HARARE, Zimbabwe — The World Health Organization’s Africa director says quick detection and reporting of the new omicron variant of the coronavirus by Botswana and South Africa have “bought the world time” as nations scramble to stop it spreading.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti said Thursday that “we have a window of opportunity but must act quickly and ramp up detection and prevention measures.”
Much remains unknown about the new variant, including whether it is more contagious, as some health authorities suspect, whether it makes people more seriously ill, and whether it can thwart vaccines.
Moeti says countries “must adjust their COVID-19 response and stop a surge in cases from sweeping across Africa and possibly overwhelming already-stretched health facilities.”
Africa Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention Director John Nkengasong told reporters at a separate briefing that the continent recorded 52,300 new COVID-19 cases compared to the previous week – a 105% increase.
He says about 31, 000 of the cases were reported in South Africa while the southern Africa region as a whole recorded a 153% increase in November.
The WHO says South Africa has confirmed 172 cases of omicron and Botswana 19. Ghana and Nigeria in West Africa are the other African countries that have recorded cases of the new variant.
Nkengasong says that while authorities are “deeply concerned” by the rising numbers “we are not worried that the situation cannot be managed.”
He says vaccines are beginning to flow into the continent “in a very predictable and steady manner” although there is concern that “countries are not picking up these vaccines.”
He says that while little is yet known about how effective current vaccines are against omicron, “anything in your body is better than nothing. We totally don’t have a choice – we have to use vaccines.”
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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC:
— Omicron and delta spell return of unpopular restrictions
— What’s the status of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the US?
— Japan retracts new flight bookings ban after criticisms
— Biden launching new winter COVID-19 booster, testing campaign
Go to https://APNews.com/coronavirus-pandemic for updates throughout the day.
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY:
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota state health officials say l ab testing has confirmed a COVID-19 case involving the omicron variant there.
The Minnesota Department of Health said Thursday the variant was found during its surveillance program in a specimen from a Minnesota resident who had recently traveled to New York City.
The department says the man, from Hennepin County, had been vaccinated. He developed mild symptoms on Nov. 22 and sought COVID-19 testing on Nov. 24. His symptoms have subsided.
The person attended the Anime NYC 2021 convention at the Javits Center from Nov. 19-21, the health department said.
Omicron is classified by the World Health Organization as a “variant of concern” as scientists work to determine how it may compare with the predominant delta variant in terms of transmissibility and severity. Scientists also are studying the degree to which existing vaccines and therapies protect against omicron.
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KYIV, Ukraine – Ukraine has announced an entry ban for foreign nationals traveling from eight African countries in an effort to prevent the new coronavirus variant omicron entering the country.
Much remains unknown about the new variant, including whether it is more contagious, as some health authorities suspect, whether it makes people more seriously ill, and whether it can thwart vaccines.
Ukraine’s ban will take effect on Friday and affect foreigners traveling from countries where the spread of the new variant has been recorded, such as South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique and several others.
Ukrainians and foreign nationals with permanent residency in Ukraine arriving from those countries will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
The ex-Soviet nation of 44 million people has reported a total of over 3.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 87,057 deaths in the pandemic.
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BERLIN – Germans who aren’t vaccinated are to be excluded from nonessential stores, cultural and recreational venues.
Also, Germany’s parliament is to consider a general vaccine mandate.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday the measures were necessary in light of concerns that hospitals in Germany could become overloaded with COVID-19 patients. Infections are more likely to be serious in those who haven’t been vaccinated.
Merkel said, “The situation in our country is serious.”
Infections have again topped 70,000 in a 24-hour period.
Officials have also agreed to require masks in German schools, impose new limits on private meetings and aim for 30 million vaccinations by the end of the year.
German lawmakers will debate the possibility of a vaccine mandate. If approved, it could take effect as early as February.
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SINGAPORE — Singapore’s Health Ministry says preliminary tests detected the new omicron variant of the coronavirus in two passengers who arrived on a plane from Johannesburg, the country’s first suspected cases.
The ministry said the two Singaporeans were isolated upon arrival on Wednesday and had not interacted in the community.
The results of their polymerase chain reaction test on arrival “revealed the presence of S-gene target failure which may be associated with the omicron variant,” the ministry said. It said it is conducting further tests to confirm the results.
The health ministry says the two passengers were both fully vaccinated and have mild symptoms of a cough and scratchy throat.
The ministry said 19 other passengers on the same flight tested negative for COVID-19 and have been placed under quarantine.
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COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Officials in Norway say at least 50 people in Oslo have been infected with the omicron variant.
The cases are connected to a company’s recent Christmas party in a restaurant in the capital, officials said Thursday.
The Oslo Municipality said in a statement that more cases are expected. Officials are trying to trace transmission routes from the party.
Much remains unknown about the new variant, including whether it is more contagious, as some health authorities suspect, whether it makes people more seriously ill, and whether it can thwart vaccines.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health said that those affected live in Oslo and surrounding municipalities.
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NEW DELHI — India has confirmed its first cases of the omicron variant, in two people who traveled abroad.
India’s Health Ministry said Thursday the confirmed cases are two men in southern Karnataka state. It did not say which country they had come from.
Balram Bhargava, the head of the Indian Council of Medical Research, India’s top medical research body, urged people not to panic and to get vaccinated.
Some Indian states have issued strict restriction guidelines for international arrivals as precautionary measures, including mandatory COVID-19 tests for those originating from South Africa, Botswana, and Hong Kong.
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WASHINGTON— GlaxoSmithKline says its COVID-19 antibody drug appears to be effective against the omicron variant, based on initial laboratory testing.
The British drugmaker said Thursday it hopes to complete testing by year’s end to confirm whether the drug is effective against all the various mutations seen with the variant.
Earlier this week, rival drugmaker Regeneron cautioned that its antibody cocktail appeared to lose effectiveness against omicron.
Antibody treatments remain one of a handful of therapies that can blunt the worst effects of COVID-19, and they are the only option available to people with mild-to-moderate cases who aren’t yet in the hospital.
The U.S. government has purchased millions of doses of three antibody therapies from Regeneron, Eli Lilly and Glaxo.
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ATHENS – Public health authorities in Greece have confirmed the country’s first case of the new COVID-19 omicron variant.
Health Minister Thanos Plevris said Thursday the infection was detected on the Greek island of Crete and identified the patient only as a Greek man who had traveled from South Africa.
Greece is facing its highest daily number of confirmed coronavirus infections since the start of the pandemic. Parliament approved and late Wednesday mandatory vaccinations for residents over 60 years of age.
The penalty for non-compliance is a 100 euro ($110) monthly fine. The measure will take effect on Jan. 16.
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PARIS – French health authorities say they have detected the first confirmed case of the new COVID-19 variant on the country’s mainland.
The Ile-de-France Regional Health Agency said Thursday a man in his 50s who lives in the Paris city area tested positive for the omicron variant after returning from a trip to Nigeria.
He showed no symptoms when he and his wife tested positive Nov. 25 on their return to France. The wife’s test is being screened for omicron. They have been quarantined at their home since the positive test.
A third person living in the same home with the couple was tested on Thursday to determine if they were infected and, if so, if they are carrying the new variant.
None of the three people are vaccinated, the statement said.
France reported its first omicron case on Tuesday in the island territory of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. The patient was identified as a man who had returned to Reunion from South Africa and Mozambique on Nov. 20.
