PARIS: Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
– France bans British tourists –
France “drastically tightens” restrictions on travel to and from Britain from Saturday with tourists and business trips banned to slow the spread of the Omicron variant which is raging in southern England.
– Dutch royals apologize –
The Dutch royal family is forced to apologise after inviting 21 people to the 18th birthday party of the future queen in breach of virus guidance as the country extends a night-time lockdown because of rocketing cases.
– S.Korea curfews back –
South Korea is to reimpose curfews on bars, restaurants and cinemas and limit the size of gatherings again as record infections force the government to pause its plan to live with Covid.
– Novavax decision Monday –
The EU’s drug regulator will decide whether to approve the more traditional Novavax vaccine at a meeting next Monday.
It is hoped the US firm’s shot could ease hesitancy and scepticism among the unvaccinated.
– Call off Premier League matches –
Brentford manager Thomas Frank calls for this weekend’s Premier League matches to be postponed as virus outbreaks among squads threaten to derail the season.
– Santa shortage –
The US is being hit by a shortage of Father Christmases because of the pandemic, with the supply of plump, white-bearded men in red way behind demand.
– Cricket tour in doubt –
Five more members of the West Indies cricket squad test positive — bringing the total to nine — putting the rest of their Pakistan tour in the balance.
– Top HK tech event goes –
A major tech conference, RISE, due to take place in Hong Kong in March is cancelled in a fresh blow to the business hub that has embraced China’s “zero-Covid” strategy.
– Over 5.3 million dead –
The coronavirus has killed at least 5,328,762 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP Thursday at 1100 GMT.
The countries with the most per capita new cases over the last week are all in Europe: the Netherlands the worst with 1,151 per 100,000 people, followed by Denmark with 869, the Czech Republic with 792, Belgium with 763 and Switzerland with 733.
Taking into account excess linked to Covid-19, the WHO estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.
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