Coronavirus

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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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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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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Bundesliga title race blown open as Covid plays major role

Bayern Munich thought they had got away with Friday's 2-1 defeat at home to Borussia Monchengladbach when Eintracht Frankfurt scored two first-half goals in Saturday's clash with Borussia Dortmund. But…

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Australian government loses bid to delay Djokovic appeal

Novak Djokovic's court appeal will take place on Monday after Australian Department of Home Affairs lawyers lost a bid to delay the timing of the case. Home Affairs' lawyers applied…

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Swedish crown princess contracts COVID-19 amid surging infections

Swedish Crown Princess Victoria has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, the Royal Court said, adding that the heir to the throne was fully vaccinated. Earlier this…

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Austrian chancellor says he has no COVID symptoms and ‘doing well’

Jan 8 (Reuters) - Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Saturday he was well and had no COVID-19 symptoms after testing positive for the coronavirus this week, vowing to do…

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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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German health minister stresses need for compulsory Covid vaccination

Berlin (dpa) - German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has emphasized the importance of introducing compulsory vaccinations to fight the coronavirus pandemic. "We have to accept that even compulsory vaccination is never going to…

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Chamber wants right to request vaccine certificates / Malta News Briefing – Saturday 8 January 2022

Mid-Day Briefing PN proposes major legislative changes to implement recommendations of Caruana Galizia inquiry The Nationalist Party has launched a proposal for a legislative proposal that includes all the major…

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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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Italy considers new curbs on Serie A – sources

ROME (Reuters) - Italian authorities are considering fresh curbs on the top-flight Serie A soccer league, sources close to the matter told Reuters on Friday, amid growing worries over a…

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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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Djokovic had COVID-19 a month ago, had clearance to enter Australia – court filing

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic contracted COVID-19 last month but was not experiencing symptoms and had written clearance from Australia's immigration department before travelling to the…

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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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More than 100 test positive for Covid-19 on an Italy-India flight

A total of 125 passengers who arrived in the northern Indian city of Amritsar on a chartered flight from Italy have tested positive for Covid-19. They will be placed in…

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COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy not linked to complications at birth -U.S. study

COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy was not associated with preterm delivery or underweight newborns, in a study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Rates of preterm…

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New coronavirus variant identified in France, WHO downplays threat

A new coronavirus variant has been identified in France know officially as the B.1.640.2. It was discovered in a traveler returning from Cameroon and has a high number of mutations.…

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COVID-19 loss of $44 bln is 3rd largest catastrophe cost to insurers

Insured losses of $44 billion from COVID-19 so far represent the third largest cost to insurers of any catastrophe, behind Hurricane Katrina and the 9/11 attacks, insurance broker Howden said…

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Dr Calvagna passes away / Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 4 January 2022

1745- Latest News update Times of Malta says that A fundraiser for a 29-year-old woman who was found murdered in Sliema has raised €20,000 in a single day. MaltaToday says…

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Omicron ‘plainly milder’; new measures not needed, UK’s Johnson says

New measures are not needed now in Britain to fight the Omicron variant, which is "plainly milder" than earlier forms of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday. "The way forward…

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Dutch to reopen schools despite high infection rates

The Netherlands, under a strict COVID-19 lockdown for the past two weeks, will reopen primary and secondary schools on Jan. 10 despite coronavirus infections remaining high, the government announced on Monday. The government stressed…

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U.S. FDA backs Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster shot for 12- to 15-year-olds

Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 12 to 15, and narrowed the time for all booster shots by a month to five months after the primary doses. The agency…

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English school children to wear masks to tackle Omicron surge

Children in secondary schools in England will be told to wear face coverings when they return after the Christmas holiday next week to tackle a surge in cases of the…

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Fauci warns of danger of hospitalization in US surge due to large number of COVID cases

Top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said there was still a danger of a surge in hospitalization due to a large number of coronavirus cases even as early data…

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Omicron could lead Israel to herd immunity, health official says

Israel could reach herd immunity amid surging Omicron infections, its top health official said on Sunday, as the country approved the use of Merck & Co's molnupiravir anti-viral pill for…

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Dutch police disperse thousands protesting against lockdown measures

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Riot police with batons and shields tried to break up a crowd of several thousand who had gathered in the Dutch capital on Sunday to protest against…

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PSG’s Messi and three others test positive for COVID-19

Paris St Germain forward Lionel Messi and three other players have tested positive for COVID-19, the French Ligue 1 club said on Sunday. Argentina international Messi joined PSG from boyhood…

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France cuts isolation for COVID-positive to 7 days from 10 days

PARIS (Reuters) - French Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Sunday the isolation period for fully vaccinated people who test positive for COVID-19 would be cut to seven days from…

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UK government seeks to mitigate workforce disruption from Omicron

LONDON, Jan 1 (Reuters) - The British government has asked public sector managers to test their contingency plans against a worst-case scenario of 25% staff absence as part of efforts…

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Italy reports 141,262 coronavirus cases, 111 deaths

ROME (Reuters) - Italy reported 141,262 COVID-19 related cases on Saturday, following 144,243 the day before, the health ministry said, while the number of deaths fell to 111 from 155.…

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Coronavirus cases keep cruise ship Aida Nova stuck in Lisbon

Madrid/Schwerin, Germany (dpa) - Nearly 3,000 cruise passengers had to spend New Year's Eve in an unplanned stay ashore in Lisbon because of the coronavirus, while it was unclear when the vessel would…

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France sixth country with more than 10 million COVID infections

PARIS (Reuters) - France became the sixth country in the world to report more than 10 million COVID-19 infections since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to official data published…

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Australia starts 2022 with record COVID cases

SYDNEY, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Australia started 2022 with a record number of new COVID-19 cases as an outbreak centred in the eastern states grew, and New South Wales eased…

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Around 6,500 people join protest against Covid-19 measures in Germany

Dortmund, Germany (dpa) - Around 6,500 people gathered for a demonstration against vaccination and other Covid-19 measures in the German city of Düsseldorf on Saturday, the police said. According to a spokesperson, the…

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Juve’s Chiellini tests positive for COVID-19 before Napoli game

(Reuters) - Juventus suffered a blow ahead of next week's Serie A game at home to Napoli after captain Giorgio Chiellini tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. Italy defender Chiellini,…

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Omicron dampens global New Year celebrations

Jan 1 (Reuters) - The Omicron coronavirus variant dampened New Year festivities around much of the world, with Paris cancelling its fireworks show, London relegating its to television, and New…

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China ends 2021 with worst COVID week since taming original epidemic

BEIJING, Jan 1 (Reuters) - China ended its final week of 2021 with its biggest tally of local coronavirus cases for any seven-day period since subduing the country's first epidemic…

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Omicron rewrites the COVID plan for 2022

As the Omicron variant gains momentum in Europe and the United States, scientists are rewriting their expectations for the COVID-19 pandemic this year. Just weeks ago, disease experts were predicting…

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FACTBOX-Countries weigh need for COVID-19 booster shots

Dec 31 (Reuters) - Many countries are expanding COVID-19 vaccine booster programmes or shortening the gap between shots as governments scramble to shore up protection against the new Omicron variant…

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Boosters reduce risk of Omicron household transmission

The odds that vaccinated people will catch the virus if a household member becomes infected are nearly three to four times higher with Omicron than with Delta, but booster doses…

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Omicron crashes global New Year party but South Africa offers hope

SYDNEY/CAPE TOWN, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Twenty twenty-one was slinking off with farewell celebrations mostly muffled by the pandemic. But good news from South Africa - the first country to…

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Chinese cities on COVID alert as New Year holiday looms

BEIJING, Dec 31 (Reuters) - China is on high alert against COVID-19 as the New Year holiday looms, with the city of Xian under lockdown while several New Year's Eve…

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WATCH: Italian singer Al Bano positive for Covid, cancels New Year’s Eve concert from Bari

Famed Italian singer Al Bano tested positive at Covid and will not be able to participate in the New Year's Eve of Canale 5, which will be broadcast from the…

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COVID-19 casts bleak shadow over New Year celebrations, again

MUMBAI/ROME (Reuters) - COVID-19 will stifle New Year celebrations around the world for the second year running on Friday, with governments in many countries hurriedly scaling back festivities in an…

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COVID-19 deaths in Eastern Europe surpass 1 million

Coronavirus deaths in Eastern Europe topped 1 million on Thursday, according to a Reuters tally, as the Omicron variant threatened to batter the region. Three out of the five countries…

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U.S. CDC says avoid traveling on cruise ships as COVID-19 cases surge

(Reuters) -The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said people should avoid traveling on cruise ships regardless of their vaccination status, as daily COVID-19 cases in the country…

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Israel approves fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot for immunocompromised

JERUSALEM, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Israel is to go ahead with second COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for people with weakened immune systems, the top government health official said on Thursday,…

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Italy to tighten restrictions for unvaccinated, relax isolation rules

Rome (dpa) - Italy's government has tightened its coronavirus rules and at the same time relaxed quarantine measures. From January 10, unvaccinated people will be excluded from hotels, congress centres, local and long-distance…

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Thousands message late Chinese COVID whistleblower doctor 2 years on

SHANGHAI, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Thousands of people left messages on the social media account of the late Chinese COVID-19 whistleblower Li Wenliang on the anniversary of the day he…

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J&J booster slashes Omicron hospitalizations -S.African study

CAPE TOWN, Dec 30 (Reuters) - A booster dose of Johnson & Johnson Inc's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine was 84% effective at preventing hospitalization in South African healthcare workers who became…

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Australia relaxes testing rules amid Omicron surge

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia sought to relieve pressure on overrun COVID-19 testing facilities on Thursday by narrowing its definition of close contacts of infected people and relaxing requirements for tests, as…

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UK’s Johnson warns of hospital risk for unvaccinated

LONDON, Dec 29 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Wednesday that the overwhelming majority of patients ending up in intensive care with COVID-19 had not received their…

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U.S. coronavirus cases hit record high

Dec 29 (Reuters) - The average number of daily COVID-19 cases in the United States has hit a record high of 258,312 over the past seven days, according to a…

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France reports record high of 179,807 new coronavirus cases in one day

PARIS (Reuters) - France reported a record high of 179,807 new confirmed coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period on Tuesday, by far the highest daily number since the start of…

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