Healthcare

Thousands in Hong Kong volunteer to adopt hamsters amid COVID-19 fears

HONG KONG, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Thousands of people in Hong Kong volunteered on Wednesday to adopt unwanted hamsters after a mass cull order from the government over COVID-19 fears…

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Poland’s daily COVID cases could top 50,000 next week

WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish state employees will move to remote working and private sector companies should follow suit as the country faces another surge in daily COVID-19 cases, driven by…

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Hungary’s new COVID-19 cases hit record high, Opposition leader pauses campaign after positive COVID-19 test

BUDAPEST, Jan 19 (Reuters) - The Hungarian opposition's candidate for prime minister, Peter Marki-Zay, said on Wednesday that he was isolating at home after testing positive for coronavirus but that…

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Swiss cabinet extends quarantine, work-from-home rules into February

ZURICH, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Switzerland will extend until the end of February coronavirus quarantine and work-from-home rules and plans to keep until the end of March other curbs on…

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Czech Republic reports record daily tally of new cases coronavirus

The Czech Republic reported 28,469 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, the highest daily tally since the pandemic reached the country of 10.7 million in March 2020. The number reported…

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Britain preparing for end-June switch to paid COVID tests

British health officials are aiming to be ready to start charging Britons for COVID-19 tests that are currently free at the end of June, a document seen by Reuters shows,…

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England’s COVID-19 prevalence falls back from record high

LONDON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - The estimated COVID-19 prevalence in England fell back from a record high in the week ending January 15, the Office for National Statistics said on…

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U.S. website to order free COVID-19 tests is now up and running

The U.S. government's new COVIDTests.gov website, set up for American households to order four free COVID-19 tests amid the Omicron variant surge, is up and running ahead of its official…

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Japan set to widen COVID-19 curbs as Omicron drives record infections

TOKYO, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Japan was poised on Wednesday to widen COVID-19 curbs to the capital, Tokyo, and a dozen regions covering half the population, as the Omicron variant…

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Charles Michel to miss Strasbourg plenary due to Covid contact

EU Council president Charles Michel will miss this week's European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg, after being in close contact with a positive Covid case, he tweeted on Wednesday. https://twitter.com/eucopresident/status/1483728378079367172?s=20 French…

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Bulgaria posts record of more than 11,000 daily COVID-19 cases

SOFIA, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Bulgaria reported a record 11,181 coronavirus infections in a single day on Wednesday, official data showed, dominated by the more contagious Omicron variant. The European…

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China reports fewest daily local confirmed COVID-19 cases in two weeks

BEIJING, Jan 19 (Reuters) - China reported the lowest daily count of local confirmed COVID-19 infections in two weeks on Wednesday after cities sealed up areas of virus risk, quarantined…

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UPDATED: Germany surpasses 100,000 daily COVID-19 cases for first time

BERLIN, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Germany reported a record 112,323 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, after the health minister said the peak had not been reached yet and compulsory vaccination…

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Italy registers alarming number of deaths from coronavirus

Italy reported 228,179 COVID-19 related cases on Tuesday, against 83,403 the day before, the health ministry said, while the number of deaths rose to 434 from 287. Italy has registered…

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UPDATED: UK PM Johnson drops COVID-19 restrictions

LONDON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - People in England will no longer be required to wear face masks anywhere or work from home from next week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said…

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WHO says no evidence healthy children, adolescents need COVID-19 boosters

There is no evidence at present that healthy children and adolescents need booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine, the World Health Organization’s chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said. Speaking at a news…

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WHO warns pandemic not over amid Europe case records

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a warning to world leaders that the coronavirus pandemic "is nowhere near over". Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned against the…

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Sweden scraps demand for negative COVID test to enter country

Travelers to Sweden will no longer be required to show a negative COVID test before entering the country, the government said on Tuesday. Sweden introduced rules for a recent negative COVID test on Dec. 28 last year…

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With Omicron, global economy spots chance to push past COVID

With Omicron, global economy spots chance to push past COVIDGovernments worldwide are easing quarantine rules, reviewing coronavirus curbs and dialling back pandemic-era emergency support as they bid to launch their…

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Hong Kong orders hamster cull after COVID-19 hits pets

Hong Kong ordered a cull of 2,000 hamsters on Tuesday and warned pet owners not to kiss animals after a new cluster of COVID-19 cases was traced to a pet shop. The outbreak…

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Israeli study shows 4th shot of COVID-19 vaccine less effective on Omicron

A fourth shot of COVID-19 vaccine boosts antibodies to even higher levels than the third jab but it is not enough to prevent Omicron infections, according to a preliminary study in Israel.…

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‘More mutations coming,’ WHO expert warns

Dr David Nabarro, a World Health Organisation (WHO) special envoy for COVID-19, has told Sky News there was "light at the end of the tunnel" for the UK in tackling…

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Pfizer to boost COVID-19 pill production with French deal

PARIS, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Pfizer will add a production facility for its antiviral COVID-19 pill in France as part of a plan to invest 520 million euros ($594 million)…

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India’s main cities record sharp fall in COVID-19 infections

NEW DELHI, Jan 17 (Reuters) - India's capital Delhi and financial hub Mumbai have reported a big fall in COVID-19 infections in the past two days and most of those…

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COVID review for England could come this week, early next – source

LONDON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - A review of "Plan B" measures to tackle the spread of COVID-19 in England could take place this week or early next, a senior government…

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Australia PM blames Omicron for testing woes as COVID-19 cases hit downward trend

SYDNEY, Jan 17 (Reuters) - 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…

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Chinese cities on high COVID-19 alert as Lunar New Year travel season starts; Omicron spreads

BEIJING, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Several Chinese cities went on high COVID-19 alert as the Lunar New Year holiday travel season started on Monday, requiring travellers to report their trips…

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Pfizer CEO: COVID virus will continue to circulate for many years

PARIS, Jan 17 (Reuters) - The chief executive of Pfizer told French TV station BFM TV on Monday that the coronavirus will continue to circulate for many years to come,…

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Ten richest men double their fortunes in pandemic while incomes of 99 percent of humanity fall

The pandemic has made the world's wealthiest far richer but has led to more people living in poverty, according to the charity Oxfam. Lower incomes for the world's poorest contributed…

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Italy reports 248 deaths from coronaviurs, Omicron prevalence varies between 33% and 100%

Italy reported 149,512 COVID-19 related cases on Sunday, after 180,426 the day before, the health ministry said, while the number of deaths fell to 248 from 308. Italy has registered…

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Irish hospitalisations see first week-on-week fall in Omicron wave

The number of coronavirus patients in Irish hospitals fell week-on-week for the first time since the Omicron variant drove cases to record highs last month, adding to confidence that restrictions…

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China urges local govts to minimize impact from COVID-19 curbs over Lunar New Year

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's state planner on Sunday urged local governments to minimise the impact from COVID-19 restrictions over the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday to help a rebound in…

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French parliament approves vaccine pass

PARIS, Jan 16 (Reuters) - France's parliament gave final approval on Sunday to the government's latest measures to tackle the COVID-19 virus, including a vaccine pass contested by anti-vaccine protestors.…

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Researchers plan for reusing hospital-grade masks

A type of mask used by healthcare providers to protect themselves from the coronavirus can be reprocessed to augment supplies, researchers believe. Unlike cloth and surgical masks, the N95 respirators…

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Austria to begin compulsory vaccination from next month

Austria's government proposed on Sunday setting the minimum age for mandatory coronavirus vaccinations against COVID-19 at 18 and rolling out the programme in stages from Feb. 1, seeking to build…

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Australia’s daily COVID-19 infections dip below 100,000

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's daily coronavirus infections on Sunday fell below 100,000 for the first time in five days, amid expectations that the Omicron wave had neared its peak in…

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Experimental drug targets COVID-19 from two angles

An experimental drug originally being developed to treat influenza is showing promise against SARS-CoV-2 and might defend against COVID-19 from two different directions, researchers said. The drug, called zapnometinib or…

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Italy’s sewers will give early alert for future COVID spikes

Italy will use the nation's sewage to predict future coronavirus spreads and to alert authorities to rising cases and new variants before they appear in testing and hospitals, a senior…

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Beijing Omicron case prompts temple closures, queues for COVID-19 tests

BEIJING, Jan 16 (Reuters) - China on Sunday reported 65 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases for Jan. 15, including the first Omicron case in Beijing, just weeks from the Feb. 4…

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Long COVID “brain fog” shares features with “chemo brain”

The "brain fog" reported by some people after COVID-19 shows striking similarities to the condition known as "chemo brain" - the mental cloudiness some people experience during and after cancer…

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From ambulance delays to transit disruptions, COVID-19 absences hit Canada’s public services

From delayed ambulances to police shortages, Canadian public agencies hit hard by COVID-19 worker absences have cut back on service, rearranged staff or warned the public that emergency responses may…

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Factbox: How Americans can get free COVID-19 tests promised by Biden

Americans will be able to order free COVID-19 tests online beginning Jan. 19, part of a plan by President Joe Biden to distribute 1 billion at-home rapid kits to fight…

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As Omicron surges, a French hospital creaks under staff shortages

Emergency ward doctor Abigael Debit is increasingly spending her time finding beds for COVID-19 patients, either in her own public-private clinic outside Paris or in nearby hospitals, as the contagious…

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U.S. grocery shortages deepen as pandemic dries supplies

High demand for groceries combined with soaring freight costs and Omicron-related labor shortages are creating a new round of backlogs at processed food and fresh produce companies, leading to empty…

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UK seven-day COVID-19 infections down 33% on week before

LONDON (Reuters) - The United Kingdom reported 81,713 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, leaving the seven-day tally down by nearly 33% on the previous week. It reported 287 deaths…

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Experimental clip-on device finds virus particles in air

A small experimental device designed to be attached to clothing may be able to tell whether the wearer has been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 particles in the air, researchers said. The…

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COVID still a serious threat, warn German health officials

German health officials warned on Friday the coronavirus remained a serious threat as the Omicron variant is set to completely replace Delta in the coming days in a nation whose…

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Vapers risk more symptoms from COVID-19

E-cigarette users infected with the coronavirus may be more likely than infected non-vapers to experience COVID-19 symptoms, according to research published in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health.…

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China reports fewer coronavirus cases but Omicron spread unclear

SHANGHAI, Jan 15 (Reuters) - China reported fewer new confirmed coronavirus cases for Jan. 14 than a day earlier, but details on the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant…

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Philippines confirms community transmission of Omicron, cases hit record

MANILA, Jan 15 (Reuters) - The Philippine health ministry confirmed the local spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant around Manila on Saturday, as infections hit a record high for a…

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Okinawa, home to U.S. military bases, logs record COVID cases

Jan 15 (Reuters) - Japan's southern prefecture of Okinawa reported record daily numbers of COVID-19 cases on Saturday, fueled by the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Okinawa, which…

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UK study finds more Omicron hospitalisations in youngest children, but cases mild

Young children and babies are proportionally more likely to be hospitalised with Omicron compared to older children than with previous variants but the cases are still mild, British researchers said,…

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Dutch announce COVID lockdown easing amid record infections

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday announced the reopening of stores, hairdressers and gyms, partially lifting a lockdown despite record numbers of new COVIC-19 cases. "We are taking a…

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Polish COVID advisers quit over lack of science influence on policy

Thirteen of the 17 members of Poland's Medical Council advising the prime minister on COVID-19 resigned, condemning what they said was a lack of scientific influence on policy. Even with…

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Peak Omicron? Experts wary of calling time on variant wave in Europe

A surge in coronavirus cases caused by the Omicron variant may have peaked in some parts of Europe but medics say the impact will continue to be felt across the…

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U.S. CDC urges Americans to wear ‘most protective mask you can’

WASHINGTON, Jan 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its guidance for Americans on wearing masks to protect against COVID-19, recommending donning "the most…

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S.African study suggests Omicron less severe even for unvaccinated

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Unvaccinated people infected with the Omicron variant of coronavirus may be less prone to severe illness and requiring hospital care or dying than was the…

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