Health News at Your Fingertips

Oman will not allow employees in the public or private sectors to enter their workplace without a vaccination certificate that proves they are fully vaccinated, Reuters reports.

The health minister made the announcement during a news conference on Monday.

We will have more on this story as it develops.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is battling a fourth wave of the coronavirus that is threatening to put greater pressure on its health system than at any time during the pandemic.

Congo is the least vaccinated country against Covid-19 in the world with just 0.06% for the population fully vaccinated, Agence France Presse reported earlier this month. Fewer than 300,000 people out of a population of 90 million have received at least one dose, or just 0.33%, Reuters data indicates.

The vaccine rollout was hindered by a lack of funds and supplies, remote populations and rumours claiming that vaccination made people sterile or that Africans were to be used as “guinea pigs”.

Now Covid patients fill hospital wards and tents are needed to cope with the overflow, Reuters reports.

“We have experienced the three previous waves gradually, but in the fourth wave cases have jumped overnight,” said Francois Kajingulu, the head of the St Joseph Covid Treatment Centre in Kinshasa. “On Monday we had 5-6 cases and on Saturday we went straight from 30 to 36.”

Congo registered 6,480 new cases in the week of 13 December – more than double the number hit during its previous record week in June, World Health Organization data show.

The Netherlands is suggesting a rather innovative approach for those hesitant to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

Health minister and deputy prime minister, Hugo de Jonge, has recommended those with “injection anxiety” to use virtual reality glasses in vaccination centres run by the the Public Health Service of Amsterdam (GGD).

“Do you suffer from injection anxiety, but still want the (booster) injection?” de Jonge asked over Twitter.

“The GGD is happy to help you. For example, there are more and more locations where they work with VR glasses that make it easier to relax during the injection. They also work with it in Rotterdam.”

As US regional health authorities reacted with alarm to a jump in child Covid infections that caused some school districts to announce returns to remote learning, a leading public health official questioned the need for schools to close, saying: “We know how to keep schools open, we know how to keep them safe.”

Over the past three weeks, as Omicron-related cases soared in New York City and elsewhere, the number of children hospitalised in New York with Covid-19 quadrupled, the state health department said.

The California state epidemiologist Dr Erica Pan wrote on Twitter: “Unfortunately New York is seeing an increase in pediatric hospitalisations (primarily amongst the unvaccinated), and they have similar [five – to 11-year-old] vaccination rates.”

Across New York state, about 16% of five- to 11-year-olds and 71% of 12- to 17-year-olds are fully vaccinated.

Rising numbers of pediatric cases have convinced officials in some states to order a return to remote learning after the winter break. Around 300 schools in Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico and New York will remain closed.

Read the full story from our reporter Edward Helmore in New York here.

Ukraine has just released its daily Covid report, confirming another 1,864 coronavirus cases recorded on Sunday.

Another 133 deaths were also reported, according to a statement from the ministry of health.

There is trepidation in Australia over how New Year’s Eve celebrations will contribute to rising case numbers. Donna Lu reports that experts are urging caution:

South Korea has confirmed it has approved for emergency use Pfizer’s oral coronavirus treatment Paxlovid and will introduce the drug for treatment in January next year.

The treatment is expected to reduce hospitalisation and death of high-risk mild/moderate patients, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCPA) said in a press release.

In Britain, those who are still eligible to receive their coronavirus jabs are being urged to start 2022 by getting the vaccine as more than 1.5 million appointments are available to book over the festive season.

PA reports that the NHS said there were 1,551,187 slots still available to be booked between Monday and January.

NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis called on people to get boosted in time for the New Year. He said: “The evidence is clear that two Covid jabs is not enough, and with the Omicron variant, there is no time to delay getting your booster. “Staff and volunteers up and down the country are working incredibly hard to make sure that anyone who wants to get boosted between now and the new year can do, so start 2022 by protecting yourself, your friends and family and book your jab today.”

Australia has surpassed the unwanted milestone of 10,000 new Covid-19 infections in one day, spurred by high case numbers in NSW, Victoria and South Australia, according to the Australian Associated Press.

The state of New South Wales reported 6324 new cases while Victoria had 1999, with the two states forming the bulk of the country’s near 10,200 new infections.

There were 784 new cases in Queensland, three-quarters of which are the Omicron variant the state’s premier said.

There were also a record 842 in South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory’s highest daily tally of 189 new cases, 35 in Tasmania, 12 in the Northern Territory and one in Western Australia.

As the sun begins to rise in the UK and many wake up after a weekend of Christmas and holiday festivities, here is a quick visual snapshot of how Covid is currently unfolding in Britain.

A major Israeli hospital will begin administering a fourth Covid vaccine shot to 150 medical workers on Monday in a trial aimed at gauging whether a second booster is necessary nationwide.

Sheba Medical Centre near Tel Aviv said its trial would shed light on the efficacy of a fourth dose and help decision-makers set health policy in Israel and abroad, Reuters reports.

A Health Ministry panel of experts has recommended offering a fourth dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to Israelis aged 60 and over who received a booster shot at least four months ago.

But final approval by the ministry’s director-general is still pending amid public debate as to whether sufficient scientific information is available to justify a new booster drive. Sheba Medical Centre did not say how long its trial would last.

Gili Regev-Yochay, the study’s director, said:

We will examine the fourth dose’s effect on the level of antibodies and morbidity and we will gauge its safety.

We will understand whether it is worthwhile to administer a fourth shot, and to whom.”

Hello it’s Samantha Lock with you on the blog as we go through all the latest coronavirus developments.

I’ll be reporting from Sydney, Australia before one of my colleagues joins from London.

Christmas might have put a pause on any new Covid curbs or announcements but this may all change with ministers in the UK set to meet as soon as Monday to discuss whether additional measures are needed to protect hospital capacity.

Boris Johnson is expected to examine crucial hospital data before making any new announcement on Covid measures.

Another blunder has emerged from Sydney’s St Vincent’s pathology lab after almost 1000 people were sent the wrong Covid test information. A total of 995 people were contacted over their ‘negative’ tests, which may have been incorrect as the results are yet to be determined.

This is in addition to the 400 people who were told on Sunday they were negative when they were in fact positive.

US airlines called off nearly 1,200 flights on Sunday as crews remain grounded amid surging Covid-19 infections, causing misery for thousands of Christmas travellers.

A total of 997 flights were scrapped on Christmas Day and nearly 700 on Christmas Eve. Thousands more were delayed.

On the other side of the world, lockdown restrictions have been tightened in the Chinese city of Xi’an, which is battling the largest community outbreak the country has seen since the initial months of the pandemic.

Authorities reported 162 new community infections on Monday, up from 158 on Sunday. All but 10 of Monday’s new cases were reported in Shaanxi province, where 13 million residents of the capital Xi’an have been locked down for five days.

Here’s a quick rundown of the latest global developments:

Europe:

• UK prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to examine crucial hospital data on Monday before making any new announcement on Covid measures across England which could include a ban on socialising with another household indoors and a return to the rule of six outdoors.
• New restrictions are being introduced in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• Coronavirus vaccination teams could go door-to-door in the UK to reach those yet to have their jabs, reports have suggested.
• France recorded a record high of 104,611 Covid-19 infections at the weekend, breaking the 100,000 threshold for the first time since the pandemic began.
• Germany also recorded 10,100 Covid cases.
• Italy reported a third successive record tally of Covid-19 cases on Christmas Day.
• The Omicron variant has become the dominant strain in Portugal.

United States:

• US airlines called off nearly 1,200 flights on Sunday as crews remain grounded amid surging Covid-19 infections. It was a third straight day of travelling pain and more cancellations were likely as Covid infections soar.

Asia:

• China’s Covid cases hit a 21-month high as the northern city of Xi’an announced tightened restrictions on Sunday.
• China recorded 200 new coronavirus cases for 26 December, a slight decrease on the 206 cases reported a day earlier. The northwestern province of Shaanxi, home to the recently locked down city of Xi’an, accounted for 150 new cases.
• Bangkok, Thailand, is cancelling its new year celebrations amid growing concerns about a surge in Covid cases.
• South Korea’s daily Covid cases fell below 5,000 for the first time in 20 days.

South Korea has approved for emergency use Pfizer’s oral coronavirus treatment Paxlovid, Yonhap news is reporting, citing the country’s ministry of food and drug safety.

The ministry convened a panel of experts to review the safety and efficacy of Paxlovid, and concluded that the oral pill is needed to deal with the public health crisis, the agency reports.

The ministry said trial results showed Paxlovid significantly reduced the risk of hospitalisation or death in patients at high risk of severe illness.

If you have just joined us, welcome to our live coronavirus blog covering all the latest Covid developments.

Health officials warn a post-Christmas jump in Australia’s Covid-19 infections is expected after lower testing rates and a batch of falsely negative results.

More than 9,600 cases were recorded across the country on Sunday after New South Wales and South Australia recorded new daily case highs, with 6,394 and 774 infections respectively. Numbers fell in Victoria, which recorded 1,604 daily infections, down about 500 cases from the day before.

Here is a quick snapshot of the Covid situation unfolding in Australia.

• Sydney’s St Vincent’s pathology lab say another 995 people have been contacted over their ‘negative’ tests, which may have been incorrect as the results are yet to be determined. This is in addition to the 400 people who were told on Sunday they were negative when they were in fact positive.
• Tasmania is seeking advice on whether rapid antigen Covid-19 tests can be used at its border for interstate travellers, instead of PCR tests, AAP reports. The state recorded 35 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, a slight drop on the 44 reported on Boxing Day.
• Queensland is also considering using rapid antigen tests instead of PCR tests for travellers’ day-five tests. The state detected 784 new Covid-19 cases.
• Western Australia has recorded just one new local Covid infection, while premier Mark McGowan warns the state is “not out of the woods yet” after a French backpacker was in the community while infectious.
• The Northern Territory detected 12 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours as health authorities investigate a mystery case in Darwin.
• The Australian Capital Territory recorded 189 new Covid cases, a record number.