Tag Archives: omicron variant

The Washington Post reports: South Africa’s new daily coronavirus cases have almost tripled in three days, according to new figures released Thursday, raising alarms over the possible spread of the new omicron variant recently detected by the country’s scientists. New daily confirmed cases rose to 11,535 on Thursday from 8,561 on Wednesday and 4,373 the previous day, according to official …

Reuters reports: New rules requiring international air travelers arriving in the United States to obtain a negative COVID-19 test within one day of travel will take effect Monday at 12:01 a.m. ET (0501 GMT), according to an order issued late Thursday. Under current rules, vaccinated international air travelers can present a negative test result obtained within three days of their …

New York City’s ABC News affiliate reports: The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced Thursday that it has a confirmed case of the COVID-19 omicron variant in a resident with a recent travel history to New York City. Officials only identified the patient with the omicron variant as a vaccinated adult male who lives in Hennepin County. The person spoke …

The New York Times reports: President Biden, confronting a worrisome new coronavirus variant and the potential of a winter surge, laid out a new pandemic strategy on Thursday that includes hundreds of vaccination sites aimed at families, boosters for all adults, new testing requirements for international travelers and free at-home tests that will be covered by private insurers or available …

CNN reports: The United States’ first confirmed case of the Omicron coronavirus variant has been identified in California. The World Health Organization designates Omicron a “variant of concern.” In a technical brief released this week, WHO noted that the variant poses a “very high” global risk. The variant was first identified by scientists in South Africa, and has since been …

Bloomberg News reports: China says it’s determined to hold a successful Winter Olympics in roughly 65 days even after the World Health Organization warned Covid cases may surge due to “severe consequences” fueled by omicron. The new variant “will definitely bring some challenges to prevention and control,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian [photo] said Tuesday at a regular press …

Gothamist reports: New York City has issued a health advisory that recommends all residents wear a mask indoors and in public settings, in response to the emergence of the omicron variant. Officials said the new advisory strengthens the city’s position on mask-wearing, though it echoes a previous recommendation issued in August. Mayor Bill de Blasio and city health commissioner Dr. …

Kyodo News reports: Japan on Tuesday banned new entries by foreigners globally for at least one month in an attempt to stave off the new Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the measure, reversing a three-week relaxation of travel restrictions, is needed to “avoid the worst-case scenario.” Additionally, 14 countries and regions, including Britain and …

CNN reports: President Joe Biden on Monday gave his latest update to the nation on the new Omicron coronavirus variant as federal health officials are bracing for the first cases of the new variant to be detected in the US. Officials briefed Biden for approximately 45 minutes Sunday on the new variant and again on Monday morning, with a heavy …

The Hill reports: A Republican lawmaker who previously served as White House doctor under former presidents Trump and Obama claims Democrats will use the new coronavirus variant of concern to cheat in the midterm elections. Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) spoke out on news of the variant of concern Saturday, saying the strain would serve as a pretext for absentee voting, …

The CBC reports: After the discovery of two cases of the omicron variant in the nation’s capital, Ottawa Public Health is advising travellers who visited several African countries recently to self-isolate in order to reduce transmission. The two cases, confirmed Sunday by Public Health Ontario, are the first omicron variants discovered in Canada. Out of an abundance of caution, Ottawa’s …

The Guardian reports: Dutch police have arrested a married couple who fled a quarantine hotel to get a flight out of the country, despite at least one of them testing positive for Covid on arrival in the Netherlands from South Africa, where the new Omicron variant was first identified. The Portuguese woman and Spanish man were apprehended in their seats …

The Hill reports: Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb on Sunday said vaccine developers have “a pretty good degree of confidence” that fully vaccinated individuals who have received a COVID-19 booster are protected against the omicron variant. “The question here is going to be whether or not a fully boosted individual someone who’s had three doses of …

Bloomberg News reports: Moderna Inc. Chief Medical Officer Paul Burton said he suspects the new omicron coronavirus variant may elude current vaccines, and if so, a reformulated shot could be available early in the new year. “We should know about the ability of the current vaccine to provide protection in the next couple of weeks,” Burton said Sunday on the …

The Associated Press reports: The Netherlands confirmed 13 cases of the new omicron variant of the coronavirus on Sunday and Australia found two as the countries half a world apart became the latest to detect it in travelers arriving from southern Africa. The Dutch public health authority confirmed that 13 people who arrived from South Africa Friday have so far …

The BBC reports: Israel is to ban foreigners from entering the country for 14 days and use surveillance to halt the spread of the new Covid variant, local media report. The ban is expected to come into effect at midnight on Sunday, following full cabinet approval. Israel has so far confirmed one case of the potentially more infectious Omicron variant …

ABC News reports: As two cases of the new Omricon variant of the COVID-19 virus have been detected in the U.K., England has mandated a return to mask wearing and PCR tests. Addressing a nationally televised press conference on Saturday afternoon, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that face coverings will become mandatory again in shops and on public transport across …

The Associated Press reports: News reports in Italy and Germany say that both countries have confirmed cases of the omicron COVID-19 variant. The Italian news agency LaPresse says an Italian who traveled to Mozambique has tested positive for the omicron variant. The business traveler landed in Rome on Nov. 11 and returned to his home near Naples. Five family members, …

New York City’s NBC News affiliate reports: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency ahead of potential COVID-19 spikes this winter due to the already-circulating Delta and newly-identified Omicron variants of coronavirus. The declaration, which goes into effect on Dec. 3, will allow the state to acquire pandemic-fighting supplies, increase hospital capacity and fight potential staffing …

The BBC reports: Two people in the UK have been found to be infected with the new Covid variant, Omicron, the health secretary has said. Sajid Javid said the UK Health Security Agency had detected cases in Chelmsford, Essex, and in Nottingham. He said the cases were linked to travel in southern Africa and they and their households were self-isolating …