(Reuters) – Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:
South Africa says no signal of increased Omicron severity yet
South African scientists see no sign that the Omicron coronavirus variant is causing more severe illness, they said on Friday, as officials announced plans to roll out vaccine boosters with daily infections approaching an all-time high.
Hospital data show that COVID-19 admissions are now rising sharply in more than half of the country’s nine provinces, but deaths are not rising as dramatically and indicators such as the median length of hospital stay are reassuring.
India’s Omicron cases mild – government
India has detected 25 cases of the Omicron variant and all have shown mild symptoms, the health ministry said on Friday, adding that there was no immediate plan to authorise vaccine boosters.
Vaccine supplies have surged in India in recent months thanks to the Serum Institute of India, which now plans to halve the monthly output of its version of the AstraZeneca vaccine as demand has crashed.
South Korea to cut booster shot interval again
South Korea will further cut the interval for coronavirus booster vaccines for all adults from four to five months to three, officials said on Friday, as it struggles to fight record levels of infections amid concerns over the Omicron variant.
The move came three weeks after the government reduced the booster gap for people aged 60 and older and primary groups to four months from six. The interval for all other adults had been five months.
Singapore reports first locally transmitted Omicron case
Singapore has detected its first locally transmitted case of the COVID-19 variant Omicron in a member of staff at the city state’s airport, authorities said late on Thursday, warning that more Omicron cases are likely to be detected.
The 24-year-old Singaporean woman, who works in a service role in the airport, “may have interacted with transit passengers from Omicron-affected countries,” the health ministry said in a statement.
Scotland tightens COVID-19 rules
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Friday said that the Omicron coronavirus variant was growing exponentially and would overtake Delta as the dominant strain within days, as she tightened self-isolation rules.
The prevalence of COVID-19 infections in England was roughly steady in the latest week, Britain’s Office for National Statistics said on Friday, adding that not enough Omicron had been detected to estimate the spread of the variant.
Navy medics join COVID fight in hard-hit New Mexico
Dozens of U.S. Navy medics have deployed to New Mexico to treat a Delta variant-fueled surge in COVID-19 patients as part of a military operation to treat virus hotspots across Western and Midwest states.
New Mexico is suffering one of the highest levels of new coronavirus infections in the country, its hospitals reaching record capacity levels.
Ghana to vaccinate returning travellers on arrival
Ghana will vaccinate returning citizens and residents against COVID-19 upon arrival at the airport from next Monday if they have not already received shots, its health service said, amid concerns over low take-up of vaccinations.
All Ghanaians leaving the country will also be required to show proof of vaccination, health service director general Patrick Kuma-Aboagye said in a statement, citing as reasons a rise in COVID-19 cases and detection of the Omicron variant.
(Compiled by Linda Noakes)
