Like a veil of fog, Omicron has blanketed the entire planet with tragic consequences. Holiday celebrations have lost their luster and the fear of a pandemic has returned with a vengeance as outbreaks spike. After a respite, thanks to mass global vaccination,[/b] the coronavirus is showing its teeth again through its new hypermetastatic variant.
A study in China reports that it multiplies 70 times faster in human airways compared to the Delta. In just one month since the Omicron mutation emerged, outbreaks have occurred in at least 89 countries. The Old Continent in particular is in the eye of the storm. It has recorded the most cases in the world, with over three million cases in just a few days. This is 57% of the world's total number of cases. Unfortunately, it is also setting a negative record for deaths, with the United States and Canada following close behind. One country after another is seeing Omicron take over. In the United States it accounts for about 75% of new cases diagnosed. As a result, measures are constantly being tightened and mutated. Governments have been asked to reintroduce restrictions in an attempt to contain the pandemic. At the same time, the World Health Organization has announced that "another 3-4 weeks are needed to determine the severity of Omicron". It confirms, however, that 2022 will kick off the new cycle of the pandemic. In this one, the Omicron strain is spreading at tremendous speed. Thus, the upward trend of cases will continue.
For the first time, France is counting more than 100,000 new cases in a 24-hour period. In the United Kingdom, deaths from the 'omicron' strain have already reached 30, with over 100,000 diagnosed. Authorities in the countries are considering starting door-to-door vaccinations, while stadiums and churches have again been turned into vaccination centres. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are putting a freeze on gatherings and events; Portugal is also in the vortex.
There are economic consequences
Over seven thousand flights were cancelled over Christmas. In the US, thousands of travellers were stranded on Christmas Eve with airlines such as Delta and United Airlines cancelling flights. A similar situation occurred in Australia. The President of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) in Germany sounded the alarm. Problems in the supply chains are particularly aggravating the situation. Omicron prolongs the panic, reiterating the question 'whether we will return to the model of the first pandemic wave and generalised lockdown. With tragic consequences for food distribution, energy, telecommunications and so on. And the global economy is showing low antibodies...
Moving forward with a 4th booster dose of vaccine
As the Omicron mutation makes its appearance worldwide, some countries such as Peru are moving to a 4th booster dose of vaccine in an attempt to prevent deaths. Australia saw the first death from Omicron
.India
India's federal health ministry announced today Monday that 6,531 cases of SARS-CoV-2 were confirmed in the past 24 hours and 315 patients succumbed due to complications of COVID-19. With 479,997 deaths out of a total of 34.79 million recorded infections since the pandemic of the new coronavirus broke out in its territory, the subcontinent of 1.3 billion. The subcontinent of 1.3 billion inhabitants has officially recorded the world's third highest death toll in absolute terms, behind the United States and Brazil, and the second highest number of cases, after the United States, according to official data.
Germany
Confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 in Germany rose by 13,908 in the past 24 hours to 7,005,289, according to figures released Monday by the Robert Koch Institute, the country's epidemiological surveillance body. The deaths of 69 patients due to complications of COVID-19 raised the death toll of the new coronavirus pandemic in the country to 110,433 so far, according to the same source.
Australia
Australian authorities today announced the first death due to complications of COVID-19 of a man infected with the Omicron variant of the new coronavirus and a new rapid rise in SARS-CoV-2 infections, but did not announce new restrictive measures, arguing that hospital admissions remain low. Omicron's first victim was an 80-year-old man with underlying illnesses. His death is a gruesome milestone for a country that was recently forced to suspend the opening of its economy in phases after nearly two years of imposing and lifting lockdowns because of the new outbreak.
South Korea
South Korean health authorities said that as of midnight yesterday, 4,207 cases of SARS-CoV-2 had been confirmed and 55 patients had succumbed to complications of COVID-19 by midnight Sunday. The toll of the new coronavirus pandemic in the Southeast Asian country has reached 5,300 deaths out of a total of 611,670 confirmed infections since January 2020 to date, according to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The mortality rate has increased to 0.87%. Cases have dropped significantly from the previous year (5,419), but this is attributed to fewer tests being done on weekends. They fell below the 5,000 level for the first time in twenty days, since 7 December. The number of critically ill patients fell to 1,078 (-3 in 24 hours). 69 cases of Omicron variant were identified; the total has reached 445, with 181 attributed to community transmission. As of 26 February, 85.7% of the 52 million population has received the first dose of vaccine, 82.4% have been fully vaccinated, while 29.6% have received a booster dose, according to KDCA data.
Kosovo
The Kosovo Ministry of Health announced yesterday, Sunday, that the first nine cases of the Omicron variant of the new coronavirus have been confirmed in the small Balkan country. The ministry explained that of the 22 who were diagnosed as infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the last 10 days, nine were verified to be Omicron carriers. Two returned to the country from the US, two others from the UK, one from France, while the remaining four have not travelled outside the country. The ministry warned that the arrival of Omicron is expected to worsen the epidemiological situation in the country. Recently the situation has been rather controlled, with just 12 cases of SARS-CoV-2 and one death due to complications of COVID-19 yesterday Sunday.
Peru
Peruvian authorities will purchase 55 million doses of anti-COVID-19 vaccine in 2022 to give a fourth injection to health workers and the portion of the population considered the most vulnerable, the government said. We have agreed with several pharmaceutical companies to purchase 55 million doses of vaccine next year (), which will allow us to administer a fourth booster dose to the most vulnerable citizens and (health) frontline (frontline) staff (doctors, nurses and nurses), Peruvian Health Minister Hernando Sevilla told the press. He noted that the vaccination of the population with the fourth dose, three months after the third, will depend on the evolution of the epidemiological situation in the country. The minister also confirmed the purchase of Pfizer vaccines and the start in January of the vaccination of children between 5 and 11 years old. Over the past month, infections have doubled, now exceeding 1,500 a day, while deaths are now over 50 on a daily basis.
Vietnam
Vietnam's Ministry of Health announced yesterday Sunday that 15,218 SARS-CoV-2 infections had been confirmed in the previous 24 hours, bringing the total to 1,651,673. The deaths of 207 patients due to complications of COVID-19 raised the death toll of the new coronavirus pandemic in the Asian nation to 31,214, according to official data. As of yesterday, 145.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered to some 98 million people in the country, with nearly 66 million citizens now fully immunised, always according to health ministry data.
Turkey
Turkey's Health Ministry announced yesterday Sunday that 20,138 cases of SARS-CoV-2 had been confirmed in the previous 24 hours following 351,965 tests, bringing the total number of recorded infections to 9,307,124. The deaths of 173 patients due to complications of COVID-19 increased the death toll to 81,576 by yesterday from March 11, 2020, when the pandemic of the new coronavirus broke out in the Turkish territory. As of 14 January 2021 to this stage, nearly 52 million people - out of a total population of 83 million - have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, while nearly 57 million have received a dose, according to official data. A total of 128.65 million doses, including third-party booster doses, have been administered.
Source: CNA
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