Hong Kong leader says fifth COVID wave has “overwhelmed”city’s capacity
Hong Kong, ChinaReuters Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam said on Monday that the “onslaught” of coronavirus infections in the global financial hub has dealt a heavy blow and overwhelmed its capacity to deal with the epidemic as daily cases surge to record highs. Daily infections have multiplied 13 times over the past two weeks, from […]
COVID cases surpass 400 million as Omicron grips world
Reuters Global COVID-19 cases surpassed 400 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the highly contagious Omicron variant dominates the outbreak, pushing health systems in several countries to the brink of capacity. The Omicron variant, which is dominating the surge around the world, accounts for almost all new cases reported daily. While cases […]
Postcards: Amid pandemic and protest, Olympics return to a changed China
TONY MUNROE, of Reuters, reports from Beijing where the Winter Olympics open this week…
Rich countries’ access to foreign nurses during Omicron raises ethical concerns – group
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters The Omicron-fuelled wave of COVID-19 infections has led wealthy countries to intensify their recruitment of nurses from poorer parts of the world, worsening dire staffing shortages in overstretched workforces there, the International Council of Nurses said. Sickness, burnout and staff departures amid surging Omicron cases have driven absentee rates to levels not yet […]
Coronavirus spreading like never before in Americas, health agency says
Brasilia, BrazilReuters COVID-19 infections are reaching new peaks in the Americas with 7.2 million new cases and more than 15,000 COVID-related deaths in the last week, the Pan American Health Organization said on Wednesday. “The virus is spreading more actively than ever before,” PAHO Director Carissa Etienne told a briefing. Healthcare workers are pictured at […]
Japan poised to widen COVID-19 controls as Omicron drives record infections
Tokyo, JapanReuters Japan was poised on Wednesday to widen COVID-19 controls to cover half its population as the Omicron variant drives new infections to record levels. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to officially approve the plan after it was cleared by an expert panel. Passersby wearing protective face masks walk on the street, amid […]
Australian PM blames Omicron for testing woes as COVID-19 cases hit downward trend
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday the shortages of at-home antigen tests were “not unique” to the country as authorities deal with a runaway Omicron outbreak that has driven up hospitalisation rates and strains testing systems. Australia is facing a shortage of at-home rapid antigen test kits after asymptomatic close contacts […]
India’s new COVID-19 rules aim to free up resources but carry risks
New Delhi, India Reuters India has eased its COVID-19 rules on testing, quarantine and hospital admissions in a bid to free up resources for its neediest people, a strategy hailed by experts even though it carries the risk of a heavy undercount of infections and deaths. The moves will offer a breathing space for healthcare […]
Postcards: Morocco’s tough COVID restrictions hammer tourism sector
AHMED ELJECHTIMI, of Reuters, reports from northern Africa on how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting tourist operators…
With peak yet to come, Europe’s healthcare creaks under Omicron’s rapid spread
Madrid, Spain/London, UKReuters Europe’s healthcare systems are being strained once again by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus over the holiday period, with large numbers of key staff ill or self-isolating and experts predicting the peak of infections is yet to come. Despite early studies showing a lower risk of severe […]