Healthcare

UK PM’s staff invited to ‘bring your own booze’ party during lockdown – reports

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's staff were invited to a "bring your own booze" party in the garden of his Downing Street residence during the first coronavirus nationwide lockdown last year, according to a…

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Omicron will cost Israel $640 mln every three weeks, central bank chief says

JERUSALEM, Jan 10 (Reuters) - The Omicron coronavirus variant sweeping Israel will cost the economy around two billion shekels ($641.81 million) every 20 days, central bank governor Amir Yaron said…

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Pregnant women urged not to delay getting coronavirus vaccine

Pregnant women are being urged not to delay getting their Covid jab or booster in a government campaign. More than 96% of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid symptoms…

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Swab throat too when using rapid COVID test, Israel’s Health Ministry says

JERUSALEM, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Israel's Health Ministry on Monday instructed people self-testing for COVID-19 to swab their throat as well as their nose when using rapid antigen kits to…

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Pope backs COVID immunisation campaigns, warns of ideological misinformation

VATICAN CITY, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Monday condemned "baseless" ideological misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, backing national immunisation campaigns and calling health care a moral obligation. Francis spoke…

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India’s COVID-19 cases multiply, vulnerable groups given vaccine boosters

NEW DELHI, Jan 10 (Reuters) - India began administering booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine to frontline workers and vulnerable elderly people on Monday, with the fast-spreading Omicron variant fuelling an…

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Sweden takes more COVID measures as Omicron squeezes healthcare

STOCKHOLM, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Sweden will introduce more measures to stem the rising number of COVID cases and an increased pressure on the healthcare system, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson…

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Tennis-Covid19: Nadal calls Djokovic controversy ‘a circus’

Rafa Nadal called Novak Djokovic's COVID-19 vaccination controversy in Australia "a circus" and joked that he would prefer that the world number one tennis player didn't play at the upcoming…

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Spain suggests tracking pandemic differently, to limit retail price of COVID antigen tests

MADRID, Jan 10 (Reuters) - The Spanish government is working on rules to limit the retail price of COVID antigen tests, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday, after shortages…

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Italy extends restrictions for unvaccinated

On Monday, several new restrictions came into place in Italy for those not vaccinated against COVID-19. In order to visit restaurants, hotels, trade fairs, ski lifts, local or long-distance trains…

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Australia vows to ‘push through’ Omicron wave as infections cross 1 million

SYDNEY, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Australia must "push through" the fast-moving Omicron outbreak, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday, as infections surpassed 1 million, more than half in the…

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Common colds can protect against coronavirus infection, study finds

LONDON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - High levels of T-cells from common cold coronaviruses can provide protection against COVID-19, an Imperial College London study published on Monday has found, which could…

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Germany assessing reliability of antibody tests for Omicron

Germany will study how reliable rapid antigen tests are in detecting the fast-spreading Omicron variant of COVID-19, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said. "We do not know exactly how well these…

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China’s Tianjin tightens control over travel after Omicron cases

BEIJING, Jan 10 (Reuters) - The northern Chinese city of Tianjin tightened exit controls and is requiring residents to obtain approval from employers or community authorities before leaving town in…

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With peak yet to come, Europe’s healthcare creaks under Omicron’s rapid spread

MADRID/LONDON Jan 10 (Reuters) - 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…

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UK not yet in a position to live with COVID-19 – minister Gove

LONDON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - There is still pressure on British hospitals and the country is not yet in a position to say it can live with COVID-19, senior minister…

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Hungary considering fourth Covid-19 vaccine booster shot

BUDAPEST, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Hungary's daily tally of new COVID-19 infections could exceed 13,000 in the new wave of the pandemic caused by the Omicron variant of the virus,…

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England’s NHS tells private health providers: prepare to help us

LONDON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Britain has ordered England's health service to strike a deal with private health companies to provide crucial treatments such as cancer surgery should Omicron overwhelm…

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Italy reports 157 coronavirus deaths, 155,659 cases on Sunday

Italy reported 157 coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday down from 184 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell to 155,659 from 197,552. Italy…

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Canada resists pressure to drop vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pushing ahead with a vaccine mandate for international truckers despite increasing pressure from critics who say it will exacerbate driver shortages and drive up…

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Philippines prepares more hospitals beds with record COVID-19 cases

MANILA, Jan 9 (Reuters) - The Philippines ordered an increase in hospital beds and medical resources in and around the capital Manila, a senior government official said on Sunday, as…

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National Bank of Canada plans vaccine clinics for employees and their families

National Bank of Canada will become the first major bank in the country to offer COVID-19 booster shots to employees and their family members, setting up four vaccination sites across…

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FACTBOX-Front runners in development of antibody drugs against COVID-19

AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Regeneron and GlaxoSmithKline are among the biggest pharmaceutical companies to have developed COVID-19 treatments using a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies, but the spread of the…

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Mexico hits record in new COVID-19 cases, more than 30,000

MEXICO CITY(Reuters) - Mexico hit a record in confirmed daily COVID-19 cases on Saturday, according to official data, posting more than 30,000 additional infections as the highly contagious respiratory disease…

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New COVID-19 variant detected in Cyprus – Deltacron

A new COVID-19 variant which was dubbed Deltacron has been identified in Cyprus, but it is not presently a source of alarm, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas announced. The new variant…

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Survey shows Germans less worried about omicron

A majority of people in Germany approve of the government's stricter rules to curb the spread of COVID-19 but are less worried about the omicron variant, a new national survey revealed…

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New COVID-19 measures in Romania as infections surge

Romania has imposed stricter pandemic measures amid rising COVID-19 cases that authorities say could overwhelm the country's health system. The new measures include mandatory mask-wearing with fines up to €500,…

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Restrictions imposed in several states in India as Covid-19 cases rise

MUMBAI, Jan 9 (Reuters) - India reported 159,632 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to spread rapidly in the country, nudging several state…

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Australia’s New South Wales marks its highest COVID-19 death count

SYDNEY, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, recorded its highest number of daily COVID-19 deaths on Saturday as the Omicron variant sweeps the country and…

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Record Covid cases in Ireland, as expert says surge likely next week

The Irish Department of Health has been notified of 26,122 new cases of Covid-19, the highest daily number since the pandemic began. The previous highest was 23,817 on 6 January.…

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Updated: Relying on more home COVID tests, Israel looks to lower costs

JERUSALEM, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Israel sought on Sunday to ease access to home COVID-19 tests after a decision to allow most vaccinated people to use the kits to decide…

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UK tops 150,000 coronavirus-related deaths since start of pandemic

The United Kingdom's official death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic rose above 150,000 on Saturday, government figures showed, following a record wave of cases caused by the Omicron variant. Some…

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Italy reports 184 COVID-19 deaths on Saturday

Italy reported 197,552 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, up from 108,304 the day before, the health ministry said, while the number of deaths fell to 184 from 223. Italy has registered…

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India’s total COVID-19 cases reach 35.52 million

MUMBAI, Jan 9 (Reuters) - India reported 159,632 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to spread rapidly in the country. The health ministry…

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Omicron surge pushes U.S. COVID hospitalizations toward record high

NEW YORK, Jan 7 (Reuters) - COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States are poised to hit a new high as early as Friday, according to a Reuters tally, surpassing the…

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Overwhelmed by Omicron surge, U.S. hospitals delay surgeries

Hospitals across the United States are postponing elective surgeries to free up staff and beds due to a surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant of…

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Rapid nose swab tests for COVID may not detect Omicron quickly enough – expert says

(Reuters) - Swabbing the nose with a rapid antigen test will not reliably detect the Omicron variant in the first few days of an infection, so manufacturers should seek U.S.…

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Royal Caribbean pauses some cruise operations due to Omicron concerns

(Reuters) - Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd has paused some of its cruise operations amid rising numbers of COVID-19 infections due to the Omicron variant. The sailings of three ships -…

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Germany to shorten quarantine period in face of Omicron spread

Germany is to relax its quarantine rules while bringing in additional restrictions for restaurants and bars, federal and state leaders agreed on Friday, in response to fears of a surge…

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South African hospital sees less serious disease, coming end of Omicron surge

The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by…

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Omicron spike in most vaccinated German state heralds nationwide surge

The northern German maritime state of Bremen has the country's highest COVID-19 vaccination rate by far, but it has become the hardest-hit by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant,…

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Sydney Omicron outbreak could peak by late January, modelling shows

SYDNEY, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The Omicron outbreak in Australia's most-populous state could peak by the end of January, official modelling showed on Friday, as authorities reinstated some restrictions in…

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Sinopharm protein-based booster stronger against Omicron than earlier shot -study

BEIJING, Jan 7 (Reuters) - A protein-based COVID-19 vaccine made by Sinopharm, when given as a booster after two doses of an earlier shot from the Chinese firm, elicited a…

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Nigeria working on COVID-19 vaccine

Nigeria is working to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, President Muhammadu Buhari said in a televised interview, as the country battles growing cases of the virus. Health experts say Nigeria needs…

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Indonesia survey finds 85% of population have COVID-19 antibodies

More than 85% of Indonesia's population has antibodies against COVID-19, a government-commissioned survey showed, but epidemiologists warned it was not clear whether this immunity could help contain a fresh wave…

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France’s current COVID wave could peak in around 10 days time, Macron stands by his comments on COVID non-vaccinated

PARIS, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The current COVID-19 wave engulfing France could reach its peak in around 10 days time, said Professor Alain Fischer, an official responsible for France's COVID…

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Ukraine offers booster COVID-19 shots to all adults

Ukraine is now offering booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all adults as the Omicron variant is spreading and is likely to lead to a spike in coronavirus infections next…

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China warns hospitals against rejecting patients over COVID curbs as cases decline

BEIJING, Jan 7 (Reuters) - China reported fewer COVID cases on Friday as several cities have curbed movements, while a top official warned hospitals not to turn away patients after…

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India’s COVID-19 cases set to break record as Omicron spreads

NEW DELHI, Jan 7 (Reuters) - India's daily COVID-19 cases jumped to 117,100 on Friday, a five-fold increase in a week and on course to overtake its previous infection peak…

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Moderna CEO Bancel says people may need another booster in fall of 2022

The efficacy of boosters against COVID-19 is likely to decline over the next few months and people may need another shot in the fall of 2022, Moderna Inc Chief Executive…

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Philippines’ Duterte threatens unvaccinated people with arrest

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said people who have not taken COVID-19 shots will be arrested if they disobeyed stay-at-home orders as infections hit a three-month high. Duterte in an televised…

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France hits over 200,000 new COVID-19 cases on average per day

France reported 261,481 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, less than the record of more than 332,000 set on Wednesday, but the seven-day moving average of new cases rose above 200,000…

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Britain calls in military to help with hospital COVID staffing crunch

LONDON, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Britain's Ministry of Defence on Friday said that it had begun the deployment of the military to support hospitals experiencing staff shortages and extreme pressures…

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Thailand announces more coronavirus curbs after jump in cases

BANGKOK, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Thailand will extend the suspension of its quarantine waiver programme and bring in new restrictions after a jump in new coronavirus cases linked to the…

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The coronavirus pandemic left nearly 100,000 children orphaned in Peru

The new coronavirus pandemic has turned some 98,000 children into orphans in Peru, the country's government announced, recording the highest COVID-19 mortality rate in the world in proportion to its…

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Argentina breaks COVID-19 case record as daily infections near 100,000

Argentina broke its record for COVID-19 infections, approaching 100,000 daily cases as it faces a third wave of the pandemic, driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant. But the record…

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Portugal to allow return to school despite a record surge in COVID-19 cases

Portugal will allow students to return to school from next week and nightclubs to reopen on Jan. 14 despite a record surge in COVID-19 cases, with hospital admissions still well…

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