Coronavirus

Huge volumes of COVID hospital waste threaten health – WHO

Discarded syringes, used test kits and old vaccine bottles from the COVID-19 pandemic have piled up to create tens of thousands of tonnes of medical waste, threatening human health and the environment,…

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Russia reports new record of daily COVID cases

Russia reported a record daily number of COVID-19 cases on Tuesday as the Omicron variant of coronavirus spread across the country, authorities said. New daily cases jumped to 125,836, up from 124,070 a…

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Italy chief chaplain condemns call for COVID disobedience by police

Italy's national Catholic military chaplain has hit back at a renegade, vaccine-denying archbishop, accusing him of inciting insubordination among the armed forces and police over their role in enforcing COVID-19…

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Heart returns to normal after rare post-COVID illness in kids, research shows

In children who develop the rare but life-threatening COVID-19-related multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), heart function begins to recover within a week after diagnosis and returns to normal within three months,…

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COVID-19 patients face higher risks after hospital discharge – study

People face substantially higher risks of health problems in the months after being discharged from the hospital following a bout of COVID-19, researchers in England found. Comparing 24,673 COVID-19 patients…

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Germany misses 80% COVID-19 vaccination rate target

The German government has failed to hit its goal of vaccinating 80% of the population against the coronavirus before the end of January, roughly a month before lawmakers are expected…

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Scientists on alert over rising cases caused by Omicron cousin

The highly transmissible Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus - the most common form of which is known as BA.1 - now accounts for nearly all of the coronavirus infections…

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Canada protest against COVID vaccine mandates blocks Ottawa for second day

OTTAWA, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Dozens of trucks and other vehicles blocked the downtown area of Ottawa for a second day after thousands descended on Canada's capital city on Saturday…

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Expats head for the exit as ‘easy’ Singapore’s COVID controls bite

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Atar Sandler arrived in Singapore in 2019, seizing the opportunity to live in a buzzing global city that is also a convenient base to jet off to…

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Canada has moved past the worst of the Omicron wave

Canada has moved past the worst of the Omicron variant of coronavirus on some parameters, but Canadians still need to be prudent as hospitalizations were continuing to rise, the country's…

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In Italy, COVID wards filled with unvaccinated elderly people as Omicron swept nation

MILAN (Reuters) - As the Omicron variant swept Italy late last year, it was unvaccinated elderly people and those who had not had a booster dose four or more months…

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Britain to offer COVID vaccinations to vulnerable children aged 5-11

Britain will this week begin offering vaccinations to children aged between five and 11 who are most at risk from coronavirus, the state-run National Health Service said on Sunday. Britain…

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China reports jump in COVID cases among Olympic athletes, officials

BEIJING, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Daily COVID-19 infections among athletes and team officials at the Beijing Winter Olympics jumped to 19 on Friday from two a day earlier, as Games…

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Debate in France on whether unvaccinated patients should pay for treatment

The head of the Paris hospitals system has set off a fierce debate by questioning whether people who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19 should continue to have their treatment…

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Austria to further ease COVID restrictions

ZURICH, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Austria will begin easing COVID-19 related restrictions next week, Chancellor Karl Nehammer told a news conference on Saturday, allowing shops and restaurants to remain open…

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Russia’s daily COVID-19 cases exceed 100,000 for first time

MOSCOW, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Russia's daily coronavirus cases exceeded 100,000 on Saturday for the first time since the pandemic began, the coronavirus task force said. Russia confirmed 113,122 new…

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New Zealand PM Ardern is self isolating after exposure to COVID positive case

WELLINGTON, Jan 29 (Reuters) - New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has gone into self-isolation until Tuesday after being deemed a close contact of a person who tested positive for…

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Berlin says German Omicron wave ‘well under control’

Germany has the wave of infections from the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant "well under control" and may consider lifting some restrictions after a peak in late February, its health minister…

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Boosters increase protection against death from Omicron in over-50s to 95% – UKHSA

LONDON (Reuters) -COVID-19 boosters increase protection against death from the Omicron variant to 95% in people aged 50 or over, the UK Health Security Agency said. The UKHSA said that…

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Wanted: Volunteers to catch COVID in the name of science

The world's first medical trial authorised to deliberately expose participants to the coronavirus is seeking more volunteers as it steps up efforts to help develop better vaccines. The Oxford University…

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Omicron behind nearly all infections in Italy

MILAN, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The highly contagious Omicron coronavirus now accounts for nearly all new infections in Italy, the National Health Institute (ISS) said on Friday, accounting for almost…

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Updated: Pfizer COVID pill Paxlovid gets final approval from European Commission

Jan 28 (Reuters) - The European Commission on Friday approved Pfizer's antiviral pill for COVID-19 a day after the region's health regulator endorsed the tablet, a move that will ensure…

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Delhi lifts weekend curfew, reopens restaurants as India COVID cases drop

NEW DELHI, Jan 28 (Reuters) - India's capital Delhi lifted a weekend curfew and allowed restaurants and marketplaces to reopen on Friday, following a sharp drop in new infections of…

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UPDATED: Merck’s COVID-19 pill effective against Omicron in lab studies

Jan 28 (Reuters) - Merck & Co Inc and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said on Friday six lab studies showed their experimental oral COVID-19 drug molnupiravir was active against the fast-spreading…

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Australia suffers deadliest day of pandemic, expands booster eligibility

SYDNEY, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Australia suffered its deadliest day of the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday with nearly 100 deaths, but several large states said they expect hospital admissions to…

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Ukraine and Russia report record COVID-19 cases

Ukraine saw a record daily high of 34,408 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Friday, as the figure exceeded the previous high of…

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Greece lifts some of the restrictions as COVID cases ease

Greece will allow music in restaurants and bars again and extend their operating hours as it lifts some of the restrictions imposed last month now that coronavirus infections and the…

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Finland moves up planned easing of COVID restrictions

Finland will begin gradually easing COVID-19 restrictions from Feb. 1 instead of mid-February as initially planned as the burden on its hospitals eases, the government said late on Thursday. On…

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Poland reports new daily record of COVID cases

WARSAW, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Poland reported a record 57,659 new daily COVID-19 infections on Thursday, the health ministry said, as the Omicron variant takes hold. Authorities have said the…

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Breath of fresh air: lockdown pollution slump may have saved 800 lives, study says

More than 800 deaths may have been avoided thanks to better air quality during Europe's first coronavirus lockdown, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (CAMS) said. By comparing people's…

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Russia records over 80,000 new daily Covid cases for the first time

Russia’s daily Covid-19 cases rose to 88,816 on Thursday, a new record high for the seventh consecutive day as the Omicron variant was identified in new regions, officials said. The…

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German daily COVID cases rise above 200,000, causing staff shortages

BERLIN, Jan 27 (Reuters) - The number of new COVID-19 infections in Germany exceeded 200,000 in a day for the first time on Thursday, hitting staffing at companies including Lufthansa…

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Some European states ease COVID curbs, others seek to tighten

Denmark and Austria on Wednesday became the latest countries to ease COVID-19 restrictions, following similar moves by Britain, Ireland and the Netherlands, while other countries in Europe planned new measures…

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As Omicron ebbs, England revives Plan A: living with COVID

LONDON, Jan 27 (Reuters) - After an uncomfortable but relatively brief return to coronavirus restrictions triggered by the Omicron variant, England is going back to "Plan A" - learning to…

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Moderna starts trial for Omicron-specific booster shot

Moderna Inc said it had started a mid-stage study, testing a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine specifically designed to target the Omicron coronavirus variant, a day after rival Pfizer…

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Omicron subvariant appears more contagious, but not more severe, Denmark says

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The BA.2 subvariant of the Omicron coronavirus variant, which is dominant in Denmark, appears more contagious than the more common BA.1 sub-lineage, Danish Health Minister Magnus Heunicke…

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Israel broadens eligibility for fourth shot of COVID vaccine

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel broadened eligibility for a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to include adults under 60 with underlying medical conditions, their caretakers, and others over 18 at significant…

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Italy eases travel from the EU as of February

MILAN (Reuters) - Italy will ease COVID-19 restrictions for all visitors from European Union countries starting from Feb.1, the health ministry said. Minister of Health Roberto Speranza has signed an…

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South Korea’s daily COVID-19 cases surge as new testing scheme begins

SEOUL, Jan 26 (Reuters) - South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases exceeded 13,000 for the first time on Wednesday, driven by the spread of the Omicron variant, as the government…

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U.S. weighs letting diplomats leave China over tough COVID rules

WASHINGTON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department is considering whether to authorize departures for American diplomats and their families in China who wish to leave due to the…

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English COVID study finds record prevalence in January

LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - An English COVID-19 study reported record prevalence in January after an Omicron-fuelled spike in infections, Imperial College London said on Wednesday, adding that infections had…

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Denmark aims to scrap all domestic COVID-19 curbs by February

COPENHAGEN, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Denmark aims to scrap all remaining domestic COVID-19 restrictions next week, following on from similar announcements in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands in the…

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Poland hits COVID case record, as Eastern Europe battles surge

WARSAW, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania all hit their highest infection rates of the pandemic on Wednesday, driven by the highly transmissible Omicron…

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Sweden extends pandemic curbs by two weeks amid record Omicron spread

STOCKHOLM, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Sweden will extend its current pandemic measures by another two weeks, the minister for health said on Wednesday, as the Omicron variant is spreading at…

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Romania sees jump in daily COVID-19 cases to record high 34,255

BUCHAREST, Jan 26 (Reuters) - The number of new coronavirus infections in Romania rose by a record high 34,255 in the past 24 hours, government data showed on Wednesday, but…

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German COVID cases hit record as parliament debates vaccine mandate

BERLIN, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Germany on Wednesday reported a new record of 164,000 COVID-19 infections in one day as the lower house of parliament prepared to debate proposals to…

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UPDATED: Beijing’s local COVID cases rise before Olympics; more areas find Omicron

BEIJING, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Beijing reported 14 local confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest daily count in its current outbreak, less than two weeks before the Winter Olympics…

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Hong Kong may maintain COVID isolation until 2024, risking exodus – Euro chamber

* Firms may shift to mainland, Singapore or Seoul HONG KONG, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Hong Kong may only reopen in early 2024 because of its stringent COVID-19 policies, which…

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Bulgaria posts new record of 12,399 daily COVID infections

SOFIA, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Bulgaria reported a record 12,399 coronavirus infections in a single day on Wednesday, official data showed, with most of the cases caused by the more…

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Elton John tests positive for coronavirus

LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - British singer and songwriter Elton John said he has COVID-19 and has been forced to postpone some U.S. concerts although his symptoms were mild and…

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Italy’s daily coronavirus cases more than double in a day

Italy reported 186,740 COVID-19 related cases on Tuesday, against 77,696 the day before, the health ministry said, while the number of deaths rose to 468 from 352. Italy has registered…

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The Netherlands further relaxes COVID-19 restrictions despite record infection levels

Bars, restaurants and theatres in the Netherlands can reopen on Jan. 26, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said, further relaxing the country’s COVID-19 restrictions despite record infection levels. Health Minister Ernst…

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Pfizer and BioNTech launch trial of Omicron-targeted COVID vaccine

Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE said on Tuesday they started a clinical trial to test a new version of their vaccine specifically designed to target the COVID-19 Omicron variant, which…

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Long-term care facilities hit less hard by Omicron

Even the highly vulnerable residents of long-term care facilities are generally experiencing less severe disease from Omicron than from earlier versions of the coronavirus, according to new data. Researchers in…

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Israel mulls offering 4th COVID vaccine dose to all adults

An Israeli government advisory panel has recommended offering a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose to all adults, on condition that at least five months have passed since they received the third…

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Nose swabbing best for rapid antigen tests, studies find

Users of rapid antigen tests to detect COVID-19 should swab their nostrils as directed by the manufacturer and not swab the throat or cheek instead, new research shows. Earlier this…

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Omicron survives longer on plastic, skin than prior variants

The Omicron variant can survive longer than earlier versions of the coronavirus on plastic surfaces and human skin, Japanese researchers found in laboratory tests. Its high "environmental stability" - its…

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