Because of the corona pandemic, more than half a dozen major Brazilian cities have not planned or canceled traditional New Year’s parties. This was reported by the news portal “G1” on Monday, citing the mayors of cities such as Salvador, Fortaleza, Belo Horizonte and Florianópolis.
Accordingly, the possibility that the new Corona variant Omikron (B.1.1.529) could increase the number of corona infected and deaths in connection with Covid-19 contributed to the decision. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the Corona variant, which first appeared in southern Africa, as “worrying” on Friday.
It is currently being investigated whether a passenger who arrived in São Paulo from South Africa on Saturday and tested positive is the Omikron variant. The Brazilian government decided on Friday to restrict entry by air from the region from Monday.
According to official information, a total of more than 22 million people in Brazil have been infected with the coronavirus, over 614,000 patients have died in connection with Covid-19 – there are only more deaths in the USA. Brazil has around 210 million inhabitants.
As the vaccination campaign progressed, the number of deaths fell sharply, and optimism grew. São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, for example, are looking into holding New Year’s Eve celebrations, which attract visitors from all over the world, or are sticking to them for the time being. Samba schools in Rio are preparing for the famous parades in the sambodrome. Experts warned that it could give the wrong impression that the pandemic was over. (11/30/2021)
Rating agencies: Omikron threatens global growth prospects
According to rating agencies Moody’s and Fitch, the omicron mutant of the coronavirus could affect global growth prospects and drive prices up. “The Omikron variant carries risks to global growth and inflation, especially since it occurs at a time when supply chains are already overloaded, inflation is rising and there is a shortage in the labor market,” said Elena Duggar, Associate Managing Director Director at Moody’s, in an email to Reuters. The agency Fitch says that “another global downturn like the one seen in the first half of 2020 is very unlikely, but the rise in inflation will make macro-economic responses difficult if the new variant catches on.” (11/30/2021)
The health ministers of the G-7 countries have started discussions on the Omikron variant of the coronavirus. The acting Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn emphasized that just because South Africa had openly shared information about the variant discovered in the region, quick reactions were possible. “This is how the global fight against pandemics works,” wrote the CDU politician on Twitter. This “exemplary transparency” deserves support.
Because of the omicron variant, many countries have issued entry bans for people from southern Africa. Germany has also imposed travel restrictions. In the region there is a lack of understanding, and many people feel that they have been treated unfairly. The number of infections in South Africa is lower than in Germany and the measures are sometimes more stringent. For tourism in the country, the travel restrictions are taking a hard hit.
In addition to Germany and Great Britain, the USA, France, Italy, Japan and Canada belong to the group of G-7 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the omicron variant, which was first discovered in southern Africa, as “worrying”. The EU health authority ECDC speaks of serious concerns that Omikron could significantly reduce the effectiveness of the vaccines and increase the risk of reinfection. The exact effects of the mutant have not yet been determined. (29.11.2021)
Biden: Omicron variant no need to panic
US President Joe Biden warns against panic because of the new Omikron variant. It will be a few weeks before it is known how well the vaccines protect against it, he says. Biden announces the presentation of a strategy for Thursday on how to deal with Omikron in the USA. Sooner or later, the mutation will also appear in the United States, he says. The variant is not a cause for concern, but not a cause for panic.
The US President is not planning lockdowns for the time being. There is no reason for it as long as people are vaccinated and wearing masks, he says. Biden called on the American people to wear masks indoors and to get the booster vaccination. (29.11.2021)
Omicron infection also confirmed in Sweden for the first time
The omicron variant of the coronavirus was also detected in Sweden for the first time. The Swedish health authority Folkhälsomyndigheten announced on Monday evening. It was found in a sample a little over a week old from a traveler who was recently in South Africa. The person comes from the southern Swedish region of Skåne. It was expected that the variant would also appear in Sweden. (29.11.2021)
Japan closes borders because of omicrons
To protect against the new Omikron corona variant, Japan is closing its borders. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that foreigners would be banned from entering the country from Tuesday at midnight. Japanese returning from certain countries would have to be quarantined in separate facilities, he added. Japan is following the example of Israel, which on Saturday was the first country to seal itself off by closing borders in the fight against the spread of the new virus variant first discovered in South Africa. It was only on Friday that the Tokyo government tightened entry controls for people from six African countries. No Omicron cases have been identified in Japan to date. (29.11.2021)
Dutch border police arrest quarantined refugees
The Dutch border police arrested a couple after escaping from a quarantine hotel. The two were caught in a plane that was supposed to take off in the direction of Spain, as reported by Deutschlandfunk, citing the Dutch authority. The couple had previously fled a hotel in which travelers from South Africa who tested positive for Corona are staying, some of whom were also found to have the new Omicron variant. The police handed them over to the health authorities. The couple were then re-quarantined. The authorities launched a public safety lawsuit. (29.11.2021)
WHO – Omicron variant poses a very high global risk
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies the global risk from the new Omikron variant as “very high” overall. The likelihood of further global expansion is high. The number of Covid 19 cases can be expected to rise. WHO calls on its 194 member states to ensure that containment plans are in place to keep the health system up and running.
In addition, the 194 WHO member countries want to launch a new pandemic treaty from Monday. The agreement is intended to define a joint approach to future pandemic threats such as Covid-19. The decision is expected for Tuesday or Wednesday.
The states had already agreed on a text before the start of the three-day extraordinary assembly in Geneva, which only needs to be formally adopted. The draft speaks of a “convention, arrangement or other international instrument” about joint action in the event of a new pandemic threat. The formal negotiations should begin at the beginning of March at the latest. The exact contents of the pandemic convention have not yet been determined.
Germany supports the new treaty. According to diplomats, China, Russia and other authoritarian countries are skeptical of a treaty with strong transparency rules. The exact contents of the pandemic convention have not yet been determined. The formal negotiations should begin at the beginning of March at the latest (29.11.2021)