Omikron is likely to become the dominant variant of the coronavirus in Europe within the first two months of 2022. This is what the EU health authority ECDC writes in an updated risk assessment. A further rapid increase in the number of Omikron cases in the European Economic Area (EEA) is expected. The EEA includes the 27 EU countries, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
The delta variant is still predominant here. The epidemiological situation is currently still characterized by high case numbers and a low but slowly rising death rate. According to model predictions, however, Omikron will likely become the dominant variant in the EEA within the first two months of next year. It is very likely that Omikron will cause additional hospital admissions and deaths.
ECDC Director Andrea Ammon said countries should step up efforts to fully vaccinate people and get booster vaccinations as soon as possible. In the current situation, vaccinations alone are not enough. It also needs a quick reintroduction or tightening of measures such as wearing masks and keeping enough distance. (15.12.2021)
More than 800,000 corona deaths in the USA
Since the pandemic began, more than 800,000 people have died in connection with a corona infection in the United States. That came out on Tuesday from data from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) in Baltimore. The threshold of 700,000 deaths was exceeded at the beginning of October.
The Johns Hopkins website is updated regularly and usually shows a slightly higher level than the official figures. In individual cases, however, the numbers have also been revised downwards. According to the US health authority CDC, around 796,000 people had died in connection with the coronavirus by Tuesday.
No country in the world has registered more corona deaths than the United States, which is home to around 330 million people. Brazil is currently in second place with a good 600,000 deaths, followed by India with almost 500,000 victims. According to official figures, around 300,000 deaths each in Mexico and Russia. However, experts assume that the number of unreported cases is higher in all countries, because many deaths and corona infections are not even reported to the authorities.
The number of detected infections in the United States since the beginning of the pandemic had only passed the 50 million threshold on Monday. Around 120,000 new infections are currently reported there every day, almost exclusively with the Delta variant. Every day, an average of around 1,100 people die from the virus, according to the CDC. (15.12.2021)
From Sunday on, general compulsory testing for travelers to Greece
In future, anyone traveling to Greece will have to present a negative current PCR test upon entry regardless of their vaccination status. Originally, the government had only planned this measure for travelers from Great Britain and Denmark to prevent the spread of the Corona variant Omikron. Now, however, the obligation to test has been extended to all immigrants, as the Ministry of Health announced. It comes into force on Sunday at six o’clock. So far there have been ten officially confirmed cases of Omikron in Greece. (15.12.2021)
EU secures 500,000 doses of new Covid drugs
According to a media report, the European Commission has ordered almost half a million doses of novel drugs against Covid-19. As the Doctors newspaper Reported online on Wednesday, the commission has signed contracts for 55,000 doses of the antibody cocktail casirivimab / imdevimab and 220,000 doses each of the antibody therapies sotrovimab and bamlanivimab. The newspaper cites the response from EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides to a parliamentary question from FDP MEP Moritz Körner.
According to the report, the contracts provide for the option of purchase after the drugs have been approved in the EU or a national emergency approval has been obtained. According to the Commission, this ensures sufficient flexibility for rapid access to therapeutics, taking into account safety and efficacy. Casirivimab / Imdevimab has been regularly approved for Covid-19 in the EU since mid-November. The other drugs are still in the approval process. (14.12.2021)
Johnson enforces corona measures in its own ranks despite rebellion
Against great opposition, the British House of Commons also approved a tightening of the corona measures to combat the highly contagious Omicron variant in the ranks of the ruling party. On Tuesday evening, after an emotional debate, the MPs voted with a majority for the measures that provide for a tightening of the mask requirement and the particularly controversial 3-G certificates for nightclubs and major events.
When voting on the evidence, 369 MPs voted for and 126 against. According to media reports, almost 100 votes against came from the government camp. In their initial assessments, commentators assumed that it could have been the biggest rebellion against Johnson since his election victory in 2019. The largest opposition party, Labor, had already announced its approval of the measures in advance, which is why the majority was considered certain. However, dozens of Tory MPs loudly announced they would vote against. The greatest resistance was against vaccination or test evidence. Johnson has a majority of 79 votes in the lower house, so he was only able to bring the current tightening through parliament with the votes of the opposition.
The prime minister is under criticism not only because of the tightening of corona measures, but also because of several scandals. In the lockdown of last year, several illegal parties are said to have taken place in Downing Street. (14.12.2021)