The WHO says this marks the shortest-lived surge to date in the continent where cumulative cases exceed 10 million
Orchids for sale for the Chinese New Year in Hong Kong. Its International Airport said Friday it will ban passengers from over 150 countries from transiting for a month, to stop transmission of Omicron. Pic/AP
Africa’s fourth pandemic wave, driven primarily by the Omicron variant, is flattening after a six-week surge, the WHO has said even as it stressed that the shortest-lived surge to date in the continent was “steep and brief but no less destabilising.” The new Omicron variant was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on November 24. The World Health Organisation (WHO) on November 26 declared it as a variant of concern.
“Early indications suggest that Africa’s fourth wave has been steep and brief but no less destabilising. The crucial pandemic countermeasure badly needed in Africa still stands, and that is rapidly and significantly increasing Covid-19 vaccinations. The next wave might not be so forgiving,” WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr. Matshidiso Moeti said. In a statement issued on Thursday, the WHO said, “After a six-week surge, Africa’s fourth pandemic wave-driven primarily by the Omicron variant is flattening, marking the shortest-lived surge to date in the continent where cumulative cases have now exceeded 10 million.”
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WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus voiced concern that even though more than 9.4 billion vaccine doses have now been administered globally, 90 countries did not reach the target of vaccinating 40 per cent of their populations by the end of last year, and 36 of those countries have not yet vaccinated 10% of their populations. More than 85 per cent of the population of Africa – about one billion people - is yet to receive a single dose of vaccine, he said. “We cannot end the acute phase of the pandemic unless we work together to close these gaps,” he said.
Supreme Court halts Covid-19 vaccine rule for US businesses
The Supreme Court has stopped a major push by the Biden administration to boost the USA’s Covid-19 vaccination rate, a requirement staff at large businesses get a vaccine or test regularly and wear a mask on the job. But the court is allowing the administration to proceed with a vaccine mandate for most health care workers in the U.S. The court’s orders Thursday came during a spike in cases caused by the omicron variant. The court’s conservative majority concluded the administration overstepped its authority by seeking to impose the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s vaccine-or-test rule on U.S. businesses with at least 100 staff. More than 80 million people would have been affected.
Johnson faces fresh ‘partygate’ allegations
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday faces mounting leadership pressure amid further allegations of parties held at his 10 Downing Street office-residence by staff, which were categorised as a ‘partygate’ scandal due to the apparent serial breaches of lockdown rules in place at that time.
The Daily Telegraph newspaper has reported on two farewell parties comprising around 30 people drinking alcohol and dancing to music until the early hours of April 17 last year, the night before the funeral of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
Restrictions at the time banned indoor gathering between different households and Queen Elizabeth II sat alone during the funeral ceremony for her late husband, in keeping with the social distancing rules.
While Johnson was not present at either of the two gatherings in April 2021, since he was spending the weekend at his Buckinghamshire country estate Chequers, the latest revelations add to the saga around rules being broken at the heart of the UK government.
29,75,094
No. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours
31,53,45,967
Total no. of cases worldwide
55,10,174
Total no. of deaths worldwide
Source: WHO/Johns Hopkins
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