New measures, new reports and highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.
– Over 300 million cases worldwide
More than 300 million cases of Covid-19 have been officially recorded worldwide since the start of the pandemic, according to an AFP count from official reports on Friday at 3:45 p.m. GMT.
A total of 300,042,439 cases of infection have been diagnosed since the WHO office in China reported the onset of the disease in late December 2019.
The pandemic has killed more than 5.47 million people worldwide, according to the AFP report. In absolute terms, the United States is the most bereaved country with 836,241 dead, followed by Brazil (619,822), India (483,178) and Russia (314,604).
However, the World Health Organization estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the toll of the pandemic might be two to three times higher than that officially recorded.
– The Covid “will not be here forever” in its current form
The Covid-19 “as we know it today will not be here forever”, at least in its current form, promised Friday Joe Biden, as the United States faces a new wave of the pandemic.
“But having the Covid in our environment and on the planet, it will probably persist,” he admitted.
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– USA: the Supreme Court divided on the vaccine obligation
The Supreme Court of the United States appeared on Friday divided on the vaccine obligation wanted by Joe Biden for certain companies, the progressive judges appearing very favorable and the conservatives much more skeptical.
But the majority of the nine judges appeared to support a measure that would require employees of health structures that benefit from federal subsidies to be vaccinated.
– Germany restricts access to restaurants and bars
Faced with the rise in infections with the Omicron variant, Germany will further restrict access to restaurants and cafes but reduce the quarantine periods to avoid a possible paralysis of the country, announced Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
– Non-vaccinated: the French president accepts his words
French President Emmanuel Macron said he “fully” assumed his controversial remarks on Tuesday on the unvaccinated, which he said he wanted to “piss off”, accusing some of them of making “their freedom, which becomes a irresponsibility, a slogan ”.
– Djokovic still in detention in Australia
Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic thanked his support “across the world” on Friday Orthodox Christmas Day from the Melbourne detention center where he was placed following his visa was canceled due to the vagueness surrounding his situation vaccine.
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– Soldiers deployed to British hospitals
Several hundred soldiers will be deployed to reinforce British hospitals and ambulance services, faced with growing absenteeism and an increase in hospitalizations due to Covid-19, the authorities announced.
– NBA: Mavericks coach Jason Kidd tested positive
Dallas Mavericks (NBA) coach Jason Kidd has tested positive for Covid-19 and will be replaced on the bench by his assistant Sean Sweeney this Friday night in the game once morest Houston, his club announced.
– Senior officials in quarantine in Hong Kong
Several dozen senior Hong Kong officials were sent to a 21-day quarantine camp following rubbing shoulders with infected people at a party that brought together many of the city’s political elite.
– India: a big authorized Hindu festival
An Indian court has rejected a request to cancel a major Hindu festival, despite fears the gathering might spread the epidemic, in a country marked by an upsurge in cases due to the Omicron variant.