(Bloomberg) — China advised people to avoid long-distance trips during the upcoming Lunar New Year holidays and introduced new restrictions for people traveling from the U.S.
Excess deaths in South Africa’s fell for the first week in the last three, adding to evidence that the omicron-driven wave of coronavirus infections has been shorter and less severe than those from previous variants.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic remained in immigration detention, the Associated Press reported, after being refused entry into Australia. The case followed furor over a vaccine exemption he received to play in the upcoming Australian Open tournament.
Key Developments:
- Virus Tracker: Cases approach 298 million; deaths exceed 5.46 million
- Vaccine Tracker: Almost 9.3 billion shots administered
- Israel becomes test case for fourth vaccine as cases hit record
- U.S. hospital staff shortages hit most in a year on Covid surge
- German factory orders rise in boon for pandemic-stricken economy
- France’s Macron under pressure as cases soar
Philippines’ Covid Positive Rate Hits High (4:20 p.m. HK)
The percentage of Covid-19 tests turning positive in the Philippines reached a new high on Thursday, as confirmed infections rose almost 60% in a day. The positivity rate rose to 36.9%, breaking Wednesday’s record of 31.7%, according to health department data.
Tokyo Poised to Strengthen Curbs on Dining (4:19 p.m. HK)
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is considering tightening guidelines that currently allow groups of as many as eight people to enter restaurants together, Kyodo reports, citing remarks from Koike.
Djokovic Held After Vaccine Dispute (3:58 p.m. HK)
Novak Djokovic will remain in Australian immigration detention following a court’s decision to adjourn his appeal against a visa cancellation, the Associated Press reported.
Lawyers for the tennis star mounted a legal challenge against Australia’s decision to deport him after federal officials overruled a state vaccine exemption.
The player, due to contest the Australian Open this month, offered insufficient proof to enter the country under current pandemic rules, the Australian Border Force said Thursday.
Cathay Cargo at 20% of Pre-Covid Capacity (1:40 p.m. HK)
Cathay Pacific will operate about 20% of cargo capacity and about 2% of passenger flight capacity compared to the pre-pandemic level starting Jan. 7, local media outlet HK01 reported, citing the company.
India Cases Jump Almost Seven-Fold in a Week (1:23 p.m. HK)
India reported 90,928 new infections Thursday — an almost seven-fold jump in a week — pushing total confirmed cases there past 35 million. So far, 2,630 cases have been linked to omicron, government data show. Reported deaths rose by 325 to 482,876.
“This phase of super-exponential growth in cases is likely to end in a few days,” according to a report Monday from a Covid India tracker developed by the Cambridge Judge Business School and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
Thailand Raises Alert Level (12:40 p.m. HK)
Thailand raised its Covid-19 alert to the second-highest level as new infections reached the most in more than a month following New Year celebrations.
The Health Ministry increased the alert level Thursday from 3 to 4, a category that includes new guidelines to discourage dining and consuming alcohol in restaurants, leaving the house and using public transport as well as traveling abroad.
Hong Kong Banks Tighten Work Rules (12 p.m. HK)
Banks in Hong Kong, including UBS Group AG and Standard Chartered Plc, are tightening work rules at their offices and moving into split teams as the omicron variant threatens a fifth wave of infections in the Asian financial hub.
UBS has asked all business functions in Hong Kong to revert to split teams that will alternate office work by week. Standard Chartered ordered split teams and told employees to bring laptops home every day, calling on staff to avoid large-scale organized events and unnecessary social gatherings.
Japan Asks U.S. to Limit Troop Movements (10:45 a.m. HK)
Japan urged the U.S. to impose restrictions on troops stationed in the country amid virus outbreaks thought to have stemmed from bases, which have strained ties between the allies.
In a phone conversation Thursday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi called for steps including limits on off-base excursions. Okinawa, where the first cases of the omicron variant were linked to a U.S. military base, expects a record of nearly 1,000 cases Thursday, up from 50 a few days ago.
China Reports 142 Local Infections (9:07 a.m. HK)
China recorded 142 locally transmitted cases Thursday as a domestic outbreak continues to spread across the country. While the city of Xi’an has effectively contained the virus, according to state media, there were 73 new cases in central Henan province, including asymptomatic infections. That province earlier locked down two cities and barred some residents, including in the provincial capital Zhengzhou, from leaving their homes.
The country also has tightened flight requirements from the U.S. All China-bound travelers, including foreign and Chinese nationals, are now required to stay in their departure city for seven days before travel, passing two Covid tests during that time. There currently are seven direct flights a week from the U.S. to China.
Pfizer Booster Backed for Teens (6:15 a.m. HK)
U.S. public health advisers said vaccinated teens should get a Covid-19 booster shot from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, an important step in efforts to expand immunizations and keep schools open.
A panel of outside experts convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted to recommend the booster shot for people ages 12-17 who received their second dose at least five months earlier. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky has the final say on making the advice official.
Australia Announces New Limits as Cases Soar (6:00 a.m. HK)
Australia’s second-most populous state is introducing density limits in hospitality venues, reducing the number of non-urgent elective surgeries and strongly recommending people work from home as infection numbers hit fresh highs.
As the country shifts toward at-home testing to alleviate pressure on the PCR testing system, Victoria also has introduced mandatory reporting of positive rapid antigen tests to health authorities. Positive RATs will be reported as “probable cases,” the government said.
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