(Reuters) – Hong Kong expanded a ban on entry for non-residents from several countries as global health authorities raced to curb a potential outbreak of the Omicron virus, while Australia is set to review containment steps after five persons tested positive.
DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
* Eikon users, see COVID-19: MacroVitals for a case tracker and summary of news
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was deeply concerned about the isolation of southern African countries after travel restrictions were imposed by several countries.
* South Africa’s daily infection rate could triple to more than 10,000 by the end of this week as the new variant spreads rapidly, an infectious disease expert said.
* The African Development Bank has postponed its planned Dec. 1-3 investment forum in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, due to the Omicron variant.
EUROPE
* The World Health Organization said on Monday the Omicron coronavirus variant carried a very high risk of infection surges, while border closures by more countries cast a shadow over an economic recovery from the two-year pandemic.
* Russia said it would be ready to provide booster shots to protect against the Omicron variant if needed.
* Britain will offer a booster shot to all adults in a bid to accelerate its vaccination programme, as eight more Omicron cases were found in the country.
* Austria, Spain, Scotland and Sweden reported their first confirmed cases of the Omicron variant, while Switzerland reported a suspected case.
* Poland said it would ban flights to seven African countries, extend quarantines for some travellers and further limit numbers allowed into places like restaurants.
AMERICAS
* The U.S. CDC said everyone aged 18 years and older should get a booster shot either six months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna vaccine doses or two months after their Johnson & Johnson shot.
* The U.S. FDA could authorize COVID-19 boosters from Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE for use in 16- and 17-year olds as soon as next week, the Wall Street Journal reported late on Monday.
* Two more cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have been detected in Ottawa, bringing Canada’s total number of cases to five, Ottawa Public Health said late on Monday.
* Ecuador will impose entry curbs on travellers flying from or via a number of African countries and will request vaccine certificates from those arriving from other countries due to the new Omicron variant, President Guillermo Lasso said on Monday.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* China will deliver another 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Africa and encourage Chinese companies to invest no less than $10 billion in the continent over the next three years, President Xi Jinping said.
* Australian authorities said on Tuesday an international traveller who was most likely infected with the Omicron variant has spent time in the community as officials rushed to track the person’s close contacts and locations visited.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT
* South Korean biotech company Celltrion’s distribution arm has signed supply deals for its monoclonal antibody to treat COVID-19 with nine European countries, Celltrion Healthcare 091990.KQ said on Tuesday.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* Asian share markets were up on Tuesday as investors became cautiously optimistic the new Omicron variant might not cause a widespread global economic disruption. [MKTS/GLOB]
* Airlines are scrambling to limit the impact of the latest coronavirus variant on their networks, while delays in bookings are threatening an already fragile recovery for global tourism.
(Compiled by Rashmi Aich and Krishna Chandra Eluri; Editing by Anil D’Silva and Arun Koyyur)
