Coronavirus: Latest global developments

Paris, Dec 14 (AFP/APP):Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

– First UK death from Omicron –

Omicron has killed at least one person in Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson reveals as he launches a large booster programme against the variant.

– Norway tightens measures –

Norway announces new Covid curbs less than a week after tightening restrictions in the face of the spread of the Omicron variant and soaring case numbers and hospital admissions.

– Latvia protests –

One police officer is injured and four demonstrators arrested as several thousand people in the Latvian capital Riga protest anti-Covid restrictions introduced by the government.

– Peru battles rising cases –

Peru, hit by the world’s highest coronavirus death rate, says it is battling a “resurgence” of the pandemic, with infections and deaths rising, but no case of the Omicron variant detected so far.

– First China Omicron case –

China has recorded its first case of the Omicron variant, state media report authorities in the northeastern city of Tianjin as saying.

– DRC sees ‘exponential’ Covid rise –

The Democratic Republic of Congo warns of an “exponential increase” in cases as the country battles a fourth wave of the pandemic and the arrival of the Omicron variant.

– Earlier boosters in Denmark –

Danish health authorities say a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine will be offered sooner to everyone over 40 to curb the spread of the Omicron variant.

– Raducanu tests positive –

US Open champion Emma Raducanu tests positive for Covid-19, and pulls out of this week’s Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.

– English premier league hit –
The English Premier League reports 42 new Covid-19 cases, a record number since testing figures started being released in May 2020.

– Manchester United seeks postponement –

Manchester United hold talks with the Premier League over the potential postponement of Tuesday’s match at Brentford after becoming the latest top-flight team to be hit by a coronavirus outbreak.

– Swiss anti-Covid drug plan –

Switzerland launches a financial support programme for the development of four anti-Covid drugs with national bio-pharmaceutical companies.

– Over 5.3 million dead –

The coronavirus has killed at least 5,306,629 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP Monday at 2100 GMT.

The United States has suffered the most Covid-related deaths with 797,710, followed by Brazil with 616,830, India with 475,636, Mexico with 296,672 and Russia with 290,604.

Taking into account excess mortality linked to Covid-19, the World Health Organization estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.