WELLINGTON, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) — New Zealand reported 28 new cases of COVID-19 in the community on Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country’s current community outbreak to 11,236. Among the new infections, nine were recorded in the largest city of Auckland, three in nearby Waikato, five in Bay of Plenty, … Read more
MANILA, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) — The Philippines reported 32,246 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday, the second-highest single-day tally since the pandemic began in January 2020, pushing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 3,058,634. The Department of Health (DOH) said the number of active cases or patients still battling the disease … Read more
BEIJING: China is battling coronavirus outbreaks in several cities, testing the country’s strict “zero-Covid” strategy just weeks before Beijing hosts the Winter Olympics. Here’s a rundown of the measures in place in key areas of the world’s most populous nation. Tianjin Fears are growing about China’s largest domestic Omicron cluster to date in the … Read more
MANILA, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) — The highly infectious Omicron coronavirus variant has raced ahead of Delta and is now the dominant variant in the Philippines, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said late Monday night. In a pre-recorded meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte aired late Monday night, Duque said that the newest genome sequencing showed over … Read more
TOKYO: Japan will extend measures barring almost all new foreign arrivals until the end of February and reopen mass-vaccination centres as it battles an Omicron-fuelled coronavirus surge, the government said Tuesday. “We will keep the current border control policy until the end of February while taking necessary measures from a humanitarian viewpoint and considering the … Read more
BEIJING: Five million residents of a central Chinese city started home confinement Tuesday in a new lockdown to curb the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus, according to state media. Beijing is on high alert for new outbreaks as it prepares to host the Winter Olympics next month, sticking to a … Read more
MANILA, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) — The Philippines reported 33,169 new COVID-19 infections on Monday, a new record daily spike, pushing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 2,998,530. The Department of Health (DOH) said the positivity rate continued rising to a record 46 percent, 145 more people died from COVID-19 complications, … Read more
WASHINGTON: Emerging economies should gird for possible rough times as the US Federal Reserve prepares to raise interest rates and world economic growth slows because of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, the IMF warned on Monday. The International Monetary Fund, which is scheduled to release updated economic forecasts on January 25, said that for now global … Read more
NEW DELHI, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) — India’s COVID-19 tally rose to 35,707,727 on Monday, as 179,723 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, showed the health ministry’s latest data. This is the fourth consecutive day when more than 100,000 new cases were registered in a day in the country. Besides, as many as … Read more
SYDNEY, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) — Australia’s state of New South Wales (NSW) recorded its deadliest day since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the country in early 2020, with 18 deaths including a child under five. NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said the child who died at home had “significant underlying health conditions.” The state … Read more
The Omicron variant of Covid-19 continues to strike the people as Pakistan has reported 1,572 cases during the last 24 hours which is the first time since October 2, 2021, that the country has recorded more than 1,500 positive cases in a single day. According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), some 49,658 … Read more
WASHINGTON – Joe Biden promised to “follow the science” when he took over from Donald Trump, but a year later record infections, testing shortfalls and stubborn vaccine resistance have turned one of his presidency’s political strongpoints into a growing liability. Data on December 30 showing the highest number yet of new Covid infections, 265,427 cases … Read more
Ali Gul Pir is certainly glad that he was vaccinated against covid-19 virus. The Karachi-based comedian recently tested positive for Covid-19 but only has moderate symptoms because of being vaccinated. Read more: ‘Nobody will dictate my creativity’: Ali Gul Pir hits back at haters after recreating Lili Reinhart’s Met Gala look Ali took to twitter … Read more
LONDON: Royal Dutch Shell said on Friday that it will win a boost from soaring gas prices in the fourth quarter despite supply problems, but cautioned that Omicron weighs on oil demand. Shell expects “significantly higher” gas revenues in the three months to December thanks to the “high liquid natural gas spot price environment” as it … Read more
LONDON: Restrictions imposed in the wake of the Omicron coronavirus variant have “wiped out” much of a recent recovery enjoyed by UK bricks-and-mortar stores, the British Retail Consortium revealed Friday. Much of the progress made in late 2021 “was wiped out in December as surging Omicron cases and new work-from-home advice deterred many from shopping in-store, … Read more
MELBOURNE: The rapidly spreading Omicron variant, no Serena Williams or Roger Federer and now the Novak Djokovic saga — the Australian Open is struggling to live up to its “Happy Slam” reputation. With the tournament just 10 days away, there was the threat Friday of more disarray with the possibility of other players being in a similar … Read more
With fears of a fifth coronavirus wave on the horizon due to the Omicron variant, President Dr Arif Alvi announced on Thursday that he has tested positive for Covid-19 again . Read more: WHO warns of ‘very high’ Omicron risk Taking to Twitter, the president shared that he had tested positive for Covid-19, once again. … Read more
WASHINGTON: Hiring in the United States surged in December, with private companies adding 807,000 workers, particularly in the service sector, payroll services firm ADP reported on Wednesday. It was a big upswing from the 505,000 gain in November and nearly double the increase economists had been expecting, but the fast-spreading Omicron variant of Covid-19 could hit … Read more
WASHINGTON: Federal Reserve officials last month were concerned about the Omicron impact, but believed the US economy had recovered enough from the pandemic downturn that interest rate hikes could come sooner than expected, according to minutes of the December meeting released Wednesday. The document provides a behind-the-scenes look at the deliberations of the Fed’s policy committee, … Read more
BANGKOK, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) — Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health on Thursday raised its COVID-19 alert level from three to four in response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the country. The level-four warning refers to the closure of areas prone to cluster infections, reduction of inter-provincial travels and gatherings, Kiattiphum Wongrajit, … Read more
NEW DELHI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) — India’s COVID-19 tally rose to 35,109,286 on Thursday, as 90,928 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, showed the health ministry’s latest data. Besides, as many as 325 deaths due to the pandemic since Wednesday morning took the total death toll to 482,876. This … Read more
HONG KONG: Asian financial hub Hong Kong banned flights from eight nations on Wednesday as part of strict new virus curbs, with Omicron outbreaks spiralling out of control from Europe to the United States. The new coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly across continents, leaving governments rushing to roll out vaccine boosters and bolster healthcare systems … Read more
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Health Minister Taimur Jhagra confirmed on Wednesday that the province has “detected” its “first” case of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. “Our public health reference lab has detected the first cases of Omicron in [Khyber] Pakhtunkhwa. As expected, this was only a matter of time,” tweeted Jhagra. Our public health reference lab … Read more
HONG KONG, Jan 5, 2022 (AFP) – Asian financial hub Hong Kong banned flights from eight nations on Wednesday as part of strict new virus curbs, with Omicron outbreaks spiralling out of control from Europe to the United States. The new coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly across continents, leaving governments rushing to roll out vaccine boosters … Read more
HONG KONG: A Hong Kong cruise ship carrying 3,700 people was ordered back to port on Wednesday for virus testing after nine people were found to be close contacts in an Omicron variant outbreak. Like mainland China, Hong Kong pursues a zero-Covid policy and maintains some of the world’s strictest measures — including virtually closed borders, weeks-long … Read more
WELLINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) — New Zealand reported 17 new cases of COVID-19 in the community on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country’s current community outbreak to 11,003. Among the new infections, five were recorded in the largest city of Auckland, three in nearby Waikato, and nine in Bay of … Read more
PHNOM PENH, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) — The confirmed cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Cambodia have risen to 94 after nine new infections were detected, Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said here on Wednesday. “Nine new Omicron cases were confirmed by the Pasteur Institute in Cambodia (on Tuesday evening), and all of them … Read more
NEW DELHI, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) — India’s COVID-19 tally rose to 35,018,358 on Wednesday, as 58,097 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry’s latest data. Besides, as many as 534 deaths due to the pandemic since Tuesday morning took the total death toll to 482,551. … Read more
