The UK reported the highest day of new coronavirus infections on Monday, with 41,385 new COVID-19 cases. The outbreak, led by a new, more contagious version of the virus, is forcing hospitals to cancel non-emergency procedures and scramble to find a place.
357 new deaths were reported.
“This very high infection rate is a growing concern at a time when our hospitals are at their most vulnerable,” said Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England.
The new variant is believed to be up to 70% more contagious, although it is unlikely to make people sicker.
Major swearing in of the country has been placed under restrictions that have closed incompetent shops, and banned food and indoor meals at restaurants. Nevertheless, hospital admissions for COVID-19 in the south-east of England are approaching or exceeding first-peak levels.
Dr Nick Scriven, former president of the Society for Rapid Medicine, said the rising number of hospitals was “very worrying.”
“With numbers approaching the peaks from April, systems will once again be stretched to a minimum,” he said.
Africa
South Africa has banned the resale of alcohol and made mask wear compulsory in public. President Cyril Ramaphosa said there had been a “rapid rise” in diseases, largely driven by a new variant that is feared to be more contagious, and that high alcohol consumption was adding to the burden. ospadalan.
Curfew will now start at 9pm instead of 11pm and non-essential venues such as shops, bars and restaurants will close from 8pm. All large gatherings – indoor or outdoor – except 50 funerals are banned for two weeks. All beaches and public swimming pools in dangerous infectious areas – including Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban – have been closed.
The country has reported 1 million cases of coronavirus since the first case was detected in March this year, according to data from the Ministry of Health. This grim milestone prompted Ramaphosa to convene an emergency meeting of the Coronavirus National Governing Council.
The country is struggling with a new version of the coronavirus, 501.V2, which is more contagious.
Europe
Russia has shown that its coronavirus death toll is three times higher than previously reported, leaving it as the country with the third highest number of COVID deaths. Russian President Vladimir Putin has long boasted about the low death rate, despite experts saying the numbers had been reduced.
Statistics agency Rosstat said total deaths from all causes between January and November had risen by 229,700 compared to the previous year.
“More than 81 percent of this increase in deaths over this period is due to COVID,” said Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova, meaning that more than 186,000 Russians have died from COVID-19.
Grunnan German cities received delays in receiving and administering coronavirus vaccines after several temperature detectors indicated that some BioNTech-Pfizer images may not have been cold enough due to inconsistencies in the cold series .
The BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine uses mRNA technology and must be stored at near -70 degrees Celsius (-112 ° F) before being placed in cool boxes filled with dry ice. Once out of the ultra-low temperature, the vaccine must be kept at 2 ° C to 8 ° C to stay effective for up to five days.
The temperature in one cool box had risen to 15 ° C during transport, a spokesman for Lichtenfels said. Approximately 1,000 views were affected. He said they had not received any communication from BioNtech on how to proceed.
Lichtenfels, as well as the Bavarian areas of Coburg, Kronach, Kulmbach, Hof, Bayreuth and Wunsiedel were waiting to see if the images could still be used.
In a statement, BioNTech said the company was responsible for sending vaccines to the 25 German distribution centers, after which federal states and local authorities would handle the shipments to vaccine centers as well as mobile vaccine teams.
The new, infectious strain of the virus found in Britain has been present in Germany since November, according to medical experts at the Hannover School of Medicine (MHH), Die Welt recitation. The B1.1.7 virus variant was detected in samples of patients who died at the time.
At the same time, BioNTech and Pfizer stopped delivering new bags of their vaccine to eight European countries Spain among them.
The arrest is the result of a “problem in the loading and transporting process” at their plant in Belgium, Spain’s Ministry of Health said in a statement Monday, citing the Spanish branch of Pfizer.
DW has an overview of which countries have launched vaccination campaigns, and what’s next.
Sweden the government will have wider powers to enforce closure measures under a new law proposed Monday. To date, Sweden has relied heavily on voluntary social distance measures.
“In extreme cases, the government will be able to decide on broader measures to curb population,” Health Minister Lena Hallengren told reporters. “That includes the closure of shops, public transport, shopping centers or other types of business covered by the new law.”
Sweden has suffered more than 8,000 deaths as a result of COVID-19, a per capita rate far higher than its Scandinavian neighbors.
Finland has become the latest European country to report a case of the more infectious coronavirus variant that was first identified in Britain.
Health officials said Monday that a Finnish citizen who recently arrived in Britain for the Christmas holidays was diagnosed with the new COVID-19 variant in the southeastern Kymenlaakso area over the weekend.
The person’s recent connections have been discovered and family members have been separated. Finnish health officials said they believe the variant has no longer spread.
Slovakia Parliament has passed a constitutional amendment, allowing the state of emergency to be extended by 40 days at a time. It was previously completed at 90 days and was scheduled to go out on Tuesday.
Middle East
Saudi Arabia has announced an extension for the ban on entering the kingdom another week amid fears about the new version of coronavirus. No entry was made by air, land or sea. However, the interior ministry allows non-citizens to leave the kingdom as the government assesses the current level of threat. Admission is limited to exceptional cases.
Israel have entered their third coronavirus lockout, which prevents residents from moving more than 1,000 meters away from their homes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu expressed hope that the massive vaccination campaign that has already begun in parts of North America and Europe would return the world to normal in the coming weeks.
Specific exceptions to the 1,000 meter rule are: grocery purchases, medical care, legal proceedings or exercise.
Asia Pacific
South Korea has reported the first cases of the more contagious variant of COVID-19, first identified in the UK. The new variant was discovered in a family of three, who arrived in South Korea a day before the country stopped air travel from Britain.
All three, who live in the UK, are in quarantine.
Authorities have banned New Year’s Eve congregations at Sydney harbor on pandemic concerns. Under regular circumstances, nearly 1 million people come together to see fireworks each year.
New South Wales state director of state Gladys Berejiklian said city center residents Australia the largest city was able to invite up to 10 guests to their homes but guests had to obtain permits to enter the area.
Thailand announced its first coronavirus death in nearly two months and put pressure on entertainment businesses in its capital on Monday.
Authorities confirmed 144 new diseases as new collections emerged from the largest outbreak yet.
It prompted a ban in Bangkok on betting businesses and midnight closures for its bars, nightclubs and music venues until January 4th.
Indonesia has banned international visitors from entering the country for two weeks in an attempt to rule out a potentially more contagious new version of the coronavirus.
The new regulation, effective 1 January, comes days after Indonesia banned British travelers and tightened rules for those coming from Europe and Australia to prevent the spread of diversification. new.
aw, faic / nm (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)