Posted by Mabel > 2021-12-03 13:29 | Report Abuse

Team

Mabel think next week will be Gloves Theme again ...Omicron sudah sampai ipoh..

May all of us be protected

Dr Mabel Meow

Posted by EarnAmeal > 2021-12-03 13:36 | Report Abuse

Kawan,

I think next week Gloves will come back, maybe is next week but not sure the week or month after...

May all of us become a long term investor and not get influenced by weekly news.

Live your life happily.

Mr GrrrrrrGrrrrr wow wow

Posted by Calvin882 > 2021-12-03 14:26 | Report Abuse

It's hard to predict because seems like the fear factor on Omicron is no more there. Better don't expect the price will be pushed by the news.

Posted by Justin Tan > 2021-12-03 14:37 | Report Abuse

First case of Omicron variant detected in Malaysia, says KJ

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/12/03/first-case-of-omicron-variant-detected-in-malaysia-says-kj

Posted by MorningGlory123 > 2021-12-03 15:31 | Report Abuse

Khairy: First Omicron case detected in Malaysia on Dec 2

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 3): Malaysia on Thursday (Dec 2) detected its first case involving the Omicron variant of Covid-19 after a South African national tested positive for it, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Friday.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/covid19-malaysia-detects-first-omicron-case-khairy

Posted by bang_miskin > 2021-12-03 16:18 | Report Abuse

Would be nice if can trade today. Recent omicron news hits close to home, will have an impact on the market. May not have the same effect on Monday (old news)

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-03 16:45 | Report Abuse

who care the news? as long as the boss every 3 months bank in the profit and share v me...then the rest let the music run

Posted by EarnAmeal > 2021-12-03 16:52 | Report Abuse

I thought you care?

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-03 17:48 | Report Abuse

BMWi8 ...not bad ma....

Posted by EarnAmeal > 2021-12-03 18:09 | Report Abuse

Quite nice actually.
https://www.amazon.com/BMW-Toy-Car-Rastar-Transparent/dp/B07C5P85VT

Posted by MorningGlory123 > 2021-12-03 19:21 | Report Abuse

'Big likelihood' more Omicron cases in Malaysia, Khairy warns

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 3): Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin warned on Friday (Dec 3) there is a "big likelihood” there are already more Covid-19 cases of the Omicron variant in Malaysia because the first infection detected on Thursday involved a South African national who arrived in Malaysia on Nov 19 — before the World Health Organization (WHO) designated Omicron as a variant of concern (VOC).


https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/big-likelihood-more-omicron-cases-malaysia-khairy-warns

Posted by looiting > 2021-12-03 19:41 | Report Abuse

Monday limit up

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-03 21:33 | Report Abuse

EarnAmeal : you want KFC , I can belanja you....

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-03 21:35 | Report Abuse

EarnAmeal : Here many taiko dividend enough to buy new car, new house , even change new wife or husband....you better keep low profile ...don't pandai pandai show off many ...

Posted by EarnAmeal > 2021-12-03 21:44 | Report Abuse

I didn't show off, please do own reflection ya.

Posted by MorningGlory123 > 2021-12-04 08:26 | Report Abuse

South Africa’s New Covid Cases Almost Quadruple in Four Days


The country recorded 16,055 infections in the last 24 hours and the positivity rate accelerated to 24.3% of tests from 16.5% on Tuesday, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. 


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-03/south-africa-covid-19-daily-cases-almost-quadruple-in-four-days?srnd=premium-asia

Posted by Mabel > 2021-12-04 08:33 | Report Abuse

We are now into the final month of the year 2021 - hope this year has been a good for everyone ...

I think this question is probably in the minds of many, "is the stock market going to see a year-end rally, and a good end to the year 2021?"

Personally, I feel that it will very much depend on how the new Covid-19 variant in Omicron develops (remember last Friday, when the news about this new variant broke out, the major Indexes fell by more than 1+%.)

If this newly discovered variant is found to be not as dangerous as initially feared, then chances are high that we'll see a bullish rally all the way into the new year 2022.

On the other hand, if the variant is found to be not only highly transmissible, but at the same time may result in serious illnesses or even death (after contracting it), and that the current vaccines do not offer a good protection against it, then we might see a bearish end to the current financial year.

To Our Success !

Meow

Posted by MorningGlory123 > 2021-12-04 09:30 | Report Abuse

Covid Live Updates: Scientists Say Omicron Is Spreading Faster in South Africa Than Any Other Variant

The new research indicates that the variant can spread more easily than Delta, which was previously the fastest-moving version of the virus. Omicron has been found in at least six states, mostly among travelers.


https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/12/03/world/omicron-variant-covid

Posted by MorningGlory123 > 2021-12-04 10:10 | Report Abuse

Coronavirus Highlights: Amid Omicron Concerns, Samples From Delhi, Maharashtra Being Tested

India Covid Cases Highlights: India for the first time reported 'Omicron' cases with two cases being detected in Karnataka.

New Delhi: India logged a daily spike of 9,216 Covid cases today, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,46,15,757. The active cases increased to 99,976, the Health Ministry data showed.

India also for the first time reported 'Omicron' cases with two cases being detected in Karnataka. The new strain of the virus has triggered a global alarm with several countries announcing restrictions to arrest the spread of the 'Variant of Concern', declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The variant was first detected in South Africa earlier this month. Since then, the new strain has already been detected in several European countries. 'Omicron' is said to be much more infectious than the Delta variant.


https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coronavirus-india-live-updates-coronavirus-cases-today-covid-19-cases-in-india-two-omicron-cases-detected-in-karnataka-says-centre-2635043

Posted by NatsukoMishima > 2021-12-04 10:40 | Report Abuse

Back to below rm 5 after only 2 days climax , banker once again pump n dump !

Posted by stockraider > 2021-12-04 10:43 | Report Abuse

Force labor problem loh!

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 10:56 | Report Abuse

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases at Sekolah Seri Puteri in Cyberjaya or the Persiaran Tasik cluster has climbed to 143 today.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, in a statement today, said all positive cases are currently in stable condition.

The 143 cases, he said, comprised 114 students, 19 students and 10 staff with the outbreak having a 14.7 per cent attack rate.

"Of the 143 Covid-19 positive cases, 106 cases were Category One infections while another 35 cases were Category 2A infections and two cases – one student and one teacher – were Category 2B infections. All positive cases are currently in stable condition.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 10:56 | Report Abuse

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 2): The Ministry of Health (MOH) has issued a ban on travellers from 26 countries which were identified as having reported the spread of the Omicron variant from joining the Langkawi Tourism Bubble (GPL).

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the countries are United Kingdom, Portugal, Netherlands, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Hong Kong (SAR China), Israel, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Nigeria and Belgium.

The others are Japan, Brazil, Norway, Czech Republic, France/Reunion Island, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Ghana, Republic of Ireland, United Arab Emirates and the United States (California).

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 10:56 | Report Abuse

KUALA LUMPUR: The result of a Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test sample of a traveller who was recorded as the first positive COVID-19 Omicron variant in the country was negative.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the results were also negative for seven close contacts of the traveller namely, the driver, a university employee, three students and two roommates.

“The latest were from Perak. All eight RT-PCR samples today were negative including the first Omicron index case in the country (South Africa) and seven close contact cases namely the driver, a university employee, three university students (Two Ghanaians and an Indian national) and two roommates,” he said in a tweet tonight.

Earlier Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin in a media conference this morning said the 19-year-old woman traveller who was confirmed infected with COVID-19 Omicron variant, is studying at a private university in Ipoh, Perak and had a travel record to South Africa.

Khairy said the traveller arrived from South Africa via Singapore on Nov 19 2021 and had taken a RT-PCR COVID-19 test upon arrival at the checkpoint in Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The individual was given an Order For Supervision and Observation under Section 15 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 and had completed the quarantine period for 10 days at a residence provided by the university, he said. - Bernama

Posted by MorningGlory123 > 2021-12-04 10:57 | Report Abuse

Omicron Spreading in U.S.; Gilead Recalls Vials: Virus Update

The omicron variant is now in at least 10 U.S. states, and White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci said there is “absolutely” community spread. Gilead Sciences Inc. recalled two lots of its Covid-19 drug remdesivir in the U.S. after a complaint about glass particles in the vials.

The states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Maryland and Nebraska reported omicron infections on Friday, and cases are guaranteed to keep on rising in the coming days, according to Fauci. Covid-19 infections in the U.S. have reached the highest level in two months.


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-03/omicron-in-eight-u-s-states-south-africa-surges-virus-update?srnd=premium-asia

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 10:58 | Report Abuse

U.S. Covid vaccinations spike as several states confirm omicron cases

Nearly 2.2 million vaccine doses were reported administered for a 24-hour period ended Thursday, CDC data shows.


Vaccinations peaked at around 3.4 million per day, according to a seven-day average, in April after the shots first became available.


Vaccinations were on the rise again heading into Thanksgiving and crossed the 1.5 million average shots per day mark in mid-November, many of which have been booster doses.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 10:58 | Report Abuse

WASHINGTON, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Six more U.S. states confirmed infections of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 on Friday but the Delta strain likely remains a greater threat as winter sets in and Americans gather for the holidays, experts said.

New Jersey, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Utah each reported their first cases of the Omicron variant on Friday. Missouri was awaiting CDC confirmation of a case involving a St. Louis resident who had recently traveled within the United States.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 11:00 | Report Abuse

New York officials confirm 5 cases of Covid omicron variant in NYC metro area


New York officials have confirmed five cases of the Covid omicron variant in the New York City metropolitan area, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced late Thursday, hours after cases were detected in Minnesota and Colorado.

One case was discovered in Suffolk County on Long Island and four New York City: two in Queens, one in Brooklyn and another in the city, she said at a press briefing. Minnesota health authorities confirmed the second U.S. case of the Covid omicron variant earlier Thursday, in a resident who recently returned from New York City.New York City Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi said the cases indicate there was community spread, adding the state is sequencing about 15% of all Covid tests, allowing them to “pick up these trends over time.”

“This is not just people who are traveling to southern Africa or to other parts of the world where omicron has already been identified,” he said.

Hochul assured residents that the discovery of omicron cases in New York doesn’t mean she will call for the same kind of widespread lockdowns at the beginning of the pandemic that shuttered businesses and put millions of New Yorkers out of work.

“We are in a far better place, that people are informed. There’s not a panic,” she said Thursday night. “It is still a public health crisis, but does not have to be a crisis that leads to shutdown.”

The first confirmed U.S. case of the heavily mutated strain was detected in California in a resident who had just returned to San Francisco from South Africa, which first reported the variant to the World Health Organization about a week ago. The Colorado case was also confirmed in a traveler who had just returned from southern Africa.

The California, Minnesota and Colorado cases were all diagnosed in fully vaccinated people who had mild cases. Hochul said the Suffolk County case is in a 67-year-old woman who had at least one vaccine shot and just returned from South Africa with mild symptoms. The case in New York City is in another suspected traveler, she said. Officials didn’t yet have any details on the cases in Queens and Brooklyn, but she said they would share them as soon as they were available.

Minutes after New York officials concluded their news conference, health officials in Hawaii confirmed via Twitter their first omicron case, on the island of Oahu.

Health officials in the U.S. and around the world are concerned that omicron is more transmissible and may evade the protection provided by currently available vaccines to some degree. The variant has some 50 mutations, more than 30 of which are on the spike protein that the virus uses to attach to human cells.

“The molecular profile of the kinds of mutations that you see [in omicron] would suggest that it might be more transmissible and that it might elude some of the protection of vaccines,” White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci told reporters Wednesday. “But we don’t know that now.”

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 11:02 | Report Abuse

Europe hits 75 million COVID cases as it braces for Omicron: Live

Rise in the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in the


Europe has crossed 75 million coronavirus cases, according to a Reuters news agency tally, as the region braces for the new Omicron variant at a time when hospitals in some countries are already strained by the current surge.

A rise in the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in the United Kingdom in the latest week was driven by the dominant Delta variant rather than Omicron, UK’s Office for National Statistics said.

Meanwhile, Russia’s COVID-19 death toll has reached at least 578,020, the third-worst in the world, according to Reuters calculations based on official statistics for October, the country’s deadliest month so far.

In The Netherlands, health authorities said they were worried some passengers arriving from South Africa in the past week were testing positive for COVID-19 on arrival despite having been vaccinated and testing negative before their flight departure.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 11:02 | Report Abuse

WHO says Covid omicron variant detected in 38 countries, early data suggests it’s more contagious than delta

The World Health Organization on Friday said the Covid omicron variant has been detected in 38 countries, up from 23 two days ago, with early data suggesting the strain is more contagious than delta.

“We do see an increasing growth rate, we see increasing numbers of omicron being detected,” Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s Covid-19 technical lead, said during a Q&A livestreamed on the group’s social media channels Friday. “But we have reports of omicron in 38 countries in all six WHO regions.”

“There is a suggestion that there is increased transmissibility, what we need to understand is if it’s more or less transmissible compared to delta,” Van Kerkhove said, noting that the delta variant is still dominant across the globe.

Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies program, said “clearly the virus does appear to be transmitting efficiently.”

“And we saw that before with delta. So again, there’s certain things we shouldn’t be surprised with,” Ryan said.

Omicron has some 30 mutations on the spike protein, which is the mechanism used to bind to human cells. Some of these mutations are associated with higher transmission and the ability to escape immune protection, according to the WHO.

South African scientists this week found that omicron is associated with a “substantial ability” to reinfect people who already had Covid, compared with past variants of the virus. The study, published by the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, has not yet been peer reviewed.

Posted by Lewis Lee > 2021-12-04 11:29 | Report Abuse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9JZIuGZ0WY&t=152s
very good fundamental analysis on Harta !

Posted by stockraider > 2021-12-04 11:36 | Report Abuse

Lower death rates trend..very good trend forward indicators of normalization loh!

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 12:39 | Report Abuse

WHO says Covid omicron variant detected in 38 countries, early data suggests it’s more contagious than delta

The World Health Organization on Friday said the Covid omicron variant has been detected in 38 countries, up from 23 two days ago, with early data suggesting the strain is more contagious than delta.

“We do see an increasing growth rate, we see increasing numbers of omicron being detected,” Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s Covid-19 technical lead, said during a Q&A livestreamed on the group’s social media channels Friday. “But we have reports of omicron in 38 countries in all six WHO regions.”

“There is a suggestion that there is increased transmissibility, what we need to understand is if it’s more or less transmissible compared to delta,” Van Kerkhove said, noting that the delta variant is still dominant across the globe.

Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies program, said “clearly the virus does appear to be transmitting efficiently.”

“And we saw that before with delta. So again, there’s certain things we shouldn’t be surprised with,” Ryan said.

Omicron has some 30 mutations on the spike protein, which is the mechanism used to bind to human cells. Some of these mutations are associated with higher transmission and the ability to escape immune protection, according to the WHO.

South African scientists this week found that omicron is associated with a “substantial ability” to reinfect people who already had Covid, compared with past variants of the virus. The study, published by the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, has not yet been peer reviewed.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 12:40 | Report Abuse

Omicron: 75 new cases of variant identified in England, bringing UK total to 150


A further 75 cases of the omicron variant of Covid-19 have been detected in England, the government has said.

The new infections join the previous 29 confirmed cases of the of the variant known by scientists as B.1.1.529, bringing the total number in England to 104.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 12:40 | Report Abuse

Another 75 cases of the super-mutant Omicron variant have been identified in England, health officials confirmed, after it was revealed that the majority of sequenced infections of the new variant are in fully vaccinated people.

It comes after health officials revealed earlier today that more than half of England's Omicron Covid cases that have been genetically sequenced were in double-vaccinated people. It is not yet known whether today's additional 75 cases were in double-jabbed or non-vaccinated individuals.

And Boris Johnson insisted last night that he wanted Britons to enjoy Christmas as ‘normally as possible’ – just as Ireland was told it was going into semi-lockdown.

Following a week of mixed messaging from his ministers, the Prime Minister admitted there had been ‘quite a lot of to-ing and fro-ing’ on Christmas parties.

But he said it was ‘not right’ that people should consider cancelling seasonal events – saying that the ‘tough measures’ his Government has taken at the borders should see the country through without the need for further curbs.

It came as Ireland closed nightclubs, imposed restrictions on bars and restaurants and placed curbs on household mixing to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.

Last night it was claimed that the UK’s travel red list could be expanded this weekend with arrivals from Nigeria facing the prospect of hotel quarantine.

Ministers on the Cabinet’s Covid operations sub-committee could meet as early as tomorrow to decide whether to introduce more restrictions.

Today's new cases bring the total number of confirmed Omicron infections in England to 104, while the total for the whole of the UK now stands at 134, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

Cases of the new variant have been identified in the East Midlands, East of England, London, North East, North West, South East, South West and West Midlands.

Scotland's cases today increased by 16 to 29, while Wales announced this afternoon that its first case had been found in Cardiff. No cases have been found in Northern Ireland.

It came hours after No10's scientists called for the introduction of vaccine passports and work-from-home guidance to counter the spread of the super-mutant Omicron Covid variant, advice published today shows.

Documents released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and subgroup Nervtag warned the highly evolved strain could cause a surge in cases 'similar or even larger' than previous waves.

The expert panel admitted that the jury is still out on whether the variant will cause more or less severe illness, with conflicting reports coming out of the epicentre in South Africa, where doctors insist most cases are mild but hospital admissions seem to be rising.

In the minutes from SAGE's 97th meeting on Covid on Monday, the group said the emergence of Omicron meant vaccine passports and reducing social contacts through working from home were 'highly relevant'.

The meeting, chaired by England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Science Officer Sir Patrick Vallance, concluded that the strain's infectiousness was undisputed but evidence of its effect on vaccines is still murky.

In a separate meeting of SAGE's modelling subgroup Spi-M, scientists also warned that coronavirus would likely put pressure on the NHS for a further five years at least before becoming endemic — weakened to the point of a common cold thanks to jabs and natural immunity.

They said continued monitoring and 'active' measures would be required until 2026, although they did not stipulate what these may involve.

But they conceded that despite the threat posed by, there is not enough evidence yet to suggest its 32 mutations making it significantly more vaccine evasive.

Scientist won't know the full scale of Omicron's infectiousness, vaccine evasiveness or lethality for another two or three weeks, when they can isolate the virus in a lab and study its biology and test it against the blood of previous-infected or vaccinated people.

The individuals who have tested positive for Omicron, and their contacts, have been asked to self-isolate, and work is under way to identify any links to travel, the UKHSA said.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 12:41 | Report Abuse

The U.S. Federal Reserve should tighten monetary policy at a faster pace in light of rising inflation risks, the International Monetary Fund said on Friday.

The Fed decided in early November to start tapering — which refers to a reduction in the amount of bonds it purchases — “later this month” at a pace of $15 billion every month. However, with the identification of a new Covid variant and inflation running above target, the IMF argued this pace should be accelerated.

“We see grounds for monetary policy in the United States — with gross domestic product close to pre-pandemic trends, tight labor markets, and now broad-based inflationary pressures — to place greater weight on inflation risks as compared to some other advanced economies including the euro area,” the IMF said in a blog post.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 12:42 | Report Abuse

Europe hits 75 million COVID cases as it braces for Omicron: Live

Rise in the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in the


Europe has crossed 75 million coronavirus cases, according to a Reuters news agency tally, as the region braces for the new Omicron variant at a time when hospitals in some countries are already strained by the current surge.

A rise in the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in the United Kingdom in the latest week was driven by the dominant Delta variant rather than Omicron, UK’s Office for National Statistics said.

Meanwhile, Russia’s COVID-19 death toll has reached at least 578,020, the third-worst in the world, according to Reuters calculations based on official statistics for October, the country’s deadliest month so far.

In The Netherlands, health authorities said they were worried some passengers arriving from South Africa in the past week were testing positive for COVID-19 on arrival despite having been vaccinated and testing negative before their flight departure.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 12:43 | Report Abuse

Omicron Variant LIVE Updates: France announces new travel restrictions

Omicron in India Latest News Updates: As India confirmed two cases of Omicron, the World Health Organization on Friday said countries in the South-East Asia Region should further strengthen COVID-19 response measures to curtail the spread of the virus and its variants. Studies are underway to evaluate Omicron's transmissibility, severity, reinfection risk, immune escape potential, clinical presentation, response to other available countermeasures, etc. Preliminary evidence suggests higher transmissibility and potential immune escape that could lead to a surge in cases. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of the WHO South-East Asia Region, said as part of enhanced surveillance, countries need to ensure they have early warning systems in place composed of multiple indicators such as rapid increase in cases and test positivity rates.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 12:44 | Report Abuse

Omicron live updates: 5 who arrived in Bengaluru from South Africa are ‘missing’

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 12:46 | Report Abuse

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Up to 14 Omicron 'Suspects' in Mumbai; Canada Fears Restart of 'Severe Illness Trends'

After 15 Test +ve for New VariantCoronavirus LIVE Updates: Authorities across the world are rushing to stem the heavily mutated Covid-19 strain’s spread amid warnings that it could damage the global economic recovery. As concerns grow, the parliamentary committee has recommended that the efficacy of Covid vaccines must be evaluated and concerns with regards to the new strain developing immunoescape mechanism critically addressed.

Posted by stockraider > 2021-12-04 15:05 | Report Abuse

OMicron will takeover more deadly Delta mah!

Just like Delta tookover from Alpha & beta previously mah!

Posted by Pgraduate123 > 2021-12-04 15:54 | Report Abuse

Mini2021 Sudah gone cuckoo...... Kukuciao

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 17:25 | Report Abuse

Another 75 cases of the super-mutant Omicron variant have been identified in England, health officials confirmed, after it was revealed that the majority of sequenced infections of the new variant are in fully vaccinated people.

It comes after health officials revealed earlier today that more than half of England's Omicron Covid cases that have been genetically sequenced were in double-vaccinated people. It is not yet known whether today's additional 75 cases were in double-jabbed or non-vaccinated individuals.

And Boris Johnson insisted last night that he wanted Britons to enjoy Christmas as ‘normally as possible’ – just as Ireland was told it was going into semi-lockdown.

Following a week of mixed messaging from his ministers, the Prime Minister admitted there had been ‘quite a lot of to-ing and fro-ing’ on Christmas parties.

But he said it was ‘not right’ that people should consider cancelling seasonal events – saying that the ‘tough measures’ his Government has taken at the borders should see the country through without the need for further curbs.

It came as Ireland closed nightclubs, imposed restrictions on bars and restaurants and placed curbs on household mixing to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.

Last night it was claimed that the UK’s travel red list could be expanded this weekend with arrivals from Nigeria facing the prospect of hotel quarantine.

Ministers on the Cabinet’s Covid operations sub-committee could meet as early as tomorrow to decide whether to introduce more restrictions.

Today's new cases bring the total number of confirmed Omicron infections in England to 104, while the total for the whole of the UK now stands at 134, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

Cases of the new variant have been identified in the East Midlands, East of England, London, North East, North West, South East, South West and West Midlands.

Scotland's cases today increased by 16 to 29, while Wales announced this afternoon that its first case had been found in Cardiff. No cases have been found in Northern Ireland.

It came hours after No10's scientists called for the introduction of vaccine passports and work-from-home guidance to counter the spread of the super-mutant Omicron Covid variant, advice published today shows.

Documents released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and subgroup Nervtag warned the highly evolved strain could cause a surge in cases 'similar or even larger' than previous waves.

The expert panel admitted that the jury is still out on whether the variant will cause more or less severe illness, with conflicting reports coming out of the epicentre in South Africa, where doctors insist most cases are mild but hospital admissions seem to be rising.

In the minutes from SAGE's 97th meeting on Covid on Monday, the group said the emergence of Omicron meant vaccine passports and reducing social contacts through working from home were 'highly relevant'.

The meeting, chaired by England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Science Officer Sir Patrick Vallance, concluded that the strain's infectiousness was undisputed but evidence of its effect on vaccines is still murky.

In a separate meeting of SAGE's modelling subgroup Spi-M, scientists also warned that coronavirus would likely put pressure on the NHS for a further five years at least before becoming endemic — weakened to the point of a common cold thanks to jabs and natural immunity.

They said continued monitoring and 'active' measures would be required until 2026, although they did not stipulate what these may involve.

But they conceded that despite the threat posed by, there is not enough evidence yet to suggest its 32 mutations making it significantly more vaccine evasive.

Scientist won't know the full scale of Omicron's infectiousness, vaccine evasiveness or lethality for another two or three weeks, when they can isolate the virus in a lab and study its biology and test it against the blood of previous-infected or vaccinated people.

The individuals who have tested positive for Omicron, and their contacts, have been asked to self-isolate, and work is under way to identify any links to travel, the UKHSA said.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 17:25 | Report Abuse

Omicron Variant LIVE Updates: France announces new travel restrictions

Omicron in India Latest News Updates: As India confirmed two cases of Omicron, the World Health Organization on Friday said countries in the South-East Asia Region should further strengthen COVID-19 response measures to curtail the spread of the virus and its variants. Studies are underway to evaluate Omicron's transmissibility, severity, reinfection risk, immune escape potential, clinical presentation, response to other available countermeasures, etc. Preliminary evidence suggests higher transmissibility and potential immune escape that could lead to a surge in cases. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of the WHO South-East Asia Region, said as part of enhanced surveillance, countries need to ensure they have early warning systems in place composed of multiple indicators such as rapid increase in cases and test positivity rates.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 17:26 | Report Abuse

WHO says Covid omicron variant detected in 38 countries, early data suggests it’s more contagious than delta

The World Health Organization on Friday said the Covid omicron variant has been detected in 38 countries, up from 23 two days ago, with early data suggesting the strain is more contagious than delta.

“We do see an increasing growth rate, we see increasing numbers of omicron being detected,” Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s Covid-19 technical lead, said during a Q&A livestreamed on the group’s social media channels Friday. “But we have reports of omicron in 38 countries in all six WHO regions.”

“There is a suggestion that there is increased transmissibility, what we need to understand is if it’s more or less transmissible compared to delta,” Van Kerkhove said, noting that the delta variant is still dominant across the globe.

Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies program, said “clearly the virus does appear to be transmitting efficiently.”

“And we saw that before with delta. So again, there’s certain things we shouldn’t be surprised with,” Ryan said.

Omicron has some 30 mutations on the spike protein, which is the mechanism used to bind to human cells. Some of these mutations are associated with higher transmission and the ability to escape immune protection, according to the WHO.

South African scientists this week found that omicron is associated with a “substantial ability” to reinfect people who already had Covid, compared with past variants of the virus. The study, published by the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, has not yet been peer reviewed.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 17:26 | Report Abuse

Omicron live updates: Gujarat man who returned from Zimbabwe 3 days ago tests positive for Omicron variant
Single-day rise of 8603 infections, 415 fatalities pushed India's Covid tally to 3.4 crore cases, 4.7 lakh deaths. Active cases 99,974, said the health ministry. Stay with TOI for all updates

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 17:27 | Report Abuse

S Korea reports record-high Covid-19 cases, deaths – latest updates

Covid-19 has infected more than 265M people and killed over 5.2M worldwide. Here are some of the latest coronavirus-related developments:

Saturday, December 4, 2021

Australia Omicron variant spreads, testing reopening plans

The Omicron coronavirus variant spread in Australia, testing plans to reopen the economy as a cluster in Sydney grew to 13 cases and an infection was suspected in the state of Queensland.
Federal authorities are sticking with a plan to reopen the economy on the hope that the new variant proves to be milder than previous strains, but some state and territory governments have moved to tighten their domestic border controls.
Australia reported its first community transmission of Omicron on Friday at a school in Sydney. Authorities are investigating the source.

S Korea reports record-high Covid-19 cases, deaths

South Korea reported a record daily 5,352 new Covid-19 infections and 70 deaths, while a nationwide total of nine cases of the Omicron variant have been confirmed, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

The government on Friday announced that people visiting restaurants, cinemas and other public spaces will have to show vaccine passes. It is also reducing the limit on private gatherings to six people in the greater Seoul area, from 10 currently, and to eight from 12 for those residing outside of the capital, starting next Monday.

The hospitalisation rate was rising rapidly, led by severe cases of Covid-19, with the number of serious and critical patients at 752 as of Friday, KDCA said.

Japan PM Kishida likely to cancel US visit due to Omicron

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is likely to cancel a planned trip to the United States for talks with President Joe Biden this month due to the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, public broadcaster NHK said.

Kishida and Biden met in Glasgow last month on the sidelines of the United Nations climate summit, agreeing to meet formally by the end of the year to discuss issues of mutual concern, such as China, Japanese media reported at the time.

But given the rapid spread of the new coronavirus variant as well as the U.S. political situation, Kishida is considering rescheduling the meeting after the new year, NHK said, without citing sources for its information.

Covid booster urged for people 18 and over in Canada

A Canadian government immunisation advisory committee urged Covid-19 booster shots for people 18 and older who are at greater risk of infection, while also strongly recommending those 50 years-plus to get the third jab.

The updated guidance comes after two provinces - Ontario and Alberta, with half the population of Canada - this week said they would start offering third jabs to people 50 and 60 years and over, respectively, and planned to further expand eligibility in the new year, amid concerns over the Omicron variant.

Eleven cases of the Omicron variant have so far been recorded in Canada, linked to travel abroad, public health officials said.

"Decreasing protection against infection could contribute to increased transmission, since infected individuals may be a source of infection for others," the National Advisory Committee on Immunization said in a report.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 17:28 | Report Abuse

Arizona COVID-19 update: 5,236 new cases, 14 new deaths as hospitalizations still rise


Hospitalizations for COVID-19 in Arizona increased to levels not seen since early February as Arizonans continue to get infected with the virus.

On Friday, the state reported 5,236 new COVID-19 cases and 14 new known deaths.

COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen sharply in recent weeks, with 2,714 patients hospitalized Thursday across Arizona for known or suspected COVID-19, a level last seen during the end of last winter's brutal surge.

About 22% of reported COVID-19 cases in Arizona in October were breakthrough infections among fully vaccinated people, according to state health officials, who say the vaccine remains the best way to prevent severe illness and death. Still the vast majority of cases, hospitalizations and deaths are among people not fully vaccinated.

As of Oct. 18, the breakthrough fatality rate in Arizona was less than 0.01%, state data shows.

Posted by Mini2021 > 2021-12-04 17:29 | Report Abuse

WHO says Covid omicron variant detected in 38 countries, early data suggests it’s more contagious than delta

The World Health Organization on Friday said the Covid omicron variant has been detected in 38 countries, up from 23 two days ago, with early data suggesting the strain is more contagious than delta.

“We do see an increasing growth rate, we see increasing numbers of omicron being detected,” Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s Covid-19 technical lead, said during a Q&A livestreamed on the group’s social media channels Friday. “But we have reports of omicron in 38 countries in all six WHO regions.”

“There is a suggestion that there is increased transmissibility, what we need to understand is if it’s more or less transmissible compared to delta,” Van Kerkhove said, noting that the delta variant is still dominant across the globe.

Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies program, said “clearly the virus does appear to be transmitting efficiently.”

“And we saw that before with delta. So again, there’s certain things we shouldn’t be surprised with,” Ryan said.

Omicron has some 30 mutations on the spike protein, which is the mechanism used to bind to human cells. Some of these mutations are associated with higher transmission and the ability to escape immune protection, according to the WHO.

South African scientists this week found that omicron is associated with a “substantial ability” to reinfect people who already had Covid, compared with past variants of the virus. The study, published by the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, has not yet been peer reviewed.

Posted by Pgraduate123 > 2021-12-04 19:22 | Report Abuse

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