Tag Archives: COVID-19

Oil prices rose on Wednesday on fears of tight supply and a drawdown in U.S. inventories, despite worries about the likely hit to economic activity from the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. U.S. inventories fell more than expected, with crude stocks down by 4.7 million barrels, though that is …

The World Health Organization does not yet have enough data on the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus to say if it is more transmissible than the Delta variant, an official said on Wednesday, almost a month after South Africa first raised the alarm about its emergence. “We have not …

The fast-spreading Omicron variant has become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Omicron now accounts for 73.2 percent of new US cases over the past week ending on Saturday, the CDC reported on Monday. In some …

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster than the Delta variant and is causing infections in people already vaccinated or who have recovered from the COVID-19 disease, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday. “There is now consistent evidence that Omicron is spreading significantly …

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson may introduce new restrictions to slow the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant after Christmas, the Times and other media reported on Monday. Britain has reported record levels of COVID-19 cases over the past week, with officials and ministers warning that hospitalizations are also rising. …

The new Pfizer COVID-19 pill may not see Emergency Use Authorization for another month as health officials continue to highlight the promising effects it may bring. Dr. Anthony Fauci praised the data presented by Pfizer regarding the COVID pill, which someone would take within 48 hours of showing symptoms and …

Fentanyl overdoses have become the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45, according to a new report which shows deaths related to the drug overtaking Covid-19 and suicide. Between 2020 and 2021, 78,795 adults in the age bracket died from the drug, with 2021 deaths rising by …

European countries prepared to impose further restrictions on travel and more on Friday in an effort to stem surging cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 that are threatening to stall a global economic recovery. Germany, Ireland, and Denmark were all considering further restrictions in the days before Christmas festivities …

There is a “very high” risk the Omicron variant of COVID-19 will become dominant in Europe by early next year and lead to a growing number of hospital admissions and deaths, the European Union’s public health body said on Wednesday. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said …

British lawmakers will vote Tuesday on whether to approve new restrictions to curb the spread of the omicron variant of coronavirus — and many will have more than public health on their minds when they say yes or no. The votes are also an opportunity to express unhappiness with embattled …

Pfizer said Tuesday that its experimental COVID-19 pill appears effective against the omicron variant. The company also said full results of its 2,250-person study confirmed the pill’s promising early results against the virus: The drug reduced combined hospitalizations and deaths by about 89 percent among high-risk adults when taken shortly …

Thousands walked out to protest against Covid vaccine mandates in cities across Australia after the regional authorities made inoculation compulsory for a wide range of employees. In Melbourne, protesters gathered outside the local parliament on Sunday, marching through the city center and bringing traffic to a halt. Among the slogans …

The United States on Sunday was approaching 800,000 coronavirus-related deaths, as the nation braces for a potential surge in infections due to more time spent indoors with colder weather and the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus. The milestone means the U.S. death toll from this one virus now …

Omicron coronavirus cases have surged by as much as 400% in some parts of South Africa – although the country’s health ministry has said there is mounting evidence the variant causes milder infection. South Africa reported more than 22,000 new infections on Thursday, a record during the fourth wave but …

China’s drug authority has granted emergency approval for the country’s first specialized treatment against COVID-19, found in clinical trials to significantly reduce hospitalizations and deaths among high-risk patients. The move comes as regulators around the world give the green light to treatments – particularly for high-risk groups – amid worries …

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended on Thursday that people who are immunocompromised or received an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine should receive a booster dose to protect against waning immunity. Many countries have been rolling out booster shots, targeting the elderly and people with underlying health issues, but worries about the …

EU health authorities have recommended a “mix-and-match” approach to Covid-19 vaccination, saying that using different jabs during the initial and booster inoculation phases produces “good levels of antibodies.” In a joint statement, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said that “the …

Sweden will reintroduce a raft of measures to curb rising COVID-19 infections, urging renewed social distancing and the use of masks in public transportation, the government said on Tuesday. “We see an increased spread of infection, but still from low levels,” Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told a news conference. “We …

New York City employers will have to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for their workers under new rules announced Monday by Mayor Bill de Blasio. The vaccine mandate for private businesses will take effect on Dec. 27 and is aimed at preventing a spike in COVID-19 infections during the holiday season and …

Police fired teargas and used water cannons on Sunday to disperse protesters pelting officers with cobblestones and fireworks as a demonstration in Brussels over government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions turned violent. A few thousand protesters marched peacefully through the centre of the Belgian capital to the neighbourhood which hosts the headquarters of …