China. Authorities in Xi’an, southwest of Beijing, on Monday promised additional restrictions to deal with the new epidemic wave, while the city has already been placed under strict containment since Thursday. Its thirteen million inhabitants are authorized to go out once a day only, to refuel. China on Sunday recorded 206 new cases of Covid-19 (most in Xi’an), a record since March 2020 for this country which has put in place a strategy “zero Covid»Ultra-restrictive.
Israel. And four! An Israeli hospital began administering a fourth dose of the Covid vaccine to its caregivers on Monday, as part of a clinical trial. The executive on Wednesday announced the launch of a nationwide fourth-dose campaign for those over 60 and medical staff, in hopes of containing the spread of the omicron variant. This decision must be approved by the Ministry of Health.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Relatively spared by the first epidemic waves, the DRC now deplores levels of contamination unprecedented since the start of the health crisis. In recent days, Covid-19 patients were filling hospitals and additional tents were needed to cope with the influx, according to Reuters. The DRC is the country with the lowest vaccination rate in the world, with only 0.06% of the population having a complete vaccination schedule.
United States. White House chief epidemiologist Anthony Fauci admitted on Sunday that the country was in testing shortage, saying that “One of the problems now is that [les tests] will not be fully available to everyone before January ”. Inventories melted under the combined effect of the increase in cases and the end of the year holidays, in prospect of which many Americans rushed to self-tests. In parallel, the State of New York indicated at the end of last week to monitor “A close upward trend in pediatric hospitalizations associated with Covid-19”, half of new hospital admissions are for children under five, not yet of age to be vaccinated.
North Europe. In Scotland, Denmark and Iceland, contamination reached record levels on Monday since the start of the pandemic, under the effect of the omicron variant which is now the majority in Denmark. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, however, announced that no new health restrictions would be introduced in England before the end of the year, while recommending the greatest caution to residents. In Germany, on the other hand, new measures entered into force on Monday, starting with the restriction of indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Air traffic. More than 2,500 flights were still canceled Monday across the world, a quarter of which concerns China, Indonesia and the United States. This is a direct consequence of the omicron wave, with many pilots coming into contact with or themselves infected with the virus. About 800 new flights could be canceled on Tuesday.