Germany places UK on high-risk COVID record as Omicron stalks Europe | Coronavirus pandemic Information

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has warned that the Omicron variant may very well be dominant in Europe by mid-January.

Germany’s well being authority has introduced that the UK had been added to its record of COVID high-risk international locations, which is able to imply tighter journey restrictions, as Europe tries to rein within the rising variety of infections linked to the extremely mutated Omicron pressure.

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen has warned that the Omicron variant may very well be dominant in Europe by mid-January.

Many international locations are reimposing journey restrictions and different measures weeks after the variant was first detected in South Africa.

Germany’s determination late on Saturday is a response to the fast unfold of the Omicron variant, which pressured London’s mayor Sadiq Khan to declare a “main incident” on Saturday within the British capital.

The change takes impact on Sunday at midnight.

Greater than 65,000 new COVID-19 circumstances had been confirmed in London over the previous seven days, with 26,418 circumstances reported within the final 24 hours – the best quantity because the begin of the pandemic.

Listed here are the most recent updates for Sunday:

2 hours in the past (01:40 GMT)

Biden to ship Tuesday speech on Omicron variant amid COVID rise

US President Joe Biden will ship a speech on Tuesday addressing the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, NBC Information reported on Saturday, citing a White Home official.

Biden is anticipated to transcend his “Winter Plan” with further steps to assist communities in want, the report stated.

Earlier, Vice President Kamala Harris admitted that the federal government “didn’t see Omicron coming”.

“And that’s the character of what this, this terrible virus has been, which because it seems, has mutations and variants,” she stated.

3 hours in the past (00:48 GMT)

Australia says it’s properly ready for mounting COVID-19 circumstances

Australian officers on Sunday stated there was no have to clamp down on Christmas festivities at the same time as new COVID-19 infections climbed in Sydney, with the nation’s excessive vaccination fee serving to maintain folks out of hospital.

Well being Minister Greg Hunt stated he was assured Australia wouldn’t have to observe the Netherlands, which has reimposed a strict lockdown over the Christmas and New Yr interval to curb the unfold of the extremely contagious Omicron variant.

“We’re going into summer season, now we have one of many highest vaccination charges on the planet and a really completely different set of circumstances. So we don’t see that’s a possible state of affairs in Australia,” Hunt informed reporters in a televised media convention.

“We’re properly ready and individuals are overwhelmingly … persevering with to do a tremendous job,” Hunt stated, referring to the greater than 90% of Australians over 16 who’ve been totally vaccinated.

3 hours in the past (00:24 GMT)

Dutch head into Christmas ‘lockdown’ to cease Omicron

The Netherlands will go into “lockdown” over the Christmas interval to attempt to cease a surge of the Omicron coronavirus variant, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has introduced.

All non-essential outlets, eating places, bars, cinemas, museums and theatres should shut from Sunday till January 14, whereas colleges should shut till not less than January 9, Rutte stated on Saturday.

Individuals at the moment are solely allowed two friends at house, apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, December 26 and the New Yr interval when 4 friends are permitted.

“I stand right here tonight in a sombre temper,” Rutte informed a televised press convention.

“To sum it up in a single sentence, the Netherlands will return into lockdown from tomorrow.

“It’s inevitable with the fifth wave and with Omicron spreading even quicker than we had feared. We should now intervene as a precaution.”