,” wrote Heather Malin, whose 5-year-old son is in kindergarten in person in New York City this week. “It was an agonizing decision. Will he be safe? Will the school have the resources to test and adequately mask everyone? I’m scheduled to have surgery for breast cancer in a few weeks, and I am terrified that we’ll come down with COVID (which is bad enough) and my surgery will be delayed.”</p>

<p>Erika Behling, whose 13-year-old daughter is attending school in person in Silver Lake, Wisconsin, said that one relative was currently hospitalized and another had a serious health condition.</p>

<p>“My child is vaccinated and diligently masks, but we live in a fairly rural area where the pandemic has become politicized,” Behling wrote. “As the numbers rise, we feel the walls closing in around us. My 13-year-old has more compassion than the vast majority of adults I see in this area. And she’s scared. As parents, we feel utterly helpless.”</p>

<p>Many parents said they didn’t trust other members of their communities to take precautions.</p>

<p>“I sent my kids to public school in more robust masks than they usually wear, but I don’t have any other way to protect them,” wrote Andrea Rease, a health care worker in San Francisco who said there were some unvaccinated children and parents at the school where her three 5-year-olds attend kindergarten. “They are freshly vaccinated, but I don’t feel the relief I thought I would.”</p>

<p>Others described the toll that a year or more of remote learning had taken on their children, and the pain of suddenly returning to it.</p>

<p>Danielle Kline Haber wrote that about an hour into remote learning Monday, after months in which her son’s school in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, had been open, “our 14-year-old came out from his room and said, ‘I had forgotten how much I hate virtual learning.’” In a follow-up interview, she said she was exhausted from the “constantly shifting guidance.”</p>

<p>Marise, a mother in Philadelphia — who asked to be identified by her middle name because she did not want to cause conflict at her children’s private school before she could transfer them to public school, which is open in person — said that her children, ages 6 and 8, had suffered mentally and academically from remote learning.</p>

<p>“Our school is still operating as though it is March 2020,” she said, adding that she had no idea when the school would reopen; administrators plan to test the entire student body Tuesday before deciding.</p>

<p>She is a nurse and can’t work remotely, and while her husband can do so this week, they will have no access to child care once he has to return to the office.</p>

<p>“Schools should be the absolute last thing to close,” Marise said. “I can eat in a restaurant today, but my kids are home. This is nonsensical.”</p>

<p>Kate, who asked that her last name be withheld because speaking publicly could jeopardize her job, is also frustrated that schools in her town, Maplewood, New Jersey, are remote this week. She said she feared that even when they reopened for in-person learning, her children — ages 7 and 10 — would have their education disrupted because every student in a class is defined as a close contact if one person in the class tests positive, even if all students were masked. (Fully vaccinated children like hers would not have to quarantine if asymptomatic. But students who haven’t completed their vaccination series would have to quarantine for 14 days, and that could mean enough absences to affect the whole class.)</p>

<p>“My kids were out of school for 14 months. I can’t do this again. It’s put me over the edge,” Kate wrote, adding that she supported the school’s mask requirement but opposed its quarantine protocol; which has not been loosened in response to new CDC guidelines. “It is incredibly frustrating to see kids in school across the country where families have done nothing to prevent the spread of COVID, and then to live in a community with around 80%-90% vaccination rate and watch my kids struggle to have a normal school experience.”</p>

<p>Susannah Krug, a mother of four school-age children in North Plains, Oregon, said she had kept her 14-year-old and two 17-year-olds home Monday. But she sent her 10-year-old — who has had his first vaccine shot — to school “even though I’m scared to death.”</p>

<p>“He just did so poorly when school was closed for 18 months,” she wrote.</p>

<p>Alissa Greene, a New Yorker whose 5-year-old daughter’s school is operating in person, said the family had “chosen to keep her in school even though a part of me wants to keep her home.”</p>

<p>“I think her school is doing everything they can, but I’m still apprehensive,” Greene said, adding that increasing pediatric hospitalizations made her more fearful now than last fall, even though her daughter is vaccinated. “We lost her grandmother to COVID in April 2020 and very nearly her grandfather too. That’s the hardest part for me, knowing how badly it can go, how mysteriously this virus can affect people, and feeling like I have to send her out to take her chances with it.”</p>

<p>The latest surge, she and other parents said, has brought an uncertainty that feels overwhelming.</p>

<p>“The omicron calculus is far more wearying than the other COVID math we’ve had to do,” wrote Joe Roland, of Great Barrington, Massachusetts, whose household ranges in age from his 9-year-old son to an 86-year-old relative. “Whether it be from attrition throughout the pandemic, or the multiple variables — definitely more contagious, likely less dangerous, still don’t know what we don’t know — the last few weeks seem as hard as any we’ve had since the beginning of all of this.”<br />
&nbsp;</p>


A mother in rural Wisconsin said she felt “utterly helpless” as she sent her 13-year-old off to school. Another, in suburban New Jersey, expressed frustration that her highly vaccinated district had returned to remote learning.

A mother in rural Wisconsin said she felt “utterly helpless” as she sent her 13-year-old off to school. Another, in suburban New Jersey, expressed frustration that her highly vaccinated district had returned to remote learning. One in Chicago said she hoped the city’s teachers followed through on their threat to walk out so her 12-year-old daughter wouldn’t have to return to a crowded classroom. This is parenthood nearly two years into the pandemic, as schools reopen after the holidays. Or don’t. Or do halfway, or open and close again, or — they’re not sure. They’ll let you know tomorrow. The New York Times asked parents to share how they were handling their schools’ approaches. Hundreds responded, almost all of them mothers. Their answers varied widely in specifics but mostly boiled down to: Not well. “I am screaming inside,” wrote Cathy Nieng, the Chicago mother. “I cry a lot,” said Juliana Gamble, whose children — ages 2 and 7 — have been in school and day care in Boston for just 11 days in the past eight weeks. “I feel a total loss of control of my life.” Kate Hurley, of Minneapolis, sent her 7-year-old daughter to school Monday with a KN95 mask but kept her 4-year-old son home because he isn’t eligible for a vaccine yet. “When we started the pandemic, parenting and teaching while working remotely was hard,” she wrote. “Now we are tired and drained and nearly two years in. Doing it all over again feels insurmountable.” Some parents whose children are learning remotely are upset that they aren’t in school in person. Some whose children are learning in person are upset that they can’t be remote. Many are torturously ambivalent, trying to claw good solutions out of situations that offer none. “I don’t want him to miss out on weeks of school, and it looks like omicron is with us for at least that long,” wrote Heather Malin, whose 5-year-old son is in kindergarten in person in New York City this week. “It was an agonizing decision. Will he be safe? Will the school have the resources to test and adequately mask everyone? I’m scheduled to have surgery for breast cancer in a few weeks, and I am terrified that we’ll come down with COVID (which is bad enough) and my surgery will be delayed.” Erika Behling, whose 13-year-old daughter is attending school in person in Silver Lake, Wisconsin, said that one relative was currently hospitalized and another had a serious health condition. “My child is vaccinated and diligently masks, but we live in a fairly rural area where the pandemic has become politicized,” Behling wrote. “As the numbers rise, we feel the walls closing in around us. My 13-year-old has more compassion than the vast majority of adults I see in this area. And she’s scared. As parents, we feel utterly helpless.” Many parents said they didn’t trust other members of their communities to take precautions. “I sent my kids to public school in more robust masks than they usually wear, but I don’t have any other way to protect them,” wrote Andrea Rease, a health care worker in San Francisco who said there were some unvaccinated children and parents at the school where her three 5-year-olds attend kindergarten. “They are freshly vaccinated, but I don’t feel the relief I thought I would.” Others described the toll that a year or more of remote learning had taken on their children, and the pain of suddenly returning to it. Danielle Kline Haber wrote that about an hour into remote learning Monday, after months in which her son’s school in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, had been open, “our 14-year-old came out from his room and said, ‘I had forgotten how much I hate virtual learning.’” In a follow-up interview, she said she was exhausted from the “constantly shifting guidance.” Marise, a mother in Philadelphia — who asked to be identified by her middle name because she did not want to cause conflict at her children’s private school before she could transfer them to public school, which is open in person — said that her children, ages 6 and 8, had suffered mentally and academically from remote learning. “Our school is still operating as though it is March 2020,” she said, adding that she had no idea when the school would reopen; administrators plan to test the entire student body Tuesday before deciding. She is a nurse and can’t work remotely, and while her husband can do so this week, they will have no access to child care once he has to return to the office. “Schools should be the absolute last thing to close,” Marise said. “I can eat in a restaurant today, but my kids are home. This is nonsensical.” Kate, who asked that her last name be withheld because speaking publicly could jeopardize her job, is also frustrated that schools in her town, Maplewood, New Jersey, are remote this week. She said she feared that even when they reopened for in-person learning, her children — ages 7 and 10 — would have their education disrupted because every student in a class is defined as a close contact if one person in the class tests positive, even if all students were masked. (Fully vaccinated children like hers would not have to quarantine if asymptomatic. But students who haven’t completed their vaccination series would have to quarantine for 14 days, and that could mean enough absences to affect the whole class.) “My kids were out of school for 14 months. I can’t do this again. It’s put me over the edge,” Kate wrote, adding that she supported the school’s mask requirement but opposed its quarantine protocol; which has not been loosened in response to new CDC guidelines. “It is incredibly frustrating to see kids in school across the country where families have done nothing to prevent the spread of COVID, and then to live in a community with around 80%-90% vaccination rate and watch my kids struggle to have a normal school experience.” Susannah Krug, a mother of four school-age children in North Plains, Oregon, said she had kept her 14-year-old and two 17-year-olds home Monday. But she sent her 10-year-old — who has had his first vaccine shot — to school “even though I’m scared to death.” “He just did so poorly when school was closed for 18 months,” she wrote. Alissa Greene, a New Yorker whose 5-year-old daughter’s school is operating in person, said the family had “chosen to keep her in school even though a part of me wants to keep her home.” “I think her school is doing everything they can, but I’m still apprehensive,” Greene said, adding that increasing pediatric hospitalizations made her more fearful now than last fall, even though her daughter is vaccinated. “We lost her grandmother to COVID in April 2020 and very nearly her grandfather too. That’s the hardest part for me, knowing how badly it can go, how mysteriously this virus can affect people, and feeling like I have to send her out to take her chances with it.” The latest surge, she and other parents said, has brought an uncertainty that feels overwhelming. “The omicron calculus is far more wearying than the other COVID math we’ve had to do,” wrote Joe Roland, of Great Barrington, Massachusetts, whose household ranges in age from his 9-year-old son to an 86-year-old relative. “Whether it be from attrition throughout the pandemic, or the multiple variables — definitely more contagious, likely less dangerous, still don’t know what we don’t know — the last few weeks seem as hard as any we’ve had since the beginning of all of this.”

‘Insurmountable’: Parents grapple with Omicron’s upending force in schools

<p>A 11-month-old baby tested positive for novel coronavirus in India and was later hospitalised after the condition of the infant became severe.</p>

<p>The baby is the son of a famous Indian TV actor, Nakuul Mehta, who had tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago.</p>

<p>Sharing ordeal on&nbsp;Instagram, Nakuul’s wife Jankee Parekh, who was also infected with Covid, said her baby had to be admitted to the ICU after his fever crossed 104.2.</p>

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<p>“We rushed him in the middle of the night to the hospital when his fever crossed 104.2 &amp; what followed were very hard days in the Covid ICU with my baby boy. My fighter went through it all. Right from being rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, to him getting pricked 3 IVS, a bunch of blood tests, RTPCR, bottles of saline, antibiotics &amp; injections to get his body temperature down. Sometimes, I wonder how did this tiny human get so much strength to face all of it?” Jankee said.</p>

<p>Jankee revealed that it was tough to take care of her son as she was severely fatigued after suffering from Covid.</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXAhA1Mj83n/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Nakuul Mehta (@nakuulmehta)</a></p>
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<p>“His fever finally broke after 3 days.&nbsp;Having to single handedly take care of Sufi 24/7 at the hospital felt exhausting. Little did I realise that a huge part of the fatigue &amp; exhaustion was also because I was positive too.”</p>

<p>Shen urged all the parents to take extra precautions as the fast-spreading Omicron continues to drive up cases across the country.</p>

<p>“Of what we have read, Omicron is supposedly milder on adults, but to all of you with babies please do not put your guard down. Not now. Our babies cannot wear masks or get vaccinated so we need to be all the more cautious as we are coming back home to them. The idea of sharing this fight has been to make sure I can extend this awareness, even if it’s to just 1 more parent.”</p>


A 11-month-old baby tested positive for novel coronavirus in India and was later hospitalised after the condition of the infant became severe. The baby is the son of a famous Indian TV actor, Nakuul Mehta, who had tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago.

A 11-month-old baby tested positive for novel coronavirus in India and was later hospitalised after the condition of the infant became severe. The baby is the son of a famous Indian TV actor, Nakuul Mehta, who had tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago. Sharing ordeal on Instagram, Nakuul’s wife Jankee Parekh, who was also infected with Covid, said her baby had to be admitted to the ICU after his fever crossed 104.2. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jankee Parekh Mehta (@jank_ee) × “We rushed him in the middle of the night to the hospital when his fever crossed 104.2 & what followed were very hard days in the Covid ICU with my baby boy. My fighter went through it all. Right from being rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, to him getting pricked 3 IVS, a bunch of blood tests, RTPCR, bottles of saline, antibiotics & injections to get his body temperature down. Sometimes, I wonder how did this tiny human get so much strength to face all of it?” Jankee said. Jankee revealed that it was tough to take care of her son as she was severely fatigued after suffering from Covid. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nakuul Mehta (@nakuulmehta) × “His fever finally broke after 3 days. Having to single handedly take care of Sufi 24/7 at the hospital felt exhausting. Little did I realise that a huge part of the fatigue & exhaustion was also because I was positive too.” Shen urged all the parents to take extra precautions as the fast-spreading Omicron continues to drive up cases across the country. “Of what we have read, Omicron is supposedly milder on adults, but to all of you with babies please do not put your guard down. Not now. Our babies cannot wear masks or get vaccinated so we need to be all the more cautious as we are coming back home to them. The idea of sharing this fight has been to make sure I can extend this awareness, even if it’s to just 1 more parent.”

11-month-old tests positive for COVID-19 in India

Omicron is currently shaking the world to its core, hospitals in US and UK run out of staff

<p>UK’s state-run hospitals will face “considerable pressure” in the coming weeks due to the nationwide spread of Omicron infection, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, as the new variant of Covid surges through the country.</p>

<p>The prime minister’s comments come amid growing calls to tighten restrictions over the festive period in England, unlike in other UK regions where nightclubs have closed and there are limits on social gatherings.</p>

<p>Speaking to reporters on a visit to Buckinghamshire, the prime minister said the country was in a “much better position” than this time last year thanks to vaccinations.</p>

<p>Defending his move to impose lighter restrictions, he said, “Mixture of things we're doing at the moment were the correct measures.”</p>

<p>The prime minister stressed continuing with “Plan B”, which includes mask wearing in certain indoor settings and guidance to work from home where possible, ensuring it is taken “seriously” by people.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/record-levels-of-coronavirus-revealed-in-wastewater-samples-across-united-states-442013">Record levels of coronavirus revealed in wastewater samples across US</a></strong></p>

<p>On Monday, 157,758 new coronavirus cases were reported across England and Scotland, with data from Wales and Northern Ireland to be reported after the holiday weekend.</p>

<p>A further 42 deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test were reported in England.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-2700-flights-cancelled-in-united-states-due-to-omicron-related-disruptions-441784" hreflang="en">Over 2,700 flights cancelled in United States due to Omicron-related disruptions</a></strong></p>

<p>Around 50,000 NHS staff were absent from work Friday because they were ill or self-isolating due to Covid-19, The Sunday Times newspaper reported.</p>

<p>Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospitals in England, told Sky News that “the pressure on hospitals outside London is now growing” after the capital bore the brunt of virus cases earlier.</p>

<p>The number of people in hospital with Covid in England was reported on Sunday as the highest since February at more than 13,000, with 769 of those on ventilators.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


UK’s state-run hospitals will face “considerable pressure” in the coming weeks due to the nationwide spread of Omicron infection, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, as the new variant of Covid surges through the country.

UK’s state-run hospitals will face “considerable pressure” in the coming weeks due to the nationwide spread of Omicron infection, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, as the new variant of Covid surges through the country. The prime minister’s comments come amid growing calls to tighten restrictions over the festive period in England, unlike in other UK regions where nightclubs have closed and there are limits on social gatherings. Speaking to reporters on a visit to Buckinghamshire, the prime minister said the country was in a “much better position” than this time last year thanks to vaccinations. Defending his move to impose lighter restrictions, he said, “Mixture of things we're doing at the moment were the correct measures.” The prime minister stressed continuing with “Plan B”, which includes mask wearing in certain indoor settings and guidance to work from home where possible, ensuring it is taken “seriously” by people. Also read | Record levels of coronavirus revealed in wastewater samples across US On Monday, 157,758 new coronavirus cases were reported across England and Scotland, with data from Wales and Northern Ireland to be reported after the holiday weekend. A further 42 deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test were reported in England. Also read | Over 2,700 flights cancelled in United States due to Omicron-related disruptions Around 50,000 NHS staff were absent from work Friday because they were ill or self-isolating due to Covid-19, The Sunday Times newspaper reported. Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospitals in England, told Sky News that “the pressure on hospitals outside London is now growing” after the capital bore the brunt of virus cases earlier. The number of people in hospital with Covid in England was reported on Sunday as the highest since February at more than 13,000, with 769 of those on ventilators. (With inputs from agencies)

UK hospitals to face ‘considerable pressure’, says PM Johnson amid record Omicron cases

<p>Worries of food shortages have led to some residents of Xian, the Chinese city under Covid lockdown resorting to barter to secure essential supplies, as per BBC.</p>

<p>Images on social media are showing residents swapping supplies and even tech gadgets in exchange for food, the report said.</p>

<p>The city has seen a COVID-19 resurgence and about 13 million citizens have been forced to stay indoors sinche December 23, 2021</p>

<p>In recent days many have taken to social media with numerous complaints.</p>

<p>Authorities have been providing free food to households, but some have said their supplies are running low or that they had yet to receive aid.</p>

<p>Videos and photos on social media site Weibo showed people exchanging cigarettes for cabbage, dishwashing liquid for apples, and sanitary pads for a small pile of vegetables, the report said.</p>

<p>One video showed a resident appearing to trade his Nintendo Switch console for a packet of instant noodles and two steamed buns.</p>

<p>"Helpless citizens have arrived at the era of bartering - potatoes are exchanged for cotton swabs," one Weibo user said, while another described it as a "return to primitive society".</p>

<p>Xi'an is at the epicentre of China's current Covid outbreak, and local authorities have enacted drastic measures which have attracted significant criticism online.</p>

<p>On Tuesday, authorities moved to put a second city into full lockdown after the detection of three asymptomatic cases.</p>

<p>Around 1.1 million residents in Yuzhou, a city located 500 km away from Xi'an, will now have to stay in their homes.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Worries of food shortages have led to some residents of Xian, the Chinese city under Covid lockdown resorting to barter to secure essential supplies, as per BBC.

Worries of food shortages have led to some residents of Xian, the Chinese city under Covid lockdown resorting to barter to secure essential supplies, as per BBC. Images on social media are showing residents swapping supplies and even tech gadgets in exchange for food, the report said. The city has seen a COVID-19 resurgence and about 13 million citizens have been forced to stay indoors sinche December 23, 2021 In recent days many have taken to social media with numerous complaints. Authorities have been providing free food to households, but some have said their supplies are running low or that they had yet to receive aid. Videos and photos on social media site Weibo showed people exchanging cigarettes for cabbage, dishwashing liquid for apples, and sanitary pads for a small pile of vegetables, the report said. One video showed a resident appearing to trade his Nintendo Switch console for a packet of instant noodles and two steamed buns. "Helpless citizens have arrived at the era of bartering - potatoes are exchanged for cotton swabs," one Weibo user said, while another described it as a "return to primitive society". Xi'an is at the epicentre of China's current Covid outbreak, and local authorities have enacted drastic measures which have attracted significant criticism online. On Tuesday, authorities moved to put a second city into full lockdown after the detection of three asymptomatic cases. Around 1.1 million residents in Yuzhou, a city located 500 km away from Xi'an, will now have to stay in their homes. (With inputs from agencies)

Residents in Chinese city under Covid lockdown resort to barter to secure food

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="3">COVID-19's new dominant variant, Omicron, has taken over the world in just one month.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="5">The highly transmissible mutant variant has resulted in an increase in cases, raising the risk of another COVID outbreak.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="6">Given the current scenario, it is critical to be aware of all typical and uncommon signs of a respiratory infection so that action can be taken as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen events.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="7">While there is still much to learn about the novel variant, doctors have observed that Omicron symptoms are distinct from regular coronavirus symptoms.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="8"><strong>What are the skin, lips, and nail signs of Omicron?</strong></p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="9">If your <strong>nail beds have become blue or grey,</strong> you should seek medical assistance right away.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="10">People with Omicron, according to the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), experience a wide range of symptoms in addition to the primary three.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="11">The skin, lips, and nails are only a few of the virus's symptoms.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="12">Depending on our skin tone, we should be aware of<strong> pale, grey, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds,</strong> as this can indicate a lack of oxygen in the blood.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="13">These symptoms are "emergency warning indicators," according to the health organisation, and we should seek medical help right away.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="14">Trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, bewilderment, and the inability to wake or stay awake are also emergency indicators.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="15"><strong>Other symptoms of the Omicron variant</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="16">Scratchy throat</li>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="17">Lower back pain</li>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="18">Runny nose and congestion</li>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="19">Headache</li>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="20">Fatigue</li>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="21">Sneezing</li>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="22">Night sweats</li>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="23">Body aches</li>
</ul>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="24">Other signs of the variant include congestion, brain fog, night sweats, skin rashes and even sore eyes in some patients.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


COVID-19's new dominant variant, Omicron, has taken over the world in just one month. The highly transmissible mutant variant has resulted in an increase in cases, raising the risk of another COVID outbreak.

COVID-19's new dominant variant, Omicron, has taken over the world in just one month. The highly transmissible mutant variant has resulted in an increase in cases, raising the risk of another COVID outbreak. Given the current scenario, it is critical to be aware of all typical and uncommon signs of a respiratory infection so that action can be taken as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen events. While there is still much to learn about the novel variant, doctors have observed that Omicron symptoms are distinct from regular coronavirus symptoms. What are the skin, lips, and nail signs of Omicron? If your nail beds have become blue or grey, you should seek medical assistance right away. People with Omicron, according to the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), experience a wide range of symptoms in addition to the primary three. The skin, lips, and nails are only a few of the virus's symptoms. Depending on our skin tone, we should be aware of pale, grey, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, as this can indicate a lack of oxygen in the blood. These symptoms are "emergency warning indicators," according to the health organisation, and we should seek medical help right away. Trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, bewilderment, and the inability to wake or stay awake are also emergency indicators. Other symptoms of the Omicron variant Scratchy throat Lower back pain Runny nose and congestion Headache Fatigue Sneezing Night sweats Body aches Other signs of the variant include congestion, brain fog, night sweats, skin rashes and even sore eyes in some patients. (With inputs from agencies)

Omicron: Skin, lips, and nail symptoms that mean you need urgent COVID-19 treatment

Amid Covid surge in India, national capital Delhi imposes weekend curfew

When it comes to Omicron in England, the country imposed limited measures known as Plan B last month those measures include wearing of face coverings on public transport and in shops but the government stopped short of ordering restrictions to close businesses or restrict numbers at gatherings.

England wakes up to new Omicron surge, PM Boris Johnson resists new restrictions

Sri Lanka may be on a brink of bankruptcy as the island country faces an acute financial crisis topped by a blow to a food supply. As 2022 begins, Sri Lanka is looking to face record-high inflation, financial crisis, exorbitant food prices, humanitarian crisis, and pandemic-induced disruptions. The Sri Lankan government had decided to temporarily ban the use of chemical fertilizers in May 2021. The ban led to protest by farmers ultimately leading to a drastic drop in cultivation in Sri Lanka. Moreover, long queues were seen outside shops for bare necessities lie milk, sugar, and rice. Also, several shops in the markets were shut. Opposition MP Harsha de Silva told Sri Lankan parliament that the country would go bankrupt.

Sri Lanka may go bankrupt in 2022? From financial to food crisis Sri Lanka’s woes amid Covid

omicron

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