US omicron numbers skyrocket

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is now the predominant variant in the United States, according to government data. Seventy-three percent of new infections in the United States are due to Omicron, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced Monday (local time). That’s a jump from just 12.6 percent of cases attributed to Omicron the previous week. Omicron has pushed Delta, the previously predominant variant, into second place. According to CDC data, on the Pacific Coast in the northwestern United States, more than 90 percent of new cases of…

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Corona vaccination certificates valid for nine months in EU without booster

EU vaccination certificates will in future be invalid without booster vaccination against coronavirus no later than nine months after basic immunization. The decision comes into force on February 1, the EU Commission announced on Tuesday. Theoretically, EU countries can still veto the decision, but this is considered as good as impossible, as the regulation has been agreed with the states. Austria has already previously shortened the validity of the certificates, for proof of immunization against Corona, in the green passport to 270 days. From February 1: Vaccination certificates in EU…

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Health Minister: Omicron dominates in Denmark

The Omikron variant of the coronavirus is now the dominant variant in Denmark, according to Health Minister Magnus Heunickec. The government health institute SSI has come to the conclusion that Omicron is already the dominant viral variant in the country and continues to spread, Heunicke wrote on Twitter today. He added that an epidemic was seen to be growing, with a record 13,558 confirmed CoV cases added today. To date, the SSI had recorded more than 26,000 omicron cases, including 1,367 confirmed by whole genome sequencing and nearly 25,000 detected…

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Over 2,500 new infections in Austria

From Monday to Tuesday, 2,528 new infections were registered in Austria. The newly reported cases are thus further below the average of the past seven days of 2,700. In addition, the number of active cases thus further decreases to 38,964. The seven-day incidence has dropped to 212.31. There are also 42 new deaths associated with Covid 19 infection to report. Thus, the pandemic has so far claimed 13,538 lives in Austria. There are currently 1,705 people in hospital, 56 fewer than reported the previous day. 478 people are being cared…

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Robert Koch Institute in Germany: High risk for twice vaccinated and convalescents

Because of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Germany has tightened its risk assessment. For twice vaccinated and convalescents, the risk of infection is now considered “high,” the RKI announced on Twitter. For unvaccinated, it remains “very high”. For vaccinated with booster vaccination (booster), however, the Institute estimates the risk as moderate. Overall, the health risk to the population is assessed as “very high,” the institute writes in its revised risk assessment. It warns against a sudden increase in the number of cases. Rapid…

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EU orders 200 million vaccine doses from Biontech and Pfizer

The EU has ordered more than 200 million additional vaccine doses from manufacturers Biontech and Pfizer for 2022 due to high demand for vaccines. The vaccine volume is in addition to the 450 million doses already ordered and scheduled for delivery next year, the two companies said today. The additional order brings the total number of vaccine doses for the EU in 2022 to more than 650 million. The order would also include potential vaccines adapted to the Omicron variant at no additional cost, Biontech and Pfizer said. The additional…

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Rapid spread of Omicron

The new coronavirus variant Omicron is spreading rapidly. By the end of calendar week 49, 86 cases had been confirmed in Austria using PCR testing or sequencing, with 211 added in the past week alone. This brings the total number of confirmed cases of the new variant to 297 by the end of calendar week 50. This is according to the update of the variant report published today by the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). Omicron had first been registered in Austria in calendar week 47, when there…

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1,792 new Corona cases after shopping weekend

2G and Lockdown were able to break the Corona wave in time for Christmas, the numbers are currently in a downward spiral. An overview of the first opening week: on Monday 3,251 people tested positive for the Corona virus within 24 hours, on Tuesday it was 2,859, on Wednesday 4,224, on Thursday 3,046, on Friday 2,899 on the shopping weekend 2,167 and 2,242 new infections. As data from the crisis team show, 1,792 new infections and 18 deaths have been reported nationwide since the previous day. The figures for the…

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4,700 omicron cases in 28 European countries

Since last Thursday up to and including Sunday, 1,533 more cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus have been confirmed in the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA). This brings the total number of unequivocally confirmed Omicron cases to 4,691, the EU health agency ECDC announced Monday. Confirmed cases are now reported from 28 countries, with Austria mentioned in the ECDC report with 80 Omikron detections (as of Dec. 12, according to AGES, note). In absolute numbers, the most cases of the spreading corona variant are in the…

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