Category: World News

The British province of Northern Ireland today lifted all remaining CoV measures. According to Northern Ireland Health Minister Robin Swann, no vaccination or testing certificates will be required for significant events from Feb. 15, and the mask requirement will be primarily lifted. In doing so, the province is following the line of the UK’s largest country, England, where almost all Corona measures have already been lifted. Wales and Scotland, meanwhile, have also relaxed as CoV case numbers have been falling for weeks. Elections in early May The regional government in…

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The German Robert Koch Institute (RKI) warns of a new Corona wave in the fall. “The endemic stage has not yet been reached,” report “Welt” and “Süddeutsche Zeitung,” citing an internal assessment of the situation by the institute. In the fall, a new Corona wave is “to be firmly expected.” Corona figures could then rise again in the fall. The burden on intensive care units depends on various factors, such as the proportion of unimmunized people over 50, the transmissibility of the variant then circulating, the availability and effectiveness of…

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The German government’s CoV expert panel believes easing measures are possible in the coming weeks but warns against withdrawing too soon. “Opening too early carries the risk of a renewed increase in the burden of disease,” the expert panel’s sixth statement, released yesterday evening, said. “Subvariant BA.2 must be expected to result in a prolonged or rebounding omicron wave compared to current estimates for BA.1.” Nevertheless, the expert panel unanimously concludes that “despite some uncertainties (…) a prudent withdrawal of individual infection control measures will be possible in the coming…

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Despite rising coronavirus infection numbers linked to the spread of the Omicron variant, Norway has also lifted its last pandemic protective measures. At a press conference today, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said both standoff rules and mandatory masks in crowded rooms have ended. “Now we can go out among people as before, in nightlife, cultural events or other social occasions,” Gahr Store said. Even on the “way to work in buses, trains, and ferries,” no special rules apply anymore. Anyone who tests positive for the coronavirus in Norway no…

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EU health ministers say the pandemic threat has not yet been averted. “It is too early to consider the pandemic like an endemic,” French Health Minister Olivier Veran said today after a meeting with his colleagues in Grenoble. EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides also said the pandemic is not over. The pandemic has shown that there are “many twists and turns,” Kyriakides said. “We look to the future with optimism, but at the same time, we remain realistic and must be prepared to face variants,” the EU commissioner said. She…

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 16 billion dollars (about 14 billion euros) are still needed this year to support poorer countries in the fight against CoV. The WHO put the size of the gap in the budget for supplying such countries with vaccines, tests, and medicines last night in Geneva. The money is to flow into a program launched by the United Nations. It said that that could create a pool of 600 million vaccine doses, buy 700 million tests, and provide treatment for 120 million patients. “Science…

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Infection figures are rising, albeit at a slower pace: the RKI is registering 169,571 new cases, nearly 7,000 more than last Tuesday. Meanwhile, the incidence climbs to a new high. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) registers a renewed increase in the nationwide seven-day incidence. With 1441.0, the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week reaches a new high. For comparison, the previous day, the value had been 1426.0, a week ago 1206.2, and a month ago 335.9. Experts believe that a sub-variant of Omicron, which is probably even…

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Australia plans to reopen its borders to tourists vaccinated against the coronavirus on Feb. 21. “If you are double vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said today in the direction of holidaymakers. Australia had closed its borders to people overseas and even most citizens overseas in March 2020. The government has long adhered to a zero-CoV policy. However, faced with the spread of the highly contagious Omikron variant of the coronavirus, Morrison had to abandon it. The controversy over the entry of…

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The number of people seriously ill with Covid-19 in Israel is at the highest level since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago. The Ministry of Health said 1263 sick patients were being treated in hospitals. On Saturday, 1229 seriously ill people had already been reported. The previous peak had been reached a little over a year ago with around 1185 seriously ill patients. Africa to set up own continental health organizationIn response to the pandemic, Africa wants to establish its own continental health organization with wide-ranging powers. The…

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