New Coronavirus News from 29 Nov 2021

New Covid variant, Omicron, poses a near-term risk to Asian countries including India: Morgan Stanley [Economic Times, 29 Nov 2021]

By Sachin Dave

The new Covid variant, Omicron, could prove to be a major risk to the Indian economy in the near term, a Morgan Stanley research report said Monday.

The report-- Asia Economics: Assessing the risks from the new Covid variant—said that countries such as India would soon look at lockdowns if the impact of the new variant intensifies.

Countries including India tend to tighten restrictions when cases rise sharply. “So, if this variant proves to be as challenging as the Delta variant, or more, we see a high risk of selective lockdowns. That would have a bigger growth impact relative to group 2, though this may emerge later on,” the research report said.

The report went on to add that the impact of the new Covid variant is also set to impact several other Asian economies in the coming months. Although due to the high number of people now vaccinated in India and throughout Asia, the impact could be less severe.

“The emergence of a new Covid variant poses a near-term risk to our constructive outlook on Asia. However, with a much higher share of the vaccinated population, the downside risk to growth could be less than what transpired in mid-2021, provided that the variant is not more challenging than Delta,” the Morgan Stanley report said.

Although, the new variant could disrupt the global supply lines, the report warned.

“Supply chain disruption risks higher in India and ASEAN than in North Asia: Demand will be affected across the region in the event of a tightening of restrictions. However, from a supply perspective, the disruption risks are higher in the economies of India and ASEAN. During the Delta wave, for instance, production activities in India and ASEAN were affected more than in North Asia. We could see a repeat,” the research report said.

Air travel in India is on the cusp of normalcy; will Omicron change that? [Moneycontrol.com, 29 Nov 2021]

by AMEYA JOSHI

While November will see a new peak in passenger numbers and flights deployed within India, new Covid variant Omicron may throw up some challenges and hinder plans to recommence international flights from December

It has been 18 months since the restart of scheduled civil aviation in India following a two-month hiatus in 2020. International flights, however, are still operating selectively. With Omicron, the new variant of COVID-19 being classified as a variant of concern, the plan of opening up on December 15 may or may not go as planned. The domestic market, meanwhile, is surely recovering — on many days in November, passenger numbers touched 90 percent of their pre-Covid levels while the average has been 81 percent.

But with this growth, traffic patterns are changing and this is an indication of a return to normalcy. After being below 50 percent of pre-Covid levels and now coming close to recovery, metro cities are catching up.

What do the numbers say?
Delhi, the largest airport in the country, saw 72 percent of its pre-Covid domestic traffic. Ironic as this may seem, the airport has been bursting at the seams with regular complaints on social media about delays at security and other bottlenecks.

Mumbai and Bengaluru each saw 64 percent recovery. Kolkata and Hyderabad saw better recovery rates of 70 percent and 72 percent, respectively. The airport that continues to be the worst hit among the metros even now is Chennai, where the recovery is only 52 percent.

In Tier-I cities, Goa stood its ground as the party capital of the country with traffic returning to 82 percent of pre-Covid levels. Indeed, the airport saw higher traffic in November due to the holiday season.

Among major airports, only Srinagar and Chandigarh have recovered completely, with traffic being more than what it was pre-Covid.

Weren’t the numbers different earlier?
For many months since the re-start of civil aviation, the numbers were heavily tilted in favour of Tier II and Tier III cities. This was primarily because airlines had incentives to fly on the RCS-UDAN routes, where they had subsidy backing from the government. In addition, passengers were flying to their hometowns and away from the metros, which were seeing a high COVID-19 caseload. Another factor was that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) based in smaller cities had restarted travel before large corporations.

This phase saw airports such as Patna, which had seen migration from cities, move up many notches in leading the airports table. A mix of lack of railways, elections in the state and migrant labour taking to air had led to this increase, making Patna the star airport in the country.

Likewise, airports such as Belagavi and Hubballi (formerly Belgaum and Hubli), on a lower base, were doing better than ever. As things stand today, Belagavi and Hubballi saw 72 percent and 49 percent of their pre-Covid traffic in October.

Capacity addition
The Indian market is unique. Even in this melee, the growth rate could still be linked to capacity deployment.

Rajkot, for example, has seen an increase of 80 percent over pre-Covid traffic. The airport had seen a slew of flights being added by IndiGo.

The story is similar for places such as Agra, Prayagraj, Tezpur, Pasighat, Leh and Shillong, where traffic has doubled.

What next?
Indian air traffic has been very elastic. People took to the air the moment the effects of the second COVID-19 wave started waning. Call it revenge tourism or anything else, people movement has been on the rise.

Last year, as the first wave plateaued, passengers rushed to Goa to celebrate the New Year.

Likewise, with the opening up of the Maldives, flights from every airport in the country to the island nation were packed.

The looming threat of the new variant notwithstanding, the opening up of international travel is likely to see traffic at major airports go up further. There is a distinct travel profile at airports across the country.

For instance, Bengaluru airport will pick up steam only when the IT companies get back to work from the office. The service industry has been the slowest of the lot, and for the right reasons. Until then, a mix of leisure and business will dominate travel in India.

While a new peak will be achieved in November in terms of passenger numbers and flights deployed, the recovery in December will hinge on how the new coronavirus variant Omicron behaves.

'Omicron' cryptocurrency soars on new variant [CNN, 29 Nov 2021]

LondonAs global markets fell last week on news of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, one cryptocurrency with the same name soared after the Greek letter entered the investor lexicon.

The price of the hitherto-obscure digital token, whose Twitter (TWTR) feed has little more than 1,000 followers, rose almost ten-fold from Friday to Monday morning when it hit $688, before tumbling as much as 75%, crypto tracker CoinGecko said.

Omicron the token, which its website describes as "a decentralized treasury-backed currency protocol," was trading at about $371 at 9:35am ET. On Thursday it was worth about $65.

The World Health Organization, which on Friday named the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, said as more countries reported cases there is a "very high" global risk of surges, although scientists have said it could take weeks to understand its severity.

Bitcoin (ARSC) suffered its worst day in two months on Friday, dropping by more than 8% as investors dumped stocks and other riskier assets in favor of perceived safe havens like the dollar. It has since recovered nearly all of its losses, with global markets gaining a semblance of calm on Monday.

From "squid game" to dogecoin, minor cryptocurrencies have this year benefited from links to memes or internet culture, recording rapid booms and busts while more mainstream names such as bitcoin soar in popularity.

It's not clear when the Omicron token was launched. Data on its price at CoinGecko was only available from Nov. 8, while a Telegram channel under the name OmicDAO was launched a day earlier.

Reuters was not able to reach anyone representing Omicron for comment.

Omicron variant puts world in a 'race against time', says EU Commission President [CNN, 29 Nov 2021]

By Martin Goillandeau and Ivana Kottasová,

(CNN)The world is in a "race against time" with the Omicron coronavirus variant, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday, warning during a visit to Latvia that scientists and manufacturers will need weeks to fully understand the new variant.

As more cases are identified and governments around the world mobilize to respond to Omicron, an urgent meeting of G7 health ministers will be convened on Monday, the United Kingdom said. It also announced on Sunday new domestic public health rules requiring face coverings in shops and on public transport starting this week.

Omicron was first identified by scientists in South Africa, who raised alarm over its unusually high number of mutations on Thursday. Since then, at least a dozen other countries have confirmed cases of the new strain, with several other reporting suspected cases.

Apart from South Africa, the variant has been found in Botswana, Belgium, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Denmark, United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Czech Republic and Hong Kong.

On Sunday, Dutch authorities announced that at least 13 people had tested positive at Amsterdam Schipol airport after traveling from South Africa. The Netherlands' National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) said in a statement that the variant had been detected through the sequencing of 61 positive Covid-19 samples that were obtained at the airport on Friday. It is "possible that the new variant will be found in more test samples," the institution noted.

Biostatistician professor Sheila Bird said the test results from Amsterdam were concerning, but that more data was needed. "There may be household clusters among the 13 Omicron positives or clustering may have been induced by where passengers were seated on the flight from South Africa," she told the Science Media Centre, adding that the vaccination status and age distribution of those infected will also need to be considered before any conclusions are made about the variant.

The situation should be seen with "alert rather than alarm until more is known," she said.
Canadian health officials also confirmed the country's first two Omicron cases in Ottawa on Sunday. Both individuals carrying the variant had recently traveled from Nigeria, according to a joint statement by Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore.

"We continue to urge the federal government to take the necessary steps to mandate point-of-arrival testing for all travelers irrespective of where they're coming from to further protect against the spread of this new variant," the joint statement also said.

Variant of concern
The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the Omicron variant, originally referred to as B.1.1.529, a "variant of concern."

WHO said on Friday that early evidence suggest the Omicron variant, first identified in South Africa, could pose an increased risk of reinfection and said that some of the mutations detected on the variant were concerning.

But WHO stressed that more research is needed to determine whether the variant is more contagious, whether it causes more severe disease, and whether it could evade vaccines.
"This variant has a large number of mutations and some of these mutations have some worrying characteristics," Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead for Covid-19, said in a statement on Friday.

"Right now there are many studies that are underway ... so far there's little information but those studies are underway so we need researchers to have the time to carry those out and WHO will inform the public and our partners and our member states as soon as we have more information," she added.

Travel bans and new quarantine requirements
The variant's discovery and fast spread across the world is an uncomfortable reminder that the pandemic is far from over.

A number of countries have slammed their borders shut to travelers from southern Africa, with the European Union, Japan, Australia, the United States, Canada, Rwanda and many others banning travelers from countries including South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

But South Africa and some of the other countries hit by the travel bans are pushing back. Speaking in Pretoria on Sunday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described the bans as baseless discrimination.

"These restrictions are unjustified and unfairly discriminate against our country and our Southern African sister countries. The prohibition of travel is not informed by science, nor will it be effective in preventing the spread of this variant. The only thing the prohibition on travel will do is to further damage the economies of the affected countries and undermine their ability to respond to, and recover from, the pandemic," he said.

South Africa's Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation has said the country was being punished for its transparency. "Excellent science should be applauded and not punished. The global community needs collaboration and partnerships in the management of the Covid-19 pandemic," the ministry said in a statement.

"A combination of South Africa's capacity to test and its ramped-up vaccination programme, backed up by world class scientific community, should give our global partners the comfort that we are doing as well as they are in managing the pandemic. South Africa follows and enforces globally recognized Covid-19 health protocols on travel. No infected individuals are permitted to leave the country," it added.

Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera also criticized the travel bans, saying they were "uncalled for." "Covid measures must be based on science, not Afrophobia," he said on his official Facebook page.

Many experts said South African scientists deserved credit for their ability to quickly identify the risks stemming from the new variant.

The move to impose bans has also sparked criticism from WHO. "We've seen in the past, the minute there's any kind of mention of any kind of variation and everyone is closing borders and restricting travel. It's really important that we remain open, and stay focused," WHO's Head of Emergencies Dr. Michael Ryan said Saturday.

"South Africa has very, very good genomic sequencing capacity and capability ... certainly South Africa and any other countries should not be stigmatized for reporting it and doing the right thing," Michael Head, a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, told CNN in a phone interview.

However, Head said that travel bans, if used correctly, could play a role in controlling the outbreak.

"It's difficult scenario. It can buy you a bit of time. So if countries are imposing a ban and using that time, which will be at the moment a few weeks, to increase the pace of vaccination rollouts to make sure that any new antiviral drugs are available within the country, to increase testing, genomic surveillance at airports, that sort of thing, that's something you can usefully do with a travel ban," he said.

"If you just implement a travel ban and say 'right, job done' then that's no good to anyone. And if you do, as it were, punish countries for reporting new variants, we should really look to support them as well, whether it's infrastructure or funding or vaccine doses whatever might be appropriate."

More Countries Report Cases of New Omicron Variant [WebMD, 29 Nov 2021]

By Carolyn Crist

Nov. 29, 2021 -- The United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Belgium and Australia reported their first cases of the new Omicron variant during the weekend, joining a growing list of countries that have confirmed cases among travelers returning from southern Africa.

The U.S. hasn’t detected the variant yet, but it’s possible that it could already be spreading across the country, according to Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

“When you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility and you’re already having travel-related cases…it almost invariably is ultimately going to go essentially all over,” he told “Weekend TODAY.”

The World Health Organization labeled Omicron, known scientifically as B.1.1.529, as a “variant of concern” on Friday, meaning that there could be a higher risk of transmission, severe disease and evasion from vaccines. Omicron has a large number of mutations, which could make it more contagious and less treatable, Fauci said.

“These are all maybes, but the suggestion is enough,” he said. “This is something we’ve got to pay really close attention to and be prepared for something that’s serious. It may not turn out that way, but you really want to be ahead of it.”

On Sunday, Australia and Denmark were the latest countries to confirm Omicron cases.
Australian officials said the variant was detected among two travelers who were fully vaccinated and had no symptoms. In Denmark, the variant was found among two travelers who recently arrived from South Africa.

Dutch health officials said on Sunday that at least 13 cases of the Omicron variant were detected in 61 passengers who had positive COVID-19 tests. They were among more than 500 people who arrived on two flights from South Africa to The Netherlands and have been quarantined.

Two cases were identified in the U.K. on Saturday among two people who traveled to southern Africa. Germany also confirmed two cases on Saturday among travelers who entered the country at the Munich airport. Italy reported that a case had been detected in a passenger who arrived from Mozambique.

In response, the European Union is restricting travel to and from seven countries in southern Africa — Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The U.S. and South Korea have announced travel restrictions to those countries, as well as Malawi.
In Israel, which has confirmed one Omicron case and has several suspected cases, officials announced it is barring foreign travelers from all countries for 14 days. Japan has followed suit, Saying that starting Tuesday, it is barring all foreign visitors from around the world.

Omicron cases have also been reported in Belgium, Botswana, Hong Kong, and South Africa. As of Monday morning, 145 Omicron cases had been reported to GISAID, a global database for the genomic sequencing of viruses.

Scientists have urged caution, saying that little is known about the variant so far. Some variants of concern, such as the Delta variant, have been more contagious and spread globally, but others have had limited effects. Existing vaccines likely offer some protection, according to Fauci.

He emphasized that people shouldn’t panic but that they should continue to take precautions such as wearing masks, following physical distancing guidelines and avoiding large indoor gatherings.

“It is absolutely essential that unvaccinated people get vaccinated and that vaccinated people get boosters,” he told TODAY. “We know now clearly that when you get a booster shot…you dramatically increase the level of protection.”

Infographic: How Omicron compares with other COVID variants [Aljazeera.com, 29 Nov 2021]

By Mohammed Haddad

WHO says preliminary evidence indicates an ‘increased risk of reinfection with Omicron’ compared with other coronavirus variants, but information is limited.

On November 24, 2021, scientists in South Africa reported a new coronavirus variant with a higher number of mutations than were found in other variants. Two days later, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the new variant, dubbed Omicron, was a variant of concern (VOC).

The announcement led many countries to impose travel restrictions.

What are mutations?
All viruses mutate, and the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has continued to mutate since it emerged in late 2019. A mutation is a change in a virus’s genetic code, and a mutated virus is known as a variant.

Some coronavirus variants spread more easily than others, which can lead to increases in the rate of infection. A surge in infections can put additional strain on healthcare resources, potentially leading to more hospitalisations and deaths.

Experts believe there are at least 50 mutations on the new variant, with 32 mutations on the spike protein, the part of the virus that enters human cells. Scientists have said that similar mutations seen in other variants have been associated with higher transmission and a higher chance of escaping the body’s immune defences, compared with the original strain of the virus.

Mutations are identified by letters and numbers such as D614G – which means an amino acid changed from a D (aspartate) to a G (glycine) at position number 614 of the viral spike proteins.

How variants are named
The WHO has identified five VOCs and eight variants of interest (VOI). Since May 2021, they have been named after the letters of the Greek alphabet starting with Alpha.

According to this, the next assigned letters were supposed to be Nu then Xi but according to the WHO, “Nu is too easily confounded with ‘new’ and Xi was not used because it is a common surname.”

Instead, the 15th letter, Omicron, was used.

How Omicron compares with other variants
The WHO has said the global risk of the Omicron variant is “very high”.

Currently, the Delta variant, first documented in India in October 2020, is the most dominant strain, accounting for more than 99 percent of global sequenced cases.

On Sunday, the WHO said it is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible or causes more severe disease compared with other variants. It added that “vaccines remain critical to reducing severe disease and death”.

Preliminary evidence suggests there may be an “increased risk of reinfection with Omicron as compared with other variants of concern, but information is limited”, it said.

South African epidemiologist Salim Abdool Karim said on Monday that not enough data had been collected to determine the clinical implications of Omicron compared with previous variants, and that reinfections were likely but that vaccinated people had less probability of developing serious symptoms.

Experts say that more information will be available in the coming days and weeks as the virus spreads more widely and researchers study how Omicron’s mutations work together.

How to protect yourself and others
The WHO advises the following steps to protect yourself and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
1. Get vaccinated
2. Wear a mask
3. Maintain physical distancing
4. Ventilate indoor spaces
5. Keep good hygiene
6. Self-isolate if you develop symptoms

Omicron variant has made it to North America [Fortune, 329Nov 2021]

BY CHRIS MORRIS

Doctors in Canada have confirmed the first known case of the Omicron variant in North America.

The country’s minister of health said on Sunday that two cases of the COVID-19 mutation had been discovered. Omicron has spread quickly and disrupted financial markets and world travel in the past five days. And U.S. health officials say it could already be in the U.S.

“We have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility, and you’re already having travel-related cases—that they’ve been noted in Israel and Belgium and in other places—when you have a virus like this, it almost invariably is ultimately going to go essentially all over,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on Saturday’s Weekend Today.

The Canadian cases involved two Ontario residents who were returning from Nigeria.

“Ottawa Public Health is conducting case and contact management, and the patients are in isolation,” officials said in a statement. “The Ontario COVID-19 Genomic Network is continuing to actively monitor for all potential variants circulating in the province, including the Omicron variant, and is conducting genomic sequencing on 100% of eligible COVID-19 positive samples.”

Omicron was first detected on Nov. 24, based on a specimen collected on Nov. 9. The World Health Organization has labeled it a “very high” global risk, saying that the “unprecedented number of spike mutations” in the variant could “impact the trajectory of the pandemic.”

Public health officials in South Africa say the symptoms so far seem mild, but health officials tell Fortune they are still waiting on hard data on severity. And there’s no data yet on how deadly Omicron may be among more vulnerable populations.

It will be mid-December or so before pharmaceutical companies have any information on how effective current vaccines are against the variant. BioNTech and Pfizer said that they can adapt their mRNA vaccine within six weeks and begin vaccine rollout within 100 days.

New Coronavirus News from 30 Nov 2021a

1st French Omicron Case on Indian Ocean Island of Reunion [Voice of America, 30 Nov 2021]

PARIS —
Japan and France confirmed their first cases of the new variant of the coronavirus on Tuesday as countries around the world scrambled to close their doors or find ways to limit its spread while scientists study how damaging it might be.

The World Health Organization has warned that the global risk from the omicron variant is “very high” based on early evidence, saying it could lead to surges with “severe consequences.”

French authorities on Tuesday confirmed the first case of the omicron variant in the French island territory of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. Patrick Mavingui, a microbiologist at the island’s research clinic for infectious diseases, said the person who has tested positive for the new variant is a 53-year-old man who had traveled to Mozambique and stopped in South Africa before returning to Reunion.

The man was placed in quarantine. He has “muscle pain and fatigue,” Mavingui said, according to public television Reunion 1ere.

Japan on Tuesday confirmed its first case in a visitor who recently arrived from Namibia, a day after banning all foreign visitors as an emergency precaution against the variant. A government spokesperson said the patient, a man in his 30s, tested positive upon arrival at Narita airport on Sunday and was isolated and is being treated at a hospital.

Cambodia barred entry to travelers from 10 African countries, citing the threat from the omicron variant. The move came just two weeks after Cambodia reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers on Nov. 15.

The new version was first identified days ago by researchers in South Africa.

WHO said there are “considerable uncertainties” about the omicron variant. But it said preliminary evidence raises the possibility that the variant has mutations that could help it both evade an immune-system response and boost its ability to spread from one person to another.
The WHO stressed that while scientists are hunting evidence to better understand this variant, countries should accelerate vaccinations as quickly as possible.

Despite the global worry, doctors in South Africa are reporting patients are suffering mostly mild symptoms so far. But they warn that it is early. Also, most of the new cases are in people in their 20s and 30s, who generally do not get as sick from COVID-19 as older patients.

India records lowest Covid caseload in 18 months amid Omicron concerns [La Prensa Latina, 30 Nov 2021]

New Delhi, Nov 30 (EFE).- India on Tuesday registered less than 7,000 coronavirus infections, the lowest daily caseload since May 2020, amid calls to ban international flights from countries where the Omicron variant of the virus has been detected.

According tot he Indian health ministry, the country recorded 6,990 cases of Covid-19 within the past 24 hours, taking the total number of infections to around 34.5 million.

The number of deaths during the period stood at 190, taking the total death toll to 468,980.

India continues to be the second worst affected country by the pandemic worldwide after the United States, which has registered over 48.4 million infections according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker.

India’s latest Covid figures are in sharp contrast to those witnessed during the second wave of the infection, which peaked in May 2021 with over 400,000 cases and more than 4,500 deaths being recorded every day.

According to experts, the real number of cases and casualties could be much higher, even as the country witnessed a collapse of its health system, with medical oxygen falling short in some cities, while crematoriums were overrun with the dead.

The new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, first identified in South Africa, has triggered concern among Indian authorities over the possibility of a fresh surge.

The head of the Indian capital’s regional government on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to shut down air traffic with the countries where the new variant has been detected.

“Several countries have banned flights from the countries affected by the Omicron variant. Why are we delaying (the decision in this regard)?” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted.

“We delayed banning foreign flights even at the start of the first wave. Most of the foreign flights land in Delhi, it becomes the most affected (city). Mr. prime minister, please ban (foreign) flights immediately,” he added.

The chief minister of the state of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray, on Monday also asked for the suspension of flights from 12 countries during a meeting of the local cabinet, local broadcaster reported.

On Saturday Modi had ordered a review of the decision to reduce restrictions on international flights due to fears linked to the new variant, and Indian authorities have imposed harder restrictions on travelers arriving from countries deemed “high risk,” including South Africa and the European Union. EFE

India’s economic recovery strengthens in Q2 but Omicron looms [Aljazeera.com, 30 Nov 2021]

India’s economy grew 8.4 percent in the quarter ending September compared with a year earlier.

India’s economy continued to rebound strongly in the quarter ending September, as further rollbacks of COVID-19 restrictions helped boost consumer spending. But the emergence of the Omicron variant could pose a threat to that momentum, some analysts warn.

India’s gross domestic product (GDP), which measures the output of goods and services in the country – grew a brisk 8.4 percent in the quarter ending September compared with a year earlier, government data showed on Tuesday.

That marked the strongest recovery rate of the world’s major economies and followed on from the previous quarter when India’s year-over-year growth was a massive 20.1 percent.

Gains in the three months ending in September (the second quarter of India’s fiscal year) were broad based, with most components of GDP contributing to the nation’s growth. Government spending was strong, as was consumer spending, and agriculture. A notable bright spot was the renewed appetite for customer-facing services that were hit hard by COVID restrictions earlier this year.

That broad strength helped shore up analysts’ forecasts for healthy full-year growth, but the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has injected uncertainty into the outlook.

“Reopening gains, pent-up demand, better farm output, higher public spending, and service sector restart have been crucial sources of support in the quarter,” said Radhika Rao, an economist at DBS Bank, Singapore. “We maintain our full-year growth forecast at 9.5 percent, with an eye on the evolving situation with the new (COVID-19) variant.”

One component of GDP which continues to lag is factory activity. Like all economies around the world, India is navigating supply chain snarls, higher energy prices and shortages of raw materials that are holding back manufacturing.

“Global semiconductor shortages have weighed on vehicle production, while coal shortages are likely to have taken a toll on industry this quarter,” said Shilan Shah, senior India economist for Capital Economics.

Shah also sees potential clouds gathering over the recovery from Omicron.

“With vaccination coverage still very low, there remains a risk of renewed virus outbreaks,” he said. “The new Omicron strain of the virus detected in Southern Africa could end up being the factor that crystallises these concerns if it reaches India.”

India Reaches Out To African Nations Affected By Omicron Variant Of Covid-19 [Outlook India, 30 Nov 2021]

By Seema Guha

India has expressed solidarity with the African nations affected by Omicron and said it is ready to step in with aid.

India reached out late Monday to African countries facing the challenge of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, the latest in the series which some experts termed as more deadly than all the other varieties. It is suspected to spread with lightning speed and is reported by some to be immune to the various vaccines available till now. But so far there is no definitive proof of any of these claims. But, the news of the Omicron variant, first reported in southern African nations --- Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe -- has spread nervousness across the world, with several countries banning flights from these eight nations.

India, however, has expressed solidarity with the affected African nations and said it was ready to step in with aid. Test kits, life-saving drugs, PPE kits, and medical equipment such as ventilators are on offer. New Delhi is also willing to provide made-in-India vaccines either through the UN’s COVAX system or bilaterally to any of the African nations affected by Omicron. At the same time, the MEA said that Indian institutions could cooperate in "genome surveillance and virus characterisation related research work with their African counterparts."

India has, so far, supplied more than 25 million doses of Made-in-India vaccines to 41 countries in Africa, including nearly 1 million doses as grant to 16 countries and more than 16 million doses through COVAX facility to 33 countries. India has recently started the export of the vaccine which was temporarily stopped when it faced a deadly second wave of the pandemic.

Omicron: New Strain Of Coronavirus Escalates Need For Global Vaccine Sharing
The WHO has said that the Covid-19 was spreading in 14 African countries. Experts say that Africa should now prepare for the third wave of the pandemic. The alarming news is that Africa has so far received just 50 million doses of vaccine of this just 31 million jabs had been administered. The WHO further said that the shipment of vaccines has now come to a near halt to the region. In these circumstances, India’s offer to send supply vaccines to Africa is a welcome move.

India has long maintained excellent relations with several countries in Africa. In fact, in recent years India and China were both vying with each other to enlarge their footprints in the African continent. Though India has been in the picture in Africa since independence and was part of the anti-colonial struggle there, China with its big bucks and chequebook diplomacy was able to overtake India. However while China built roads and ports and highways and extracted minerals of African nations, India concentrated on development aid and building institutions.
While China’s funds were always welcomed many thinking African’s regarded it as exploiters much like European powers in the past centuries. India to these sections is regarded as a much more benign influence that helped to develop Africa’s innate potential. This evening’s announcement is likely to be appreciated by many African nations and expand India’s goodwill across the continent.

As omicron emerges, a tired public has little appetite for new restrictions [The Washington Post, 30 Nov 2021]

By Annie Linskey and Fenit Nirappil

President Biden delivered remarks on the threat posed by the omicron coronavirus variant on Nov. 29, encouraging Americans to get vaccinated. (The Washington Post)

Cold weather is driving more Americans indoors. The holiday season has prompted a wave of travel, generating new lines of coronavirus transmission. And the delta variant has pushed up hospitalizations.

Now, adding to the potentially bad news, an ominous new variant has emerged: omicron.

But after nearly 21 months of coronavirus restrictions, there is little appetite in the country for the kinds of school closures, indoor-gathering bans and restaurant restrictions that defined the early days of the pandemic, according to health officials, who say the political will to push for unpopular — but effective — mitigation measures is waning.

“It is very exhausting,” said Ezekiel Emanuel, a physician and bioethicist at the University of Pennsylvania who was on President Biden’s covid advisory team during the transition. “The American public is rightfully exhausted, and therefore the amount of risk we’re willing to take goes up. People are willing to take more risks and accept more challenges, but they’re not willing to accept more restrictions.”

But he suggested that resistance to such limitations, which some European countries have begun to reimpose, carries its own dangers.

“How often do you hear people say, ‘I’m done with covid’? Well, your being done with it does not mean the pandemic is over,” Emanuel said.

The landscape could change as scientists learn more about omicron and how much protection the current vaccines provide against it. But public health officials, from White House staffers to county leaders, have shown little desire to once again impose disruptive measures, instead pushing Americans to voluntarily change their behavior without punitive threats.

Joe Kanter, Louisiana’s top public health official, was among those who, rather than proposing new restrictions, reiterated that Americans should get vaccinated.

“This deserves our attention but not yet panic,” Kanter said in an interview. “The greatest single tool we have is increasing vaccinations both at home and abroad. If people’s families are not yet fully vaccinated but eligible, now is the time to do it.”

And in some places, even if health officials did want to enact restrictions, their power to do so has been stripped as Republican governors, GOP-controlled legislatures and conservative state supreme courts have moved to curtail their powers.

The president gave his first formal update on the new ¬variant Monday morning from the White House, stressing that it was “a cause for concern, not a cause for panic.”

He urged Americans to get vaccinated and, if eligible, to get a booster shot, saying medical experts believe that the coronavirus vaccines provide “at least some protection against the new variant and that boosters strengthen that protection significantly.”

Biden also encouraged Americans to wear a mask indoors and in crowded places, but said he does not expect the need for lockdowns or additional travel restrictions. “If people are vaccinated and wear their mask, there’s no need for lockdown,” he said.

The president said he would lay out a detailed strategy Thursday for how the United States will fight the virus over the winter. The plan, he said, would focus on increasing testing and vaccination rates.

Over the weekend, Biden restricted travel from southern African nations in an attempt to slow the spread of the new variant to the country, although health officials have said the omicron variant is probably already circulating in the United States.

Biden’s top aides have been clear recently — before omicron was detected, but as covid deaths in the country remained at about 1,000 a day — that stricter measures were not under consideration amid a persistent delta-driven wave. In the last week, covid-related hospitalizations have risen in states such as Ohio and Michigan, even as new cases and deaths dipped in the United States overall.

White House covid-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients was blunt when asked about lockdowns. “No, we are not headed in that direction,” he said last week.

As of Monday morning, the omicron variant had not been detected in the United States, though it had entered some European countries. While omicron has a high number of mutations that could suggest greater transmissibility, scientists have not yet determined how large a threat it poses.

Unlike the United States, other countries have been swift to impose population-wide restrictions because of the new variant.

Britain, which has a small number of confirmed omicron infections, reimposed its partial mask mandate after relaxing its rules over the summer. It will also require those entering the country to self-isolate pending the result of mandatory PCR coronavirus tests and will require people exposed to omicron to quarantine for 10 days.

“We need to buy time for our scientists to understand exactly what we are dealing with,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Saturday as he announced the new measures. The rules will be revisited in three weeks, he said.

For Biden, who is struggling with low approval ratings, any resurgence of coronavirus worries could further drag down his popularity and undercut a central promise of his presidency to restore the country to normalcy.

In the early summer, before the delta wave took hold, 89 percent of Americans said they thought the coronavirus situation was getting better, according to a Gallup poll. That figure plummeted in July and August.

But in late October, Americans were regaining some optimism about the pandemic, with a Gallup poll finding that 51 percent said the situation was getting better, up from 20 percent in September.

If there is a major resurgence of the pandemic, the political will for the harshest virus mitigation measures has largely evaporated even in the most liberal parts of the country, which have been the most open to restrictions, experts say.

Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, said that there’s “little appetite” for widespread closures and that most local health agencies will hold off until getting more data on how omicron is different from delta before announcing any preventive measures.

“The patience of our communities is wearing thin,” Freeman said. “People are tired. People are just exhausted, having to cope with this time after time after time.” Still, she added, “We have to remain strong and diligent and still try to get people the information they need to understand what their risk is.”

Robert Wachter, who chairs the department of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco, said that if omicron proves as dangerous as some health officials fear, there will probably be a more regional approach to restrictions, with places like California and East Coast states tightening rules while states in the Midwest and South take a more relaxed approach.

“There is a general zeitgeist in other parts of the country of ‘We’re over it,’ ” Wachter said.
“Politicians are over it. . . . I think it’s going to sort itself by region and probably by political persuasion.”

In deep-blue New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) declared a state of emergency over the weekend though mid-January to allow the state to prepare for a coronavirus surge by purchasing additional supplies and letting hospitals postpone nonessential procedures.

But the weariness is evident even in such blue regions. And some Republicans are already suggesting that omicron is a fabrication.

“They are going to try and sell us new ‘Variants’ for the rest of our lives if we don’t tell them to shove it,” tweeted Kari Lake, a GOP candidate for governor in Arizona who is backed by former president Donald Trump.
Ronnie Jackson, the White House physician turned Republican member of Congress from Texas, also hinted at a conspiracy.

“Here comes the MEV — the Midterm Election Variant!” Jackson posted on his Twitter feed. “They NEED a reason to push unsolicited nationwide mail-in ballots. Democrats will do anything to CHEAT during an election — but we’re not going to let them!”

Some Republican officials have acted on the anti-lockdown sentiment. New laws in Kansas block state officials from closing businesses, for example. The Montana legislature prevented health officials from quarantining those exposed to the virus. North Dakota has passed a law barring health officials from issuing mask mandates, even in cases like an active tuberculosis outbreak.

And the supreme courts of Michigan, Wisconsin and Kentucky curtailed the ability of those states’ Democratic governors to implement emergency measures such as statewide mask mandates.

Freeman said potential spikes caused by delta or omicron will test the effect of the new laws.
“We are going to need to watch very closely and track whether legislation that has attempted to limit public health authority has in fact essentially tied the hands of public health officials from preventing the spread of disease when there’s a change in disease, like a variant,” Freeman said.

Over the weekend, state and local officials largely used the interest in the omicron variant to reiterate current restrictions rather than publicly discuss new ones.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) urged vigilance against the variant and said its emergence accentuated the urgency of getting vaccinated and wearing masks indoors. Connecticut does not have a mask mandate, but some cities, including New Haven, still do.

“This news of the Omicron variant reminds us about the importance of being vaccinated and getting a booster,” Lamont tweeted Sunday. “We have now entered the winter holiday season and still need to mask while in indoor public places, practice proper hand hygiene, get tested, and stay home if you feel sick.”

Kanter, Louisiana’s top public health official, said the state’s immediate priorities for responding to omicron are shoring up its genetic surveillance systems to detect the variant early and ensuring labs that can detect the omicron variant while conducting routine coronavirus tests are prepared to do so.

He said measures such as restoring an indoor mask mandate, imposed by Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) in response to the summer delta surge, are premature while scientists and health officials await additional information about the variant.

Omicron: entry bans spread as China pledges 1bn jabs for Africa [The Guardian, 30 Nov 2021]

By Martin Farrer and Samantha Lock

Hong Kong and Ecuador join ranks of countries imposing new restrictions, cases rise in Australia and Canada, but stock markets bounce back

More countries have imposed travel restrictions on visitors from other parts of the world in order to try to contain the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, as China pledged to send 600m vaccine doses to Africa.

As cases of Omicron continued to grow around the world from Japan to Reunion Island, Hong Kong widened its ban on non-residents entering the city on Tuesday to include visitors who have been to Australia, Canada, Israel or six European countries in the past 21 days. Non-resident arrivals from four southern African nations have already been barred.

Ecuador joined the move to tighten border by imposing entry restrictions on travellers flying from or via a number of African countries. It would also request vaccine certificates from those arriving from other countries due to the new Omicron strain of coronavirus, president Guillermo Lasso said late on Monday.

With the announcement Ecuador joins other countries across the globe in restricting travel in response to the Omicron strain, which carries a very high risk of increased infection, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The head of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the emergence of the new strain in South Africa last week showed how “hard-won gains could vanish in an instant”. He told a special session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva that “Covid-19 is not done with us”.

Media in Japan reported that the first case of Omicron was recorded on Tuesday, while a person has tested positive for Omicron on the French Indian Ocean island of Réunion, it was reported on Tuesday, citing an official researcher on the island. The 35-year-old person had recently travelled to Mozambique.

Amid concern about the gulf between vaccine rates in developed countries and less wealthy ones, China has pledged to donate 600m doses of its Covid-19 vaccines to Africa.

China’s president, Xi Jinping, made the promise in a video speech to the opening ceremony of a China-Africa forum on economic cooperation in Senegal on Monday. He said China would supply 1bn doses in all. The other 400m are to come through other routes such as production by Chinese companies in Africa.

“We need to put people and their lives first, be guided by science, support waiving intellectual property rights on Covid-19 vaccines, and truly ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in Africa to bridge the immunisation gap,” Xi said.

Stock markets in Asia made a good recovery on Tuesday after steep falls in values in recent days brought on by concerns about Omicron. The Nikkei in Tokyo led the way by lifting 0.5% while the ASX200 was up more than 1% in Sydney.

“We’ll get a new variant, we’ll get new waves, but the market – and we all as investors – will see how that might play out,” Jason Brady, president at Thornburg Investment Management in Hong Kong, told Bloomberg.

In the United States, president Joe Biden said Omicron was a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic”, as the US implemented restrictions on travel from South Africa and several other countries.

Biden urged all Americans to get vaccinated, including booster shots, saying it was the best protection against the new variant. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention weighed in by saying on Monday that everyone aged 18 years and older should get a booster shot.

Canada saw another two cases on Monday, taking its total to five, and the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, also appealed to the public to make sure they were vaccinated.

“Let’s be clear: getting vaccinated is the best thing you can do right now,” Trudeau said in a tweet on Monday night local time.

“So, if you don’t have your shots yet, get them. And now that we have enough vaccine doses for every kid between the ages of 5 and 11 to get their first shot, make sure you get your kids vaccinated, too.”

The UK government is planning to reboot its vaccination programme back to levels seen earlier in the pandemic when around 500,000 jabs a day were being administered. In addition, ministers cut the waiting time for boosters to three months in a bid to outpace the Omicron variant that scientists believe is already spreading in the community.

There were 11 confirmed cases of Omicron in England and Scotland on Monday, with hundreds more expected in the coming days. From Tuesday, masks will be mandatory on public transport including airports and stations, and in shops.

Two arrivals into Australia have tested positive to Omicron, becoming the first cases in the country. The pair are in quarantine in Sydney after arriving from Johannesburg via Qatar on Saturday.

Authorities in Singapore said on Tuesday that two travellers who tested positive for Omicron in Sydney transited through Changi airport. And a fifth person is self-isolating with the Omicron strain after returning to Australia from southern Africa before the variant emerged last week.

World faces an anxious wait as Covid vaccine makers prepare for omicron variant [CNBC, 30 Nov 2021]

By Holly Ellyatt

LONDON — As the new omicron Covid variant spreads around the world, hopes are being pinned on vaccine makers' ability to develop effective shots against the strain.

Global market sentiment nosedived on Tuesday morning amid fears that the Covid-19 vaccine currently in use could be less effective against the new omicron variant. The strain was first identified in South Africa and designated a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization on Friday.

The sharp reversal for European and U.S. stock futures came after Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel told the Financial Times that he expects existing vaccines to be less effective against the new variant.

Bancel told CNBC on Monday that it could take months to develop and ship a vaccine that specifically targets the omicron variant. He added that will take at least two weeks to determine how much the mutations have impacted the efficacy of the vaccines currently on the market.

The omicron variant has more than 30 mutations on the spike protein that binds to human cells. Some of the mutations are associated with higher transmission and a decrease in antibody protection, according to the WHO.

The UN health agency reiterated on Monday that there are still considerable uncertainties and unknowns regarding this variant, however.

First of all, experts don't yet know just how transmissible the variant is and whether any increase in infections is because it can escape prior immunity or because it is more transmissible. Secondly, there is uncertainty over how well vaccines protect against infection, transmission, severity of illness and death when it comes to the omicron. And thirdly, it is unknown whether the variant causes more severe symptoms.

The WHO has said it will take weeks to understand how the variant may affect diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.

Tweaks
The world now faces an anxious waiting game as experts strive to discover what challenges and risks the omicron variant poses.

Any new variant is closely examined to see whether current vaccines are effective against it — if not, vaccines will need to be tweaked to target the new strain. The Covid vaccine makers are confident they can do this, but it will take time to develop, test, manufacture and deploy these new shots to hundreds millions of people.

Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla said the impact of omicron on its own two-dose vaccine — which was developed with German biotech BioNTech and has been widely deployed in the U.S. and Europe — remains to be seen.

"I don't think that the result will be the vaccines don't protect," Bourla told CNBC on Monday, adding, "I think the result could be, which we don't know yet, the vaccines protect less."

A booster dose of an authorized vaccine is currently the only way to bolster waning immunity against Covid-19, but vaccine producers are also looking at developing shots specifically targeting the omicron variant.

Bourla said Pfizer had already begun work on a new vaccine if necessary. The company made its first DNA template on Friday, he said — the initial step in the development process of a new vaccine.

Pfizer and BioNTech also said last week that they are investigating omicron, first labeled B.1.1.529, and can adapt their vaccine quickly if needed.

"We have made multiple times clear that we would be able to have the vaccine in less than 100 days," Bourla said. He noted that the company was able to create vaccines for the beta and delta variants quickly, though they ultimately weren't used because the original shots remained effective.

Moderna said last week that it was testing three existing Covid booster candidates against the omicron variant and would also create a new omicron-specific vaccine candidate.

Both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech's shots are messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines which teach our cells how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response in our bodies. This response then produces antibodies that help to protect people against Covid infection.

Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca have also produced widely available and effective Covid-19 vaccines (although the AstraZeneca shot is not yet authorized in the U.S.), but their shots are known as "viral vector" vaccines.

This type uses a modified version of a virus (a vector) to deliver genetic instructions to the body's cells. The cells then produce harmless pieces of the virus called antigens which trigger an immune response in the body. If you are exposed to the real virus later, your immune system will recognize it and know how to fight it.

Both Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca have said they are investigating and testing the new variant.

Rafael Bayarri Olmos, a researcher at the Copenhagen University Hospital, told CNBC on Tuesday that variants are "taking a toll" on how well Covid vaccines can prevent infection.

"Now we have omicron that has 32 mutations in the spike protein, some of them have been seen before and they are concerning — they can make the virus more transmissible, they can make them better at avoiding immune recognition, or avoiding your defenses — so we do expect that the vaccines won't be so, so effective but that doesn't mean they are not going to work," he added.

"They are one of our best tools now to curb the spread of this virus."

Omicron risks
Omicron has now been found in more than a dozen countries, causing many to impose travel restrictions and implement tighter Covid measures, such as compulsory mask-wearing and advising people to work from home.

It comes as many countries are already dealing with high daily infections due to the delta variant, which is globally dominant.

Covid symptoms linked to the omicron variant have been described as "extremely mild" by the South African doctor who first spotted the new strain. Nonetheless, the World Health Organization warned Monday that the omicron variant is likely to spread further and poses a "very high" global risk.

Francois Balloux, director of UCL Genetics Institute at University College London, stressed that very little is known about how contagious and deadly the variant is, compared to the delta variant.

"What we can anticipate, what we're quite confident about, is that this variant is more likely to infect and reinfect people who have been vaccinated or have immunity from prior infection," he told CNBC's Squawk Box Europe on Tuesday.

"But in terms of intrinsic transmissibility, irrespective of the immune system, and its virulence we know, I would say, almost nothing at this stage … We Just have to wait before we can say."
There is quiet optimism that omicron could be a more infectious, but less virulent, version of the virus, meaning it could turn into an infection more akin to the common cold.

Deakin University epidemiologist Catherine Bennett told the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday that "there is a possibility that we are seeing a more infectious and less virulent version of the virus, which would be one of those steps along a happier route to living with the virus," she said. "We've got as many signals that it might [be] OK as we've got signals that it might be a bit of a worry."

Many countries are not taking any chances and have announced a ramping-up of Covid vaccinations, booster shots and more restrictive measures.

On Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden ruled out another lockdown and travel curbs for now, although it and a raft of countries have temporarily suspended travel from a number of southern African countries.

Pfizer research head sees a sprint to develop Omicron vaccine, if needed [STAT, 30 Nov 2021]

By Matthew Herper

Atop Pfizer executive says the company is hopeful that booster shots will provide sufficient protection against the Omicron variant — but has already envisioned a timeline for the development of a new vaccine if that’s not the case.

Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer, likened the company’s researchers to firefighters: They don’t know how serious the blaze will be, but need to prepare for the worst. And in this case, the worst would mean the need to develop new vaccines.

“We do take the new variant of concern, Omicron, with seriousness,” Dolsten told STAT. “It can indeed be a potential new threatening wave … although we don’t know that yet. But we always start with being prepared for the worst.”

Like their rival Moderna, Pfizer and its partner BioNTech say a variant-focused vaccine could be ready in less than 100 days. Dolsten said Pfizer and BioNTech have already started to make a DNA template of a new vaccine construct, the next step in the development of a new vaccine after making the mRNA and the lipid envelope it will go into.

It’s not clear whether a new clinical trial would be needed for regulatory approval, based on Pfizer’s previous conversations with the FDA, Dolsten said. It’s possible that a booster focused on the Omicron strain could be authorized, based on studies that have already been done with vaccines based around the Beta and Delta variants.

If one is required, though, Pfizer would have enough experimental vaccine to begin a clinical trial within about two months, Dolsten said. Such a study would be small, and would look at the safety of the vaccine and the immune response to it. It is possible to see how much a vaccine increases antibody levels within seven days after the second dose, so he believes a study could be completed within a month.

In about three months — by early March — Dolsten said Pfizer and BioNTech would be able to produce doses at “very high commercial scale.” That would mean being able to produce a billion doses of vaccine a quarter, or about 330 million doses a month. Dolsten imagines that if a new Omicron-specific vaccine is needed, it would replace the current vaccine, because so far new strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that have become problematic have out-competed existing strains. At the same time, Dolsten said, it would be possible to have two different versions of the vaccine: one for the older strains and one for Omicron.

He emphasized, however, that a great many questions about Omicron still loom.

“We don’t know whether it will really outcompete Delta in a more diverse population, and we don’t know yet whether our vaccine does cover it sufficiently,” Dolsten said. He said that he is “cautiously optimistic” that, especially for those who have received a third dose of the vaccine, also known as a booster, the existing vaccine will prove protective against Omicron.

Dolsten’s argument is that booster shots lead to greater levels of antibodies that neutralize the virus, and also more diverse types of antibodies that give broader protection against new variants. While some experts have been skeptical of the push to give boosters in developed countries like the U.S., Dolsten insisted that the boosters are important.

“There is no vaccine constraint in volume,” he said. “We should boost and we should vaccinate as many unvaccinated that are willing to get vaccinated.”

Dolsten said that it will become clear whether a new Omicron variant-focused vaccine is needed later this month, as Pfizer and BioNTech test whether the neutralizing antibodies made by the existing vaccine have an impact on boosters and look at data for how Omicron is spreading in the real world. That will tell researchers, for instance, whether cases are occurring in those who are unvaccinated, those whose vaccine protection is waning, or, in a worst-case scenario, in people who were recently vaccinated.

Dolsten said he hoped Pfizer’s new anti-Covid pill, which must be combined with another drug, ritonavir, could be used to help slow outbreaks, because treating people should make them less likely to transmit. The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the pill for an emergency use authorization. Dolsten said that Pfizer could make 200,000 doses available this year, and will be able to make 80 million treatment courses next year, including 20 million in the first half of next year.

Whether or not a new vaccine is needed now, Dolsten said, it appears that new variants of concern are cropping up every few months. He suggested that it may only be a matter of time before a new shot is needed.

Omicron could be the most infectious COVID-19 variant yet : Goats and Soda [NPR, 30 Nov 2021]

By MICHAELEEN DOUCLEFF

A few weeks ago, South Africa was in an enviable state. After several massive COVID-19 surges, including one fueled by the highly contagious delta variant, the country's daily cases had plummeted and were in a lull.

Then, a sudden burst of cases showed up, among university students around the city of Pretoria. Scientists thought that the delta variant was probably causing the spike. But to be sure, they decided to sequence the genome of a virus from one of the cases.

It wasn't delta at all.

"All of a sudden, there's this creature with all these mutations — and, I mean a lot of mutations," says Dr. Jeremy Luban, a virologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Last week, scientists in South Africa and Botswana detected a new strain of the coronavirus, one with about 50 mutations across its genome. By contrast, other variants, such as delta, have less than 20 mutations.

Known as omicron, the new variant has put the globe on alert. Since Nov. 24, when it was first reported to the World Health Organization, health officials have now detected omicron in more than a dozen countries across at least five continents. The variant poses a "very high" risk, the WHO said on Monday.

So far, scientists have limited information about omicron. But several red flags suggest that this strain of coronavirus could quickly cause surges in many parts of the world and could be the most contagious one known.

Omicron appears to 'outcompete' delta
Over the past two weeks, omicron has spread to at least seven of South Africa's nine provinces, quickly overtaking the country's outbreak — and thus, it appears, outcompeting delta, says virologist Pei-Yong Shi of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
"Based on the epidemiology data, it seems like the new variant has advantages in transmitting over the previous variants," Shi says.

So far, delta is the most contagious variant known. Within about nine months, it swept through all the continents except Antarctica, pushing out other variants and causing huge surges in cases.

If omicron is more transmissible, that would be quite remarkable, says the University of Massachusetts' Luban.

"Everyone is afraid that omicron will be significantly more transmissible than delta. Upon first impression, it looks like it could be," he says. "But that could be totally wrong. Right now, nobody knows. The problem is that our data is very limited."

At the moment, the only data scientists have to estimate omicron's transmissibility comes largely from the cluster of cases at a university in Pretoria. The rapid rise in cases there could be due, in part, to a superspreading event.

However, some specific mutations in omicron do suggest it will be quite transmissible, Luban says.

Omicron's mutations may help it evade the immune system
On top of that, the WHO says there's preliminary evidence that omicron increases the risk of reinfections. So people who already had COVID could be more vulnerable to a second infection.

Omicron carries many mutations that likely help the variant evade the immune system, says virologist Paul Bieniasz at Rockefeller University in New York. Some of these mutations exist in other variants, but not all together in a single one. So Bieniasz and his colleagues have already conducted lab research on key mutations that show up in omicron and found that they can help prevent antibodies from killing the virus.

"Based on that, we expect that omicron will be significantly resistant to antibodies that are circulating in individuals who are convalescent or who have had mRNA vaccines," Bieniasz says, referring to the technology used by the Pfizer and Modern COVID-19 vaccines.

As a result, the vaccines will likely be less effective against this variant, he predicts. But his research so far also suggests that people can boost their protection — against any variant — by having three exposures to the virus. So that means either three doses of the vaccine or two doses after a natural infection.

That seems to broaden your defenses, says Shi, the virologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch. "After the third dose of the vaccine, our antibody profile inside our body becomes more capable of blocking the variants," he says. "Our bodies create different antibodies that are much more able to push back on the variants."

Travel restrictions by country following the Omicron variant outbreak [CNN, 30 Nov 2021]

By Lilit Marcus and Barry Neild,

(CNN) — Just as many countries around the world were beginning to loosen their border restrictions, reports of a newly detected coronavirus variant in South Africa sent many of those doors slamming shut again.

The new B.1.1.529 variant was named Omicron by the World Health Organization on November 26.

Different countries and territories have taken different approaches toward preventing the spread of this new variant.

The most up-to-date information is below, but please be aware that governments can change their regulations on a moment's notice. Check back for further updates.

Angola
Angola announced on Saturday that it will close its borders with seven countries in southern Africa in an effort to prevent the spread of the new Omicron variant, according to state media.
Angola's border will be closed to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe will be closed until January 5, 2022.

Argentina
Passengers entering Argentina who have been anywhere on the African continent within the last 14 days before their arrival to the country must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon landing.

They must also show proof of being fully vaccinated and a negative PCR test done within 72 hours before departure. Upon arrival in Argentina, they must take an antigen test. Travelers who are not citizens or residents of Argentina will be required to prove they have health insurance that will cover Covid-19.

Australia
Australian officials have suspended all inbound and outbound flights to Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa and Zimbabwe for at least 14 days and has banned foreigners with a travel history to these locations within the previous two weeks from entering.

Quarantine rules are still in places for the few people allowed to enter the country. Australian citizens and fully vaccinated visa holders may enter, but foreigners must quarantine in a hotel for up to 14 days. Some locals are allowed to quarantine at home, but each state has its own guidelines.

Meanwhile, the state of Tasmania is barring people who have been in any overseas location -- except for New Zealand's South Island -- from entering.

Brazil
Brazil's Presidential Chief of Staff Ciro Nogueira has said his country's air borders with South Africa, Botswana, Swatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe are now closed.

The measure, announced Friday, came despite President Jair Bolsonaro previously stating he would not support such border closures.

Canada
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has announced that any non-Canadian who has been in South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and/or Eswatini from November 12 onward will be barred from entering the country. Canadian citizens or permanent residents who have been to one of those countries will still be allowed to come home, but with strict rules: they must have a negative PCR test to board their flight to Canada, must take another virus test upon arrival, quarantine at a hotel until they have a confirmed negative test result, and then quarantine at their residence for another 14 days.

China
One country not making major changes amid the Omicron news is China, likely due to the fact that its travel restrictions are already extremely tight with few if any foreigners able to enter the country. Zhong Nanshan, a top respiratory disease expert and government adviser, said China has no plans to take any "major action" in response to the Omicron variant.

Hong Kong, meanwhile, strengthened its already tight restrictions, banning any foreigners who have visited South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe in the past 21 days. Any Hong Kong residents arriving from the southern African countries will have to spend seven days in a government quarantine facility where they will undergo daily virus testing and be monitored by health professionals. After the seven days, they'll be required to continue quarantine for 14 days at a designated hotel.

Denmark
Denmark has advised its citizens against all travel to Angola, Malawi, South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia, and introduced a mandatory 10-quarantine and testing regime for anyone who has visited them in the past 10 days.

All travelers who have stayed in any of the seven nations within 10 days before entry to Denmark must be tested and go into isolation for 10 days after entry, according to the Danish Foreign Affairs Ministry. Isolation can be broken on the 6th day after two negative PCR tests (on day 4 and 6).

Foreigners without a permanent residence in Denmark must have a worthy purpose to travel to Denmark and can only enter if they can present a negative PCR-test taken a maximum of 72 hours before the time of entry, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Egypt
Egypt says it has stopped direct flights from a number of southern African countries, including: South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini.

Fiji
Fiji is tightening its border regulations. The southern African countries were already on its "red list," but now only Fijian citizens can enter the country if they have been to one of the red-listed nations. In addition, they will now have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, with PCR tests carried out on days 5 and 12.

Riaz Hassan, a spokesperson for Fiji's Ministry of Health and Medical Services, told CNN the new restrictions will not affect the country's plans to reopen to tourists December 1.

France
France has suspended all flights from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini.

Germany
Germany has banned all flights from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Greece
Greece will allow only essential travel from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Eswatini, Zambia and Malawi, the country's health ministry said Friday in a statement.

Travelers will have to have a special permit from the local Greek embassies and diplomatic missions to travel, the ministry said, adding that on arrival they will be tested and put in quarantine hotels for 10 days after which they'll be tested again.

India
Beginning December 1, all international passengers must submit a self-declaration form to an online government portal that includes a 14-day travel history and a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to their departure, according to guidelines issued by India's Health Ministry.

Travelers from countries deemed "at risk" will also now face further testing and surveillance, including a PCR test on arrival. They will also have to quarantine at home for seven days.
As of November 26, "at-risk" countries include South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, as well as "countries in Europe including the United Kingdom," Brazil, Bangladesh, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel.

Indonesia
Indonesia says it is banning the arrival of any foreigners who have spent time in the last 14 days in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Eswatini and Nigeria. Any Indonesian nationals who have traveled to those countries will be required to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

Ireland
Ireland says it is imposing mandatory quarantine for anyone arriving from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Irish residents arriving from affected countries will be allowed to isolate at home.

Israel
Israel has the distinction of being the first country to close its borders following news of the Omicron variant less than three months after the Middle Eastern country began allowing tourists back in. Israeli citizens can come back to the country but will have to quarantine, even if fully vaccinated.

Italy
Italy has restricted the arrival of anyone who has been in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini during the last 14 days.

Japan
As of November 30, Japan's borders are closed to any non-citizens, including international students, short-term residents (those already in the country can stay), or people visiting family.

Kuwait
Kuwait on Saturday halted direct commercial flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zambia and Malawi, and advised against all travel, particularly to southern Africa. Kuwaiti nationals arriving from affected countries must spend seven days in quarantine, while non-Kuwaitis would not be permitted to enter within 14 days of visiting the listed countries.

Related content
Travel doors slam shut as new Covid variant triggers alarm, stranding hundreds of passengers
Maldives

Tourists who have traveled to or transited for more than 12 hours through South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Eswatini within the past 14 days will be denied entry into the country as of Sunday, the Health Ministry said.

Nationals of the Maldives and long-term visa holders arriving from these countries will still be allowed to enter, but will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine with virus testing.

Malta
Malta has banned travel to and from South Africa, Nambia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe.

Morocco
The Kingdom of Morocco has suspended all incoming international flights for a two-week period beginning midnight November 29.

Netherlands
The Netherlands has imposed a flight ban on the southern African region following reports of the new variant. Anyone entering the Netherlands who has been to one of those countries is required to quarantine at a government-selected hotel. Two people have already been arrested for violating this policy.

New Zealand
Only New Zealand citizens are allowed to travel from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique as of 11:59 p.m. local time on November 28.

Travelers from these countries are required to stay in managed isolation quarantine for 14 days and undergo testing, New Zealand's Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said in a statement.

Oman
Oman has suspended incoming flights from the following countries: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique, according to local media.

Anyone who has visited the seven countries within the past 14 days will also be banned from entry.
Pakistan
Pakistan announced on Saturday that it would be closing its borders to arrivals from South Africa, Hong Kong, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana. Pakistani citizens returning from affected countries will be permitted entry if they're vaccinated and produce negative results taken from before and after travel.

Philippines
The Philippines has suspended inbound flights from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini and Mozambique until December 15.

Russia
Beginning November 28, non-Russians who have traveled in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe are not allowed to enter the country. Russian nationals who have been to one of those countries -- or in Hong Kong, mainland China, Israel or the United Kingdom -- are permitted to enter but are required to take a PCR test upon arrival and self-isolate until they have a confirmed negative result.

Rwanda
Rwanda on Sunday announced a temporary suspension of direct flights to and from southern Africa. Anyone arriving from affected countries will be required to quarantine for seven days.

Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has suspended air connections with South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini. Anyone who has spent any of the past 14 days in affected countries will be barred from entry. Saudi citizens who have visited the region must quarantine for five days on arrival.

Singapore
Arrivals from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe are greatly restricted as of November 28.

Anyone who is not a Singaporean passport or residency holder who has visited at least one of those countries will not be permitted to enter Singapore or transit through the airport there. Singaporean citizens and residents who have visited one of the countries can still return home but are subject to a 10-day quarantine.

Spain
Passengers arriving to Spain from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe will have to quarantine for 10 days, with the possibility to leave isolation after a virus test on day seven. The new rules will be in place for 14 days, and could be extended further.

Passengers who are residents in the EU, Schengen space, Andorra, Monaco, Vaticano and el Marino, and who are transiting through to Spain to reach these countries, are exempt from the new rules, as well as airline crew members.

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has banned the arrival of any foreigners who has been in South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Eswatini in the past 14 days. Sri Lankan citizens arriving from the listed countries must spend 14 days in quarantine at home.

Thailand
Thai authorities have confirmed that they will ban travel from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe starting from December.

Turkey
Turkey on Friday issued a ban on arrivals from Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

UAE
Dubai is restricting travelers originating from or transiting from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, according to Emirates airline.

Outbound passenger flights from Dubai to the countries listed however are permitted, the statement said.

United Kingdom
UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said from Friday six countries would be added to the "red" list: South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia. UK or Irish citizens or permanent residents returning from a red-listed country must quarantine in a hotel for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status. Citizens of other countries who have visited a red-list destination will not be able to enter at all.

Further restrictions on all arrivals were announced over the weekend. Anyone entering the UK must now quarantine until they receive the results of a PCR test taken on their second day in the country. Anyone testing positive faces a 10-day quarantine.

United States
President Joe Biden said "I've decided we're going to be cautious," before announcing restrictions against non-citizens entering the United States from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

As Omicron variant cases spread, countries rush to impose travel bans: Live updates [CNN, 30 Nov 2021]

By Stephanie Nebehay and Alexander Winning

Omicron news coverage is in overdrive, but there's still so much we don't know
The blessing of Thanksgiving on Thursday was followed by a curse on Friday: Urgent news about the new Covid variant named Omicron.

The reality is that "we know almost nothing about the Omicron variant," as this headline on The Atlantic's website helpfully states. But the abrupt reactions to the news -- stock selloffs, travel restrictions, endless Twitter threads -- made Omicron the top story of the weekend across all sorts of news websites and networks.

Now the world is in a sort of information holding pattern. Sociologist Zeynep Tufekci put it this way: "South Africa has gifted us an early warning with Omicron. But earlier the warning, the less we know."

"Wait two weeks" seems to be the consensus at the moment. Dr. Paul Burton, the chief medical officer for Moderna, told CNN on Sunday, "We have to go through a couple of weeks here of uncertainty." The White House's readout of President Biden's meeting with Dr. Anthony Fauci and members of his Covid Response Team made the same point.

"Dr. Fauci informed the President that while it will take approximately two more weeks to have more definitive information on the transmissibility, severity, and other characteristics of the variant, he continues to believe that existing vaccines are likely to provide a degree of protection against severe cases of Covid."

Hong Kong tightens border restrictions for eight African countries due to new Omicron variant From Lizzy Yee in Hong Kong

Hong Kong became the latest destination to tighten border restrictions on people arriving from eight southern African countries in response to the new Omicron variant, the government announced on Saturday.

Hong Kong residents arriving from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe will have to spend seven days in a government quarantine facility where they will undergo daily Covid-19 testing and be monitored by health professionals.

Upon completion of the seven days, residents will be allowed to finish the rest of their compulsory quarantine at a designated quarantine hotel.

They are also required to undergo regular Covid-19 testing after arrival in Hong Kong.

Non-Hong Kong residents who have visited any of the eight southern African countries within 21 days are no longer allowed to enter Hong Kong as of Saturday. Non-residents traveling from South Africa were already barred entry due to its status as a high-risk country.

"The new rule aims to enhance the surveillance on the Omicron variant of Covid-19," the government said in a press release. "Hong Kong must stay vigilant and implement the most stringent anti-epidemic measures to prevent the mutant strain from entering the local community."

Dutch police arrest couple who fled from Covid hotel after traveling to South Africa
Dutch police said on Sunday they arrested a couple on a plane after they "fled" from a hotel where passengers from South Africa who have tested positive for Covid-19 are being quarantined.

Dutch military police at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport "arrested a couple this evening who had fled from a quarantine hotel," police spokesman Stan Verberkt told CNN.

The couple -- a Spanish citizen and a Portuguese national -- were arrested on a plane that was about to take off en route to Spain at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET), Verberkt said.

They are not in custody but are being quarantined at another facility, Verberkt said, adding the prosecutor will decide in the next few days if they will be charged.

Public health authority (GGD) spokesperson Stefanie van Waardenburg said the couple was among the passengers on a flight that landed at Schiphol from Johannesburg on Friday.

Some of the passengers on that flight tested positive for the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, Waardenburg said. The arrested couple did not test positive for the Omicron variant.

The Netherlands is among a growing number of countries that have imposed a flight ban on the southern African region.

Woman charged with arson after quarantine hotel fire
A31-year-old woman has been charged with arson after allegedly lighting fire beneath a bed at a quarantine hotel in Cairns, in the Australian state of Queensland.

The woman had been at the Pacific Hotel for a couple of days, Queensland Police said, before she allegedly set fire to the room where was staying with two children early Sunday morning.

More than 160 guests were evacuated from the building as flames took hold of the upper floors. No one was injured, but police said the hotel suffered “significant damage.”

As of Sunday, none of the guests had tested positive for Covid-19, according to state health officials.

In Queensland, new arrivals from designated Covid-19 hotspots are required to spend 14 days in quarantine. Some are allowed to quarantine at home, if they meet strict requirements, including having a place to stay that doesn’t have shared access.

The southern German state has also imposed a lockdown on all districts

New Coronavirus News from 26 Nov 2021

Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern [World Health Organization, 26 Nov 2021]

The Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) is an independent group of experts that periodically monitors and evaluates the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and assesses if specific mutations and combinations of mutations alter the behaviour of the virus.
The TAG-VE was convened on 26 November 2021 to assess the SARS-CoV-2 variant: B.1.1.529.

The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021.
The epidemiological situation in South Africa has been characterized by three distinct peaks in reported cases, the latest of which was predominantly the Delta variant. In recent weeks, infections have increased steeply, coinciding with the detection of B.1.1.529 variant. The first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on 9 November 2021.

This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs. The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa. Current SARS-CoV-2 PCR diagnostics continue to detect this variant. Several labs have indicated that for one widely used PCR test, one of the three target genes is not detected (called S gene dropout or S gene target failure) and this test can therefore be used as marker for this variant, pending sequencing confirmation. Using this approach, this variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage.

There are a number of studies underway and the TAG-VE will continue to evaluate this variant.

WHO will communicate new findings with Member States and to the public as needed.

Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, the TAG-VE has advised WHO that this variant should be designated as a VOC, and the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a VOC, named Omicron.

As such, countries are asked to do the following:
• enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.
• submit complete genome sequences and associated metadata to a publicly available database, such as GISAID.
• report initial cases/clusters associated with VOC infection to WHO through the IHR mechanism.
• where capacity exists and in coordination with the international community, perform field investigations and laboratory assessments to improve understanding of the potential impacts of the VOC on COVID-19 epidemiology, severity, effectiveness of public health and social measures, diagnostic methods, immune responses, antibody neutralization, or other relevant characteristics.

Individuals are reminded to take measures to reduce their risk of COVID-19, including proven public health and social measures such as wearing well-fitting masks, hand hygiene, physical distancing, improving ventilation of indoor spaces, avoiding crowded spaces, and getting vaccinated.

For reference, WHO has working definitions for SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Interest (VOI) and Variant of Concern (VOC).

A SARS-CoV-2 VOI is a SARS-CoV-2 variant:
• with genetic changes that are predicted or known to affect virus characteristics such as transmissibility, disease severity, immune escape, diagnostic or therapeutic escape; AND
• that has been identified as causing significant community transmission or multiple COVID-19 clusters, in multiple countries with increasing relative prevalence alongside increasing number of cases over time, or other apparent epidemiological impacts to suggest an emerging risk to global public health.

A SARS-CoV-2 VOC is a SARS-CoV-2 variant that meets the definition of a VOI (see above) and, through a comparative assessment, has been demonstrated to be associated with one or more of the following changes at a degree of global public health significance:
• increase in transmissibility or detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology; OR
• increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation; OR
• decrease in effectiveness of public health and social measures or available diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics

Dr. Francis Collins on what we know about the Omicron variant so far [NPR, 26 Nov 2021]

By AUDIE CORNISH, FacebookTwitter, ELENA BURNETT and ASHLEY BROWN

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with National Institutes of Health director Dr. Francis Collins about how the new COVID-19 variant might affect U.S. response and where the national strategy goes from here.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
There is officially a new COVID-19 variant that the World Health Organization is classifying as one of concern. Today, the WHO put a Greek letter on it, dubbing it the omicron variant. There's still a lot of - there's still a lot scientists don't know about it, but since it was first identified in South Africa this month, it's also been reported in Europe and Asia. And the U.S. will ban travel from South Africa and other neighboring countries starting on Monday. Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, joins us now to give us the update.
Welcome back to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.

FRANCIS COLLINS: Glad to join you.

CORNISH: So you've been in touch with officials in South Africa. We now have the information from the WHO. What have you learned about this new variant?

COLLINS: Well, yeah, I've been on Zoom calls and phone calls all day trying to learn everything that we currently know. It's a troubling variant. It has more than 50 mutations, the largest number of differences from the original virus that we've seen so far. And that, of course, makes you worry that the things that we've been doing to fight this off might not work quite as well with omicron.

CORNISH: Meaning social distancing and masking...

COLLINS: By the way, a lot of people are looking up...

CORNISH: ...Or vaccines?

COLLINS: I'm sorry?

CORNISH: When you say that makes you worry, does that mean you have concerns about the efficacy of the current vaccines available?

COLLINS: That would be the concern, although, let me be clear, there is no data at the present time to indicate that the current vaccines would not work. So this is just looking at those mutations and going, boy, we'd better really check this out.

CORNISH: This is not the first variant. What have you learned from dealing with past variants that could be helpful here?

COLLINS: Very important question, Audie. What we have learned is that vaccines work really well against all the other variants - alpha, beta, delta. And it also is the case that getting boosted makes the vaccine work even better against those other variants. So message for people right now - if you haven't gotten boosted and you're six months out from Pfizer or Moderna or two months from J&J, this would be a really good time to sign up and take care of that in the next few days.

CORNISH: But why are there such red flags, then, for this latest variant?

COLLINS: Well, two things. One is that it seems to be spreading very rapidly in South Africa and other neighboring countries, which is a sign of something that maybe is particularly contagious. And the other is the fact that it has so many mutations, more than we've ever seen, which is, again, a red flag that it might be more difficult for our immune systems to recognize if we get exposed to it, even if we've seen the vaccine before.

CORNISH: Could the U.S. and other developed nations done more to get vaccines to parts of the world that had less access? And I ask this because the idea of vaccinations, which - was to prevent the kinds of mutations that could lead to more dangerous variants.

COLLINS: That's absolutely right. And we in the U.S. have done more than any other country to try to achieve that. We've already sent out more than 250 million doses and committed to more than a billion more; more than any other country. And we do need to do that just for self-interest, not to mention the fact that we are fortunate to have resources and we should be reaching out to all of our brothers and sisters all over the world.

CORNISH: But the U.S. is already on boosters while these countries - I think the vaccination rate in South Africa is in the sort of 35% range. I mean, is it better to be trying to prevent this kind of thing in other countries than to kind of keep dosing ourselves with vaccines?

COLLINS: Well, I talked to the folks in South Africa about this. They say at the present time, their problem is not access to vaccines. They have vaccines. They have the same problem we seem to have with people being hesitant to take them. And that is a terrible tragedy for our country and for theirs as well.

CORNISH: Speaking of which, in the U.S., COVID cases are up around 30%, at least compared to a month ago. I know you've been out promoting boosters, you've - as you've been doing here, singing the praises of vaccines and also vaccine mandates. But to really keep cases under control this holiday season and through the winter, where does the national strategy need to head from here?

COLLINS: Well, we need to do everything possible, Audie, to convince people who are still on the fence to roll up their sleeves if they haven't yet gotten immunized. And of course, mandates is one way that we're accomplishing that, although I think most of us wish we didn't have to do mandates when the evidence is so compelling. And booster wise, again, getting messages like this in front of people.

We're working, though, against a terrible onslaught of misinformation and, frankly, disinformation that's being spread by people with other agendas, which causes people to be confused and fearful in a situation where the data is actually really clear about what you should do. These vaccines are safe and effective, and the boosters really work.

CORNISH: We just have a minute left. What's your sense of what it would take to get to an endemic phase of this pandemic - right? - where the virus is still circulating but not disrupting everyday life?

COLLINS: Yeah. We'd need to see cases, hospitalizations and deaths drop way down from where they are right now. We're still losing a thousand people a day in the United States. That would mean getting immunization levels very much higher than they are and also practicing those other simple things in terms of mitigation, like mask-wearing indoors when you're around other unvaccinated people.

We have, of course, gotten to the point where a lot of people are tired of hearing all that, but the virus is not tired of us. And so we have to double down on that and keep these messages coming. We're all in this together.

CORNISH: That's Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.

Thank you for this update. Thank you for your expertise and time.

COLLINS: Thank you. It's nice to be with you.

(SOUNDBITE OF FRANZ FERDINAND SONG, "40'")

Statement by President Joe Biden on the Omicron COVID-19 Variant [The White House, 26 Nov 2021]

This morning I was briefed by my chief medical advisor, Dr. Tony Fauci, and the members of our COVID response team, about the Omicron variant, which is spreading through Southern Africa. As a precautionary measure until we have more information, I am ordering additional air travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries. These new restrictions will take effect on November 29. As we move forward, we will continue to be guided by what the science and my medical team advises.

For now, I have two important messages for the American people, and one for the world community.

First, for those Americans who are fully vaccinated against severe COVID illness – fortunately, for the vast majority of our adults — the best way to strengthen your protection is to get a booster shot, as soon as you are eligible. Boosters are approved for all adults over 18, six months past their vaccination and are available at 80,000 locations coast-to-coast. They are safe, free, and convenient. Get your booster shot now, so you can have this additional protection during the holiday season.

Second, for those not yet fully vaccinated: get vaccinated today. This includes both children and adults. America is leading the world in vaccinating children ages 5-11, and has been vaccinating teens for many months now – but we need more Americans in all age groups to get this life-saving protection. If you have not gotten vaccinated, or have not taken your children to get vaccinated, now is the time.

Finally, for the world community: the news about this new variant should make clearer than ever why this pandemic will not end until we have global vaccinations. The United States has already donated more vaccines to other countries than every other country combined. It is time for other countries to match America’s speed and generosity.

In addition, I call on the nations gathering next week for the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting to meet the U.S. challenge to waive intellectual property protections for COVID vaccines, so these vaccines can be manufactured globally. I endorsed this position in April; this news today reiterates the importance of moving on this quickly.
###

New Coronavirus News from 27 Nov 2021a

Covid News: Confirmed Omicron Cases in U.K., Germany and Italy [The New York Times, 27 Nov 2021]

Covid Live Updates: U.K., Germany and Italy Confirm Omicron Cases

Britain reimposed a mask mandate in stores and on public transportation. Chaos at a Dutch airport exemplified the scattershot response across Europe.

As more countries placed travel bans on southern Africa early Saturday for fear of a new and possibly more dangerous variant of the coronavirus, the passengers on two flights from South Africa found themselves caught in a pandemic nightmare.

After about 30 hours squeezed together in the planes, crammed buses and then in waiting rooms, 61 of the more than 500 passengers on those flights had tested positive and been quarantined. They were being checked for Omicron, named by the World Health Organization just on Friday as a “variant of concern,” its most serious category.

Everyone else, according to Stephanie Nolen, The New York Times’s global health reporter, who was on one of the planes, “has scattered to the world.”

The chaos in Amsterdam seemed emblematic of the varied, and often scattershot, responses to the virus across the world, with masking rules, national testing requirements and vaccine mandates differing from country to country and continent to continent. (KLM, the airline operating the flights, said that only some passengers had to show proof of a recent negative test, depending on vaccination status and the requirements of their final destination.)

Such gaps could open avenues for contagion, especially for a potentially threatening new variant.

“That number of people seems like a very high number to have this happen,” said Andrew Pekosz, an epidemiologist from Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health.
“Unless there’s really tremendous amounts of spread of this virus locally that was not detected.”

The Omicron variant is likely to be found in some of those 61 passengers who tested positive, Dutch public health officials announced on Saturday. The sequencing is still being performed by the Dutch agency for disease control and prevention. It was unclear how many passengers may have tested positive for the variant.

Those who tested positive for the coronavirus at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Friday have been transferred to quarantine hotels. Those who tested negative could continue their journey or, if the Netherlands was their final destination, were told to quarantine at home.

The government is also telling thousands of people who have returned from southern Africa in the last few days to get tested, even if they don’t have symptoms.

There is still relatively little known about Omicron. It has mutations that scientists fear could make it more infectious and less susceptible to vaccines — though neither of these effects is yet to be established.

On Saturday, fear of Omicron arrived nonetheless, as officials in Britain reported two cases of the variant, and Germany and the Czech Republic investigated suspected cases.

The numbers of confirmed cases outside southern Africa remain small, but there are worries the virus could have spread more widely before scientists there discovered it.

“It would be irresponsible” not to be worried about the new variant, Roberto Speranza, the health minister of Italy, the first European Union nation to block flights from southern Africa, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper on Saturday. “It’s a new and worrying element.”

After the initial shock of the discovery of a case of the Omicron variant in Europe on Friday in Belgium, European leaders, already struggling with a surge in cases that has made it once again the epicenter of the pandemic, tried to strike a balance between increasing caution and avoiding panic. But the virus would not cooperate.

On Friday evening, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, said on Twitter that she held “fruitful” conversations with the pharmaceutical companies and that they “explained their efforts to quickly and thoroughly understand the Omicron variant and adjust our strategies accordingly. Time is of the essence.”

The union acted with rare unity in response to the threat posed by the new variant, binding together to restrict travel to and from southern Africa.

Vivian Loonela, a spokeswoman for the commission, said Saturday that “member states agreed to introduce rapidly restrictions on all travel into the E.U. from seven countries in the southern Africa region — Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe.”

Mr. Speranza, Italy’s health minister, told Corriere della Sera that he considered it wise “to activate the emergency brake,” adding, the “European coordination on these decisions is fundamental.”

One of Mr. Speranza’s main criticisms during the first wave of the virus back in 2020 was that Italy was left alone, and that France and Britain and other countries did not act to ban flights from China as Italy did in January of that year.

He said the strategy of the government, to promote vaccinations through a strict health pass that was required to work and participate in much of society, would not change. The government’s message remained the same, vaccines — and now boosters — were the only way out of the pandemic.

Isabella Grullón Paz contributed reporting.
— Jason Horowitz and Claire Moses

Tracking the Coronavirus
TRANSCRIPT
Boris Johnson Reimposes U.K. Mask Mandate Over Omicron Cases
After two cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant were confirmed in Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said masks would be required in stores and on public transportation and listed testing guidelines for travelers from abroad.

Wednesday, we received news of a new variant, the so-called Omicron variant. This variant is spreading around the world, with two cases so far identified here in the U.K. As always — I must stress this — as always with a new variant, there are many things that we just cannot know at this early stage, but our scientists are learning more hour by hour, and it does appear that Omicron spreads very rapidly and can be spread between people who are double vaccinated. But we now need to go further and implement a proportionate testing regime for arrivals from across the whole world. So we’re not going to stop people traveling — I want to stress that, we’re not going to stop people traveling — but we will require anyone who enters the U.K. to take a P.C.R. test by the end of the second day after their arrival and to self-isolate until they have a negative result. In addition to the measures we’re already taking to locate those who have been in countries of concern over the last 10 days, we will require all contacts of those who test positive with a suspected case of Omicron to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of your vaccination status. We will also go further in asking all of you to help contain the spread of this variant by tightening up the rules on face coverings in shops and on public transport. We don’t yet exactly know how effective our vaccines will be against Omicron, but we have good reasons for believing they will provide at least some measure of protection. And if you’re boosted, your response is likely to be stronger. So it’s more vital than ever that people get their jabs and we get those boosters into arms as fast as possible. The measures that we’re taking today, including on our borders and on face masks, are temporary and precautionary, and we will review them in three weeks. At that point, we should have much greater information about the continuing effectiveness of our vaccines.

As the world scrambled to prevent the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant that was first detected in southern Africa, Britain’s Health Security Agency confirmed on Saturday that two cases of the variant had been recorded in the country.

In a news conference on Saturday evening, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that to curb the spread of the variant, face masks would be required in stores and on public transportation, a rule the country had ended in July.

“As always, I must stress this, with a new variant there are many things we just cannot know at this early stage,” Mr. Johnson said.

“It does appear that Omicron spreads very rapidly and can be spread between people who are double vaccinated,” he added. Although the science around Omicron is still new, it is a “very extensive mutation” of previous configurations of the virus that could reduce vaccine effectiveness, Mr. Johnson said.

The cases are said to be linked to travel in southern Africa, the British government confirmed in a statement. Sajid Javid, Britain’s health secretary, described the new cases as a “stark reminder” that the pandemic was not yet over.

“Thanks to our world-class genomic sequencing, we have been made aware of two U.K. cases of the Omicron variant,” Mr. Javid said. “We have moved rapidly, and the individuals are self-isolating while contact tracing is ongoing.”

TRANSCRIPT
Sajid Javid, the U.K. health secretary, said the individuals were self-isolating as sequencing, contact tracing and further tests were being carried out. The British government confirmed the two cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant were linked to travel in southern Africa.

Late last night, I was contacted by the U.K. Health Security Agency. I was informed that they have detected two cases of this new variant, Omicron, in the United Kingdom — one in Chelmsford, the other in Nottingham. The two individuals concerned are self-isolating, alongside their whole household, whilst further tests and sequencing is carried out, and contact tracing. The two cases are linked. Now we’ve been always very clear that we won’t hesitate to take further action if that is what is required. And today, I can announce one thing that we are doing immediately is carrying out targeted testing and sequencing of positive cases in the two areas that are affected. And secondly, we are adding four more countries to the red list, from 4 a.m. on Sunday, and those are Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia. If anyone has traveled to these four countries or any of the other recently red listed countries in the last 10 days, then they must self-isolate and take PCR tests. This is a real reminder to us all that this pandemic is far from over. And if there’s one thing that everyone can be doing right now is, if they’re eligible, please take your vaccine. Whether it’s your first shot, your second shot or your booster jab, if you are eligible, please take your vaccine.

The country’s health agency is now carrying out targeted testing at several locations where infections could have been spread. Britain will also require travelers from abroad to get a PCR test within 48 hours of their arrival and require contacts of those who test positive with a suspected case of Omicron to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status.

“We don’t yet exactly know how effective our vaccines will be against Omicron, but we have good reasons for believing they will provide at least some measure of protection,” he said.

In addition to the six countries in southern Africa that were added to Britain’s travel ban list on Friday to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant, four other countries — Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia — were also added. Being on the list requires travelers to quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days.
— Aina J. Khan and Isabella Grullón Paz

The highly mutated new coronavirus variant known as Omicron is present in Germany, according to the health ministry for the state of Bavaria, which confirmed that two people infected with the new variant returned from a trip to South Africa this week.

The two travelers, a married couple who arrived on a flight on Tuesday, tested positive for the coronavirus, Klaus Holetschek, the Bavarian health minister, said in a public television interview on Friday. Hours later, his ministry confirmed that rapid sequencing had determined the couple were infected with the new variant.

In addition to those two, at least one person returning from South Africa was suspected of being of infected with the Omicron variant in the state of Hesse, in central Germany.

The news prompted fresh concern at a time when Germany was already struggling to curb a brutal fourth wave of the pandemic that had produced tens of thousands of new daily infections — more than the country has had at any point in the pandemic. Hospitals across the country were already struggling to accommodate a surge in Covid patients.

Germany Coronavirus Cases
“We have to break the Delta wave together now to be able to have some breathing space,” said Oliver T. Keppler, the virologist in charge of sequencing the new cases in Bavaria.

Germany was one of several European countries with suspected or confirmed cases of the new variant. Belgium reported a case on Friday, in a traveler returning from outside southern Africa, and Italy said on Saturday that it had confirmed a case in a traveler who had arrived from Mozambique. Health officials in the Czech Republic said on Saturday that they were examining a suspected case in a person who spent time in Namibia, and Israel said it had confirmed one case and was testing seven others, according to the news agency Reuters. In the Austrian state of Tirol, one recently returned traveler is suspected of being infected with the variant, the public broadcaster ORF reported on Saturday night.

The full sequencing on the suspected case of Omicron in Hesse will be completed early next week, said Sandra Ciesek, director of the Institute of Medical Virology at the University Hospital of Frankfurt.

The German government restricted travel from South Africa on Friday. As of midnight on Saturday, it will be designated a high-risk “variant region,” which means airlines are only allowed to transport German residents to Germany. All those who arrive have to quarantine for 14 days, even if they are vaccinated.

Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting.

— Katrin Bennhold and Christopher F. Schuetze

Switzerland will vote on virus restrictions on Sunday.

GENEVA — With coronavirus infections soaring in Switzerland, voters will deliver a verdict on their government’s health strategy on Sunday, after weeks of rancorous debate that revealed a strong current of anger in the nation’s usually placid politics.

As has happened across Europe, new Covid-19 cases have climbed steadily in Switzerland since mid-October. In the week ending Nov. 21, they jumped more than 50 percent from the week before. And the continent was put on alert over the weekend with confirmed reports of the Omicron variant in several countries.

Switzerland Coronavirus Cases

Voters will decide whether to keep a law that requires people to show a certificate, or “green pass,” as proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid to get into restaurants, museums and other public spaces. The law also opened up billions of dollars of financial support for businesses struggling to survive the pandemic.

Health Minister Alain Berset took pains this week to say the government was not planning any more nationwide restrictions, let alone the sort of lockdown that Austria imposed this week. He cited the lack of pressure on Swiss hospitals: Official figures show that Covid patients occupy less than a quarter of I.C.U. beds and account for only about 4 percent of total hospital occupancy.

But many Swiss suspect that a tightening of controls may be unavoidable and could come as soon as Sunday’s vote is out of the way.

“We are only two weeks behind Austria, and in two weeks’ time we could be in the same situation Austria is in today,” said Pascal Sciarini, a political scientist at the University of Geneva.

In a letter reported in Swiss newspapers this week, President Guy Parmelin described the situation as “critical” and urged officials in Switzerland’s cantons, or provinces, to increase hospital capacity and mobilize specialists in preparation for a sudden deterioration in conditions.

Mr. Parmelin said the government was calling for a cantonal response partly out of concern that nationwide measures would gain lukewarm compliance in areas with low infection rates and deepen the divide between vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Unusually aggressive rhetoric and vitriol ahead of Sunday’s vote underscored those strains.

The vote is the second in four months called by a coalition of groups from across the political spectrum, but with support from the right-wing Swiss People’s Party and a strong base in the country’s mountainous, rural heartland.

“The worst thing is the ‘green pass,’ which divides the society and leads to an inhuman discrimination against two million Swiss people” who are unvaccinated, said Siegfried Hettegger, one of the managers of the campaign, which he said was not against vaccination.
Politicians who have spoken in favor of the law in televised debates have faced death threats and abuse. Campaigners against the law, including Mr. Hettegger, say opponents have destroyed their posters and campaign leaflets, hacked their websites and taken other steps to stop them from mobilizing popular support.

The first vote, held in June, delivered a 60 percent majority in favor of the law, and the latest polls suggest a similar outcome on Sunday. But the opposition campaign won a majority in eight of Switzerland’s 26 cantons in that first vote.

Any increase in the 40 percent share of the national vote the campaign achieved last time would be “a huge victory,” Mr. Hettegger said.
— Nick Cumming-Bruce

JOHANNESBURG — As the United States and European countries close their borders over fears over the recently detected coronavirus variant, many South Africans say they feel as if they are being “punished” for alerting global health authorities.

Hours after South African scientists announced the existence of a new variant that they said displayed “a big jump in evolution,” Britain banned travelers from southern African nations. Other European nations and the United States quickly followed suit.

“I do apologize that people took a very radical decision,” said Tulio de Oliveira, director of the KwaZulu-Natal Research and Innovation Sequencing Platform and the scientist who announced the new variant on Thursday.

Fresh from a virtual meeting with global health leaders, including Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, President Biden’s top medical adviser on the coronavirus, Mr. Oliveira told journalists he believed that international solidarity would be in favor of South Africa’s decision to publicize its findings.

The variant, named Omicron by the World Health Organization, was first detected in South Africa and in neighboring Botswana. The government in Botswana announced that four initial cases were all foreign diplomats who had since left, and that contact tracing was continuing.
Cases have also now been spotted in Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel, in travelers sometimes returning from countries other than South Africa or Botswana, and suspected cases are being investigated in Germany and the Czech Republic.

The economies of South Africa and Botswana are reliant on tourists from the United States, Europe and China. South Africa’s tourism minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, described the temporary travel bans as “devastating.” Earlier this year, South African diplomats and scientists lobbied the British government to lift a previous ban that had already crippled tourism.

“We had been on the British red list and we worked our way out of it and with no notification we find ourselves back on the red list,” Ms. Sisulu told a national television station.

“Perhaps our scientists’ ability to trace some of these variants has been our biggest weakness,” Ms. Sisulu said. “We’re finding ourselves punished for the work that we do.”

Health officials in Africa suggested that increased screening at points of entry, or even longer quarantine periods, would have been a better alternative.

“This will just discourage different countries for sharing information which might be very important for global public health,” said Thierno Balde, incident manager for the Covid-19 emergency response for the World Health Organization’s regional office in Africa.

South Africa’s transparency was criticized by some local officials and businesspeople. Geordin Hill-Lewis, the mayor of Cape Town, said South African officials should have consulted their “travel partners” before making the announcement.

In January 2020, before global travel restrictions over the coronavirus pandemic, 93,315 international tourists arrived at Cape Town International airport, according to Statistics South Africa. By May 2021, that number had dropped to 4,821.

After the travel restrictions imposed after the highly transmissible Delta variant, Mr. Hill-Lewis said he believed that South African authorities should have expected the restrictions.

“That should have been foreseen and some heavy diplomacy put into action,” he said.

But Craig Lucke, a Cape Town-based guide who operates tours in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa called the countries’ actions “a total shocker.”
— Lynsey Chutel

More countries restrict travel from southern Africa.

As Saturday dawned around the world, more countries were introducing restrictions on travelers from southern Africa over concerns about the emerging Omicron coronavirus variant.

Australia announced on Saturday that it had closed its borders to noncitizens from nine southern African countries — South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, the Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique — and that flights from there would be immediately suspended for 14 days. Australian citizens who arrive from those countries will need to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks, and anyone who has already arrived in the last two weeks must immediately isolate, officials said.

No cases of the Omicron variant have been recorded yet in Australia, although 20 people who recently arrived from South Africa are isolating in a quarantine camp, the country’s health minister, Greg Hunt, said at a news conference on Saturday. One person out of the 20 has tested positive for the virus and the case is being studied.

Thailand, Oman, Morocco and Sri Lanka announced similar restrictions on Saturday. Japan also said that it would tighten border controls for arrivals from three more countries — Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia — a day after announcing similar measures for South Africa and six other nations.

The World Trade Organization said it had indefinitely postponed its Ministerial Conference, which had been scheduled to start on Tuesday in Geneva, because newly imposed travel restrictions in Switzerland and other European countries would have prevented many ministers from attending. The conference is the W.T.O.’s highest rule-making body.

The government of Canada said late Friday that it would bar foreign nationals who had been in seven of the countries within two weeks of their planned arrival in Canada. Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have been in the region within two weeks of coming home can still return but will face enhanced testing and quarantine protocols, regardless of their vaccination status.

The Omicron variant had not been detected in Canada as of Friday night. The government described its new restrictions as a precautionary step and cited similar actions in Britain, the European Union and the United States.

Saudi Arabia has also suspended flights to and from seven southern African countries, the country’s official news agency reported on Friday. And Ciro Nogueira, the chief of staff to President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, said on Twitter that the country would halt its air traffic with six African countries on Monday.

Russia said in a statement published online on Friday that it would restrict entry starting Sunday for foreign citizens from eight southern African countries and in Hong Kong, which reported two cases of the variant on Friday. The restrictions also apply to foreign citizens who have traveled in those territories within the last 10 days.

“This variant has not yet been found on the territory of Russia,” the statement said. The restrictions will come into effect from midnight.

The W.H.O. has said that the Omicron variant carries a number of genetic mutations that may allow it to spread quickly, perhaps even among the vaccinated.

The speed at which travel restrictions have been imposed on southern African nations in recent days demonstrates how, two years into the pandemic, many policymakers would now rather risk overreacting to a new threat than underreacting.

“These new measures are being put in place out of an abundance of caution,” Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada’s health minister, said in a statement. “We will continue to do what is necessary to protect the health of Canadians.”

Todd Gregory contributed reporting.
— Mike Ives, John Yoon, Yan Zhuang and Aina J. Khan

How did Omicron get its name?
Markets plunged on Friday, hope of taming the coronavirus dimmed and a new term entered the pandemic lexicon: Omicron.

The Covid-19 variant that emerged in South Africa was named after the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet.

The naming system, announced by the World Health Organization in May, makes public communication about variants easier and less confusing, the agency and experts said.

For example, the variant that emerged in India is not popularly known as B.1.617.2. Rather, it is known as Delta, the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet.

There are now seven “variants of interest” or “variants of concern,” and they each have a Greek letter, according to a W.H.O. tracking page.
— Vimal Patel

The Omicron variant has worrisome mutations, but scientists say vaccines seem likely to work against it.

Scientific experts at the World Health Organization warned on Friday that a new coronavirus variant discovered in southern Africa was a “variant of concern,” the most serious category the agency uses for such tracking.

The designation, announced after an emergency meeting of the health body, is reserved for dangerous variants that may spread quickly, cause severe disease or decrease the effectiveness of vaccines or treatments. The last coronavirus variant to receive this label was Delta, which took off this summer and now accounts for virtually all Covid cases in the United States.

The W.H.O. said the new version, named Omicron, carries a number of genetic mutations that may allow it to spread quickly, perhaps even among the vaccinated.

Independent scientists agreed that Omicron warranted urgent attention, but also pointed out that it would take more research to determine the extent of the threat. Although some variants of concern, like Delta, have lived up to initial worries, others have had a limited impact.

William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and other researchers said that vaccines will most likely protect against Omicron, but further studies are needed to determine how much of the shots’ effectiveness may be reduced.

As the coronavirus replicates inside people, new mutations constantly arise. Most provide the virus with no new advantage. When worrisome mutations do emerge, the World Health Organization uses Greek letters to name the variants. The first “variant of concern,” Alpha, appeared in Britain in late 2020, soon followed by Beta in South Africa.

Omicron first came to light in Botswana, where researchers at the Botswana Harvard H.I.V. Reference Laboratory in Gaborone sequenced the genes of coronaviruses from positive test samples. They found some samples sharing about 50 mutations not found in such a combination before. So far, six people have tested positive for Omicron in Botswana, according to an international database of variants.

Around the same time, researchers in South Africa stumbled across Omicron in a cluster of cases in the province of Gauteng. As of Friday, they have listed 58 Omicron samples on the variant database. But at a news conference on Thursday, Tulio de Oliveira, the director of the Centre for Epidemic Response & Innovation in South Africa, said that “close to two or three hundred” genetic sequences of Omicron cases would be released in the next few days.
— Carl Zimmer

President Biden will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other African countries to try to contain a troubling new variant of the coronavirus, senior administration officials said on Friday, though they said it would be impossible to prevent it from entering the United States.

Starting on Monday, the administration will prohibit travelers from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi from coming to the United States, the officials said.

The travel ban will not apply to American citizens or lawful permanent residents, officials said. But they will need to show a negative coronavirus test before coming to the United States.

Mr. Biden made the decision after he was briefed by advisers including Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, who said in an interview Friday that the variant appeared to be spreading rapidly and that he and other health officials in the United States were consulting with South African scientists. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in a statement late Friday that no cases of the new variant had been identified in the United States.

The White House announced the decision after the World Health Organization said the newly detected version of the virus, labeled Omicron, was “a variant of concern,” a category for dangerous variants that may spread quickly, cause severe disease or decrease the effectiveness of vaccines or treatments.

Tracking Omicron and Other Coronavirus Variants

“I’ve decided that we’re going to be cautious,” Mr. Biden told reporters in Nantucket. “We don’t know a lot about the variant except that it is a great concern and seems to spread rapidly.”
By imposing the travel restrictions, the administration will not stop the virus from coming to the United States. But it can give health officials and pharmaceutical companies time to determine whether the current vaccines work against the new variant — and if not, to create new vaccines that do.

“It’s going to buy us some time,” Dr. Fauci said. “It’s not going to be possible to keep this infection out of the country. The question is: Can you slow it down?”

Dr. Fauci said the new variant has about 30 mutations, and roughly 10 of them are on a part of the virus that is associated with transmissibility and immune protection. That suggests the virus may be more transmissible and may escape the current vaccines “to an extent yet to be determined.”

He said there had been some breakthrough infections among those who had recovered from the Delta variant, and among those who were vaccinated.

But at the same time, he said, scientists do not know the severity of the infections caused by the new variant. It is entirely possible that it spreads more quickly but causes less severe disease.

“You don’t want to say don’t worry, and you don’t want to say you’ve got to worry yourself sick, because we’re gathering information rapidly,” he said, adding, “Even though the numbers are still small, the doubling time is pretty rapid and the slope of the increase is really rather sharp.”
Biden administration officials said they were continuing to work with health officials in other countries to learn more about the variant.

“Restricting travel is going to slow its coming, not stop it from coming,” said Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, chair of the department of medical ethics at the University of Pennsylvania and an adviser to the president during his transition. “The fact that it’s coming here is inevitable. The environment in which it comes may not be inevitable. We can alter the environment.”

Mr. Biden said on Friday that the rise of the Omicron variant was another reason for vaccinated Americans to get boosters and unvaccinated Americans to get inoculated — a point Dr. Fauci echoed. And Mr. Biden said the development should push the international community to donate more vaccines to nations suffering from a lack of access or poor vaccination rates.

Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota who also advised Mr. Biden during his transition, said the administration had little choice on implementing the travel ban.

But Dr. Osterholm said it could take time before scientists know if the current vaccines are effective against the variant, and how transmissible it is. One way to figure that out is through laboratory studies, which will take several weeks, he said. Another way is to follow breakthrough cases in people who are already vaccinated, which could take months.

— Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Sheryl Gay Stolberg

Medical students helping to fight Covid get a holiday gift.

For 956 students at one of the largest historically Black medical colleges, an unexpected gift of gratitude arrived in their bank accounts just in time for Thanksgiving.

The students, from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, have been pivotal in helping their city keep coronavirus testing sites staffed for the last 19 months — and, more recently, in helping run vaccination clinics.

That work inspired Dr. James Hildreth, Meharry’s president, to send each student $10,000 on Wednesday.

“I’m thankful for you students, and the future of health care, public health and research that is entrusted to you,” he said in a video message to them. “That future looks bright.”

The money comes from the $40 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds earmarked for colleges and universities. Schools are required to spend at least half on emergency grants to students.

Some historically Black colleges and universities have used the funds to ease student debt. Dr. Hildreth did not tell Meharry students how to spend the cash infusion, though he did offer advice.

“We felt that there was no better way to begin distributing these funds than by giving to our students who will soon give so much to our world,” he said in the video. He added, “The ten thousand dollars is yours to manage, but I would be remiss if I didn’t strongly advise you this Thanksgiving to be good stewards of what you’ve been given. I know Black Friday shopping is tempting, but you’d be well advised to use the funds to pay expenses related to your education and training.”

The pandemic has been a difficult time for Meharry students, requiring virtual classes, shortened clinical rotations and delayed licensing exams, said Dwight Johnson II, a fourth-year student from Brownsville, Tenn., who is his class chaplain.

“Many of us had family members and friends that passed away,” Mr. Johnson said. “Also, prior to the release of vaccinations, going into hospitals each day knowing that you may be exposed to Covid and have to be taken out of your rotations for quarantine was an extremely stressful experience.”

The announcement came as Mr. Johnson, 27, was selling his couch for $50, so he said he was “overjoyed when I got the news.”

“I plan on using the money to alleviate some of my debt, study resources for my upcoming licensing exam, and for my honeymoon, as I’ll be getting married in May,” he said. “My fiancée is also a fourth-year medical student at Meharry, so this gift completely changed how we’ll be able to begin our lives together.”

Mr. Johnson is applying for a gynecological residency position, and he plans to work in an underserved community to help reduce disparities in maternal mortality. The work, he said, is in the spirit of his great-grandfather, who started funeral and insurance businesses to address the denial of basic services to Black citizens during the Jim Crow era.

“I’ve also spoken to some other classmates, and we are interested in organizing some way to give back to the various workers at Meharry in time for Christmas,” he said. “We understand the importance of paying it forward and are grateful to be in a position to help others.”
— Adeel Hassan

As global concern rose on Friday about a new coronavirus variant, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in New York, giving her the power to order hospitals to limit nonessential procedures to boost capacity in facilities.

The new variant, called Omicron, has officially been named a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization. The designation means that the variant has mutations that might make it more contagious or more virulent, or make vaccines and other preventive measures less effective — though none of those effects has yet been established.

The new measures in New York — which saw thousands of deaths from Covid-19 in 2020 — will take effect on Dec. 3, and are a far cry from the strict, society-wide restrictions which accompanied the early stages of the pandemic.

Still, the quick action by Gov. Hochul suggests the high level of concern not just about rising numbers of new cases across the state in recent weeks, but about the Omicron variant, which has already prompted several countries, including the United States, to restrict travelers from southern Africa.

“We continue to see warning signs of spikes this upcoming winter, and while the new Omicron variant has yet to be detected in New York State, it’s coming,” Ms. Hochul, a Democrat, said in a statement, adding that vaccination remained a critical tool in fighting the virus.

Rates of positive tests in New York have crept up recently, even as vaccination rates have improved, with some counties recording positivity rates of more than 10 percent. In the two weeks before Thanksgiving Day, the daily average of new cases reported in New York rose 37 percent, to 6,666, according to a New York Times database. More than 56,000 people have died of the disease in New York.
— Jesse McKinley

The Omicron Variant: We Still Know Almost Nothing [The Atlantic, 27 Nov 2021]

By Katherine J. Wu

Here’s everything we do.

As fall dips into winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the coronavirus has served up the holiday gift that no one, absolutely no one, asked for: a new variant of concern, dubbed Omicron by the World Health Organization on Friday.

Omicron, also known as B.1.1.529, was first detected in Botswana and South Africa earlier this month, and very little is known about it so far. But the variant is moving fast. South Africa, the country that initially flagged Omicron to WHO this week, has experienced a surge of new cases—some reportedly in people who were previously infected or vaccinated—and the virus has already spilled across international borders into places such as Hong Kong, Belgium, Israel, and the United Kingdom. Several nations are now selectively shutting down travel to impede further spread. For instance, on Monday, the United States will start restricting travel from Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi.

It’s a lot of news to process, and it comes without a lot of baseline knowledge about the virus itself. Scientists around the world are still scrambling to gather intel on three essential metrics: how quickly the variant spreads; if it’s capable of causing more serious disease; and whether it might be able to circumvent the immune protection left behind by past SARS-CoV-2 infections or COVID-19 vaccines, or evade immune-focused treatments such as monoclonal antibodies.

All are risks because of the sheer number of mutations Omicron appears to have picked up: More than 30 of them are in SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein, the multi-tool the virus uses to crack its way into human cells—and the snippet of the pathogen that’s the central focus of nearly all of the world’s COVID-19 vaccines. Alterations like these have been spotted in other troublesome variants, including Alpha and Delta, both of which used their super-speedster properties to blaze across the globe. (Omicron is only a distant cousin of both, not a direct descendant.) If—if—Omicron moves even faster than its predecessors, we could be in for another serious pandemic gut punch.

But it’s way too early to know if that’ll be the case. What’s known so far absolutely warrants attention—not panic. Viruses mutate; they always do. Not all variants of concern turn out to be,
well, all that concerning; many end up being mere blips in the pandemic timeline. As Omicron knocks up against its viral competitors, it may struggle to gain a toehold; it could yet be quelled through a combination of vaccines and infection-prevention measures such as masks and distancing. Vaccine makers have already announced plans to test their shots’ effectiveness against the new variant—with data to emerge in the coming weeks—and explore new dosing strategies that might help tamp down its spread. Omicron might be set up for some success, but a lot of its future also depends on us.

To help put Omicron in perspective, I caught up with Boghuma Kabisen Titanji, an infectious-disease physician, virologist, and global-health expert at Emory University. Our conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Katherine J. Wu: Why don’t we yet know for sure how worried we need to be about Omicron?

Boghuma Kabisen Titanji: What we do know about the variant is this: Some of its spike-protein mutations have been seen in other variants and other lineages described earlier on in the pandemic, and have been associated with increased transmissibility and the ability of the virus to evade the immune response. What we don’t know, and what is really hard to predict, is what the combination of mutations will do together. This particular variant now appears to be outcompeting other circulating variants in South Africa—there have been these clusters of cases. That is actually what led to this variant being identified in the surveillance systems that they have in place there. That raises the concern that the variant is more transmissible or may be escaping the effects of the immune response induced by vaccines or infection from earlier strains. But we really don’t know that for sure yet.

The disconnect is this: The surveillance systems have worked exactly in the way they are designed to. It makes us know what to look out for. However, when these systems pick up a signal, we don’t immediately get the epidemiologic data we need to know all of the impacts a new variant can have. That takes time. Right now, we have a limited number of [viral genomic] sequences, and a limited number of cases. Now the alert is out. People will start looking for this new variant, not only in the countries that initially reported on this, but now worldwide. There’s now a search to make sure this variant is well-characterized. That’s when we will gain a better understanding of whether it’s causing more severe disease, how much it is escaping immunity, and how transmissible it is.

It’s important to keep in mind that other variants of concern have emerged before, including immune-evasive variants like Beta, which was first identified in South Africa, but eventually petered out.

Wu: Could we have seen the arrival of Omicron coming?
Titanji: Viruses are going to evolve regardless of what we do. There are things we can do to slow that down: barrier measures [such as masking], vaccinating. And there are things that we can do that can maybe speed up or aid the evolution of the virus. One is if we’re not doing what we need to do to prevent spread of the virus within the population.

Every time a virus spreads, it gets another opportunity to infect a new host, and it gets another opportunity to evolve and change and adapt.

All of this means that it is worth having a conversation about whether the slow rollout of vaccines globally has had an impact. In certain parts of the world, not enough people have been given a measure of protection to allow them to be able to withstand infection, and to slow down transmission of the virus. Are we actually giving the virus an opportunity to spread unrestricted in certain places and drive its evolutionary trend? It’s basically exposing ourselves to the emergence of more variants. So this was predictable. If the virus has the opportunity to spread unchecked in the population, then we’re giving it multiple ways in which to evolve and adapt.

If we had ensured that everyone had equal access to vaccination and really pushed the agenda on getting global vaccination to a high level, then maybe we could have possibly delayed the emergence of new variants, such as the ones that we’re witnessing.

Wu: We’re still dealing with Delta, a previous variant of concern. Where do we go from here?
Titanji: A good place to start is reminding people that we are definitely not where we were two years ago, when SARS-CoV-2 emerged. We now have a better understanding of how the virus is transmitted from person to person. We have antivirals that are coming down the pike. We have a better understanding of how to manage and treat cases of people who do get infected. We have vaccines and incredible mRNA technology that allows us to adapt quickly to a changing virus, and we will have second-generation vaccines. It’s definitely not back to square one.

Secondly, this does not mean that the vaccines that people have are now completely useless—the doses they have received are not null and void. We have not yet seen a variant of concern emerge that has been able to completely escape the effect of vaccines. The immunity from the vaccines may be less protective, which may translate into more post-vaccine infections from a new variant, if it takes off. But that is yet to be determined.

We also know that a booster dose really does boost the antibody response. A new variant could dent the [protection offered by the immune system], but that usually happens in degrees. There is still going to be immune responsiveness from previous immunizations, and infections from ancestral versions of the virus. It may simply mean that you need more of those antibodies to be able to neutralize that new variant of concern. We also have T cells, which play a role and may not be as impacted by the variant.

This variant could not have chosen a worse time to emerge. We’re in flu season. This is a time when respiratory viruses tend to spread quite efficiently. And we are in the holiday season, and there’s a lot of traveling, and a lot of people getting together with family. But it’s certainly not the time for people to let their guard down, or relax on nonpharmaceutical interventions.
People have to be mindful of wearing their mask when they’re out in public, or in crowded areas with people whose vaccination status they may not know. People have to be mindful of getting tested when they feel unwell, and isolating appropriately and doing all of those things that we have learned how to do over the course of the past two years, and that we know are effective in mitigating the spread of virus. The same measures will still work while we figure out just what this new variant means for us. Get your boosters. We’ll figure it out.

Wu: Several countries instituted travel bans this week, many of them primarily focused on African countries, where surveillance systems detected Omicron not long ago. How big of an impact might that make?
Titanji: Historically, there is a lot of evidence that by the time a travel ban is instituted, the virus has already gone … and potentially well beyond the borders of the countries that [the ban is] restricting travel from. Instituting travel bans as a knee-jerk reaction can send the wrong message to countries that are contributing to the global effort of virus surveillance. We could end up disincentivizing countries from reporting because they fear retaliation. There are other measures that could be taken to ensure that travel is safe. For example, to get an international flight, you have to be fully vaccinated as a requirement for most countries, or show proof of negative tests.

We will be better served if we put the emphasis on the countries that have seen the highest number of cases of this new emerging variant: providing them with the resources to actually contain the variant, and making sure that they have the resources for testing, for isolating cases, for doing the science that we need to better understand Omicron.

Wu: Some countries are already deep into their rollout of booster shots, and have, in recent months, lifted many restrictions; others are still barely making a dent in administering first doses. Regardless of where we go with Omicron, what does this say about our approach to COVID-19 as a global society?

Titanji: What this reiterates is that the world is so interconnected. We are in a global pandemic, and we cannot address this fully if we only have regional solutions. The solutions really have to be with a global mindset. And that global mindset means that the resources we have—vaccination, testing, access to therapeutics, and also the support to carry out appropriate surveillance—need to be equally accessible and equitably distributed in all parts of the world.

We can’t leave people behind. The virus will catch up with us regardless of where you are, regardless of what country you’re located in. You may be fully vaccinated, you may have had your booster, but you’re not that disconnected from the person who lives in a country where only 2 percent of the population is vaccinated, and who doesn’t have access to any of the treatments. We need to have less of an inward-looking focus. Because otherwise we’re just going to prolong how long we stay in this pandemic.

New Coronavirus News from 28 Nov 2021

U.S. Governors Respond to Omicron Variant [The New York Times, 28 Nov 2021]

By Melina Delkic and Giulia Heyward

Governors urge caution in the United States on the Omicron variant.

Governors across the United States tried to reassure Americans on Sunday that their administrations were closely monitoring the impact of a new coronavirus variant that has alarmed scientists.

Gov. Ned Lamont of Connecticut issued a statement on Sunday reminding his constituents to remain vigilant even though the new variant, known as Omicron, had yet to be detected in the United States.

“Given the number of countries where Omicron has already been detected, it may already be present in the U.S.,” he said in the statement.

Other state leaders took the same tone, urging caution as well as highlighting the measures they had already put in place earlier in the pandemic. Mr. Lamont pointed to the network of labs sequencing genomes in his state and reminded residents to wear masks in indoor public spaces.

Next door in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Friday. Under her executive order, all state agencies are authorized “to take appropriate action to assist local governments and individuals” in containing and responding to the coronavirus. Although the measures are a far cry from early pandemic rules, they were the nation’s first attempt to accelerate preparation for the arrival of the Omicron variant.

“We continue to see warning signs of spikes this upcoming winter, and while the new Omicron variant has yet to be detected in New York State, it’s coming,” Ms. Hochul said in a release.
Coronavirus cases in the United States by region

Gov. Gavin Newsom of California said on Twitter on Sunday that the state was monitoring the new variant. He did not announce any new measures but said that the coronavirus vaccine and booster shot were essential.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health echoed that message and said in a statement, “More studies are needed to determine whether the Omicron variant is more contagious, more deadly or resistant to vaccine and treatments than other Covid-19 strains.” The department added that people in Los Angeles should adhere to existing mask requirements.

“While we are still learning much about Omicron, we know enough about Covid to take steps now that can reduce transmission as we prepare to better understand the additional strategies that may needed to mitigate this new variant of concerns,” the statement said.

Health leaders in the United States have said that it is all but inevitable that the variant will reach the country and called this a time for caution but not panic.

The Coronavirus Pandemic: Key Things to Know

Card 1 of 4
The Omicron variant. The latest variant was identified on Nov. 25 by scientists in South Africa.
As experts race to learn more, it’s still unclear if the variant leads to severe illness and how effective vaccines will be against it. Use our tracker to see where Omicron has been detected.
Travel restrictions and lockdowns. As more Omicron cases emerge globally, countries are responding in varied ways. Japan joined Israel and Morocco in barring all foreign travelers, and Australia delayed reopening its borders for two weeks. Here’s a list of where U.S. citizens can travel right now.

What officials are saying. President Biden sought to reassure the U.S. on Monday, telling Americans that the variant is “a cause for concern, not a cause for panic.” W.H.O. officials warned that the global risk posed by Omicron was “very high”, and the C.D.C said all adults “should” get booster shots.

Economic impact. After stocks dropped heavily following the initial news of Omicron’s discovery, global markets appeared to steady on Monday. Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, will tell lawmakers on Tuesday that Omicron creates more inflation uncertainty.

“We’re going to get better information about this,” Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, said on the CNN program “State of the Union.” “But there’s no reason to panic. But it is a great reason to go get boosted.”

Some leaders sought to reassure residents. Gov. Dan McKee of Rhode Island said that its health department was not aware of any cases in the state linked to the variant, although he said that the state would continue to be on the lookout.

“The best way to keep RI safe: Get vaccinated. Get your booster,” he said on Twitter.
On Sunday, his office issued a statement saying that the state’s health laboratories already perform genomic surveillance on samples, “which would identify the Omicron variant.”

Two governors of more conservative states addressed concerns about the variant, too, but maintained their position that vaccine mandates were off the table for now.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas said on “State of the Union” that while a new variant “is a great concern,” encouraging vaccinations would work better than forcing them.

Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi made similar statements on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “We’re certainly monitoring this new variant,” he said. “We don’t have all the data that we need to make decisions at this time.”

World Omicron Fight Hindered by Fragmented Response [The New York Times, 28 Nov 2021]

By Jason Horowitz

Almost two years into the pandemic, finger-pointing, lack of coordination, sparse information and fear are once again influencing policy.

ROME — In a wrenchingly familiar cycle of tracking first cases, pointing fingers and banning travel, nations worldwide reacted Monday to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the piecemeal fashion that has defined — and hobbled — the pandemic response all along.

As here-we-go-again fear and resignation gripped much of the world, the World Health Organization warned that the risk posed by the heavily mutated variant was “very high.” But operating once again in a vacuum of evidence, governments chose approaches that differed between continents, between neighboring countries, and even between cities within those countries.

Little is known about Omicron beyond its large number of mutations; it will be weeks, at least, before scientists can say with confidence whether it is more contagious — early evidence suggests it is — whether it causes more serious illness, and how it responds to vaccines.

In China, which had been increasingly alone in sealing itself off as it sought to eradicate the virus, a newspaper controlled by the Communist Party gloated about democracies that are now following suit as Japan, Australia and other countries gave up flirting with a return to normalcy and slammed their borders shut to the world. The West, it said, had hoarded vaccines at the expense of poorer regions, and was now paying a price for its selfishness.

In the United States, federal officials called Monday on vaccinated people to get booster shots.
President Biden sought to reassure Americans, saying that the new variant is “a cause for concern, not a cause for panic” and that his administration was already working with vaccine manufacturers to modify vaccines, should that prove necessary.

“We’re throwing everything we have at this virus, tracking it from every angle,” the president said in an appearance at the White House.

In southern Africa, where scientists first identified Omicron amid a largely unvaccinated population, leaders deplored the travel bans as ruinous and counterproductive to tracking the virus, saying they could discourage transparency about outbreaks. African officials also noted that because of the inequity in distribution of vaccines, the continent faces this latest variant with little to no protection.

But with vaccine deliveries to Africa becoming more reliable, some states looked to a vaccine mandate to curb the spread of the coronavirus. On Sunday, Ghana’s government announced that government employees, health care workers and staff and students at most schools must be vaccinated by Jan. 22.

Europe which has acted in unusual concert in barring travel from southern Africa, is speeding up booster shots in the hope that they will work against Omicron, and adjusting or reconsidering a hodgepodge of social-distancing measures, even in restriction-resistant countries such as Britain.

“The lack of a consistent and coherent global approach has resulted in a splintered and disjointed response, breeding misunderstanding, misinformation and mistrust,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization director.

The W.H.O. convened a three-day special session to discuss a treaty that would ensure prompt sharing of data and technology and equitable access to vaccines. The European Union has pushed for the agreement to be legally binding, but the United States has balked.

The very proposal underlined that two years into a devastating pandemic that has killed millions, devastated national economies and robbed many of the world’s children of nearly two years of formative experiences, there is still no global plan for getting out of it.

As the largely vaccinated West clings to initial reports that Omicron may cause milder illness and may be susceptible to vaccines, entire swaths of Africa remain essentially unvaccinated.
Some nations, like South Africa, have sufficient doses but have struggled to distribute them. Others lack the freezers, logistical infrastructure and medical personnel to inoculate their populations.

That has given the virus plenty of time and bodies in which to multiply and mutate.

The travel bans are intended to buy time as scientists determine whether the mutations in new variant will allow it to dodge existing vaccines. But they also seemed to suggest that core lessons from the early phase of the pandemic must be learned again: An infection discovered somewhere is likely everywhere — or may be soon enough — and a single case detected means many more undetected.

On Monday, Portugal reported 13 Omicron cases — all tied to a single soccer team — and Scotland reported six, while the numbers in South Africa continued to soar.

Experts warned that the variant will reach every part of the world, if it hasn’t already.

The leaders of the world’s top powers insisted that they understood this, but their assurances also had a strong whiff of geopolitics.

President Xi Jinping of China offered one billion doses of Covid vaccine to Africa, on top of nearly 200 million that Beijing has already shipped to the continent, during an address to a conference in Senegal by video link.

The Global Times, a Chinese tabloid controlled by the Communist Party, boasted of China’s success in thwarting virus transmission, and said the West was now paying the price for its selfish policies. “Western countries control most of the resources needed to fight the Covid-19 pandemic,” it wrote. “But they have failed to curb the spread of the virus and have exposed more and more developing countries to the virus.”

Mr. Biden said the United States had sent more free vaccines abroad than all other countries in the world combined. “Now we need the rest of the world to step up as well,” he said.

European health ministers seemed to agree.

“The identification of the Omicron variant in the southern part of Africa confirms the urgency to do more to vaccinate the population of the most fragile countries,” Italy’s health minister, Roberto Speranza, said at a virtual meeting of health ministers representing seven of the world’s wealthiest large democracies.

He called on those countries to help administer vaccines. “It is not enough to donate doses,” Mr. Speranza said.

Within a few days of seeing evidence of a new variant, South African scientists, who run the continent’s most advanced genomic sequencing labs, had identified it. Last Wednesday, they made their findings public.

After other parts of the world, including the United States and the European Union, responded with travel bans on southern Africa, South African officials protested that their country was being punished for its speed and transparency.

The Coronavirus Pandemic: Key Things to Know

Card 1 of 4
The Omicron variant. The latest variant was identified on Nov. 25 by scientists in South Africa.
As experts race to learn more, it’s still unclear if the variant leads to severe illness and how effective vaccines will be against it. Use our tracker to see where Omicron has been detected.

Travel restrictions and lockdowns. As more Omicron cases emerge globally, countries are responding in varied ways. Japan joined Israel and Morocco in barring all foreign travelers, and Australia delayed reopening its borders for two weeks. Here’s a list of where U.S. citizens can travel right now.

What officials are saying. President Biden sought to reassure the U.S. on Monday, telling Americans that the variant is “a cause for concern, not a cause for panic.” W.H.O. officials warned that the global risk posed by Omicron was “very high”, and the C.D.C said all adults “should” get booster shots.

Economic impact. After stocks dropped heavily following the initial news of Omicron’s discovery, global markets appeared to steady on Monday. Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, will tell lawmakers on Tuesday that Omicron creates more inflation uncertainty.

Responses to the coronavirus have been as varied as the nations that are threatened by it.

Israel, the first nation to block travel in response to Omicron, granted its intelligence service temporary permission to monitor the phone data of people with confirmed cases of the variant.

In Italy, which has kept infections low with some of the most stringent rules in Europe, the country’s conference of mayors urged the government to impose a national outdoor mask mandate from Dec. 6 until Jan. 15, as crowds gather to shop for and celebrate Christmas.

Even Britain, which has taken a lax approach to mask wearing and other social-distancing measures, has stepped up its response in the face of Omicron. The country introduced new mask mandates and new travel restrictions and appeared to soften its opposition to vaccine passports and requiring masks in restaurants. And Britain’s vaccine advisory board announced on Monday that it is suggesting an expansion of the country’s booster program.

In Germany, already hard hit by the latest pandemic wave, fear of the Omicron variant was palpable.

“It feels different from the first bits of information we got about the Delta variant,” said Christian Drosten, a prominent German virologist, describing himself as “pretty worried.”

On Monday, the German government announced that Angela Merkel, state governors and Olaf Scholz, who is to succeed Ms. Merkel as chancellor next week, had moved up a planned meeting about potential lockdown measures by nine days.

“We need to buy time,” said Karl Lauterbach, a member of the Parliament and public health expert who is considered a strong candidate to be the new German government’s health minister, said on Twitter. “Nothing is worse than a new variant into an ongoing wave.”

Pauline Londeix, a prominent French advocate for broader access to medicines and transparent drug policies, told France Inter radio on Monday that variants would continue to emerge unless richer countries shared more vaccines. “We need a much more systemic approach,” she said.

The European Commission on Monday urged member states not to impose additional travel restrictions on their citizens.

In contrast to Europe’s patchwork of regulations, China has had a more consistent and plainer policy: It is essentially sealed off as it pursues a “zero Covid” strategy.

China has steadfastly kept a high wall against visitors from the rest of the world. Foreign residents and visa holders are allowed in only under limited circumstances, leading to concerns by some within the business world that Covid restrictions were leaving the country increasingly isolated.

Visitors must submit to two-week quarantines upon arrival and face potential limits on their movement after that. Movements are tracked via monitoring smartphone apps, which display color codes that can signal whether a person has traveled from or through an area with recent infections, triggering instructions to remain in one place.

In other parts of Asia, people are less focused on eradicating the virus than just surviving it.

“This news is terrifying,” said Gurinder Singh, 57, in New Delhi, who worried about his shop going under. “If this virus spreads in India, the government will shut the country again, and we will be forced to beg.”

Reporting was contributed by Declan Walsh from Nairobi, Patrick Kingsley from Jerusalem, Carlos Tejada from Seoul, Sameer Yasir from Srinagar, India, Lynsey Chutel from South Africa, Aurelien Breeden from Paris, Elian Peltier and Monika Pronczuk from Brussels, Megan Specia from London, Christopher F. Schuetze from Berlin, Emma Bubola from Rome and Nick Cumming-Bruce from Geneva.

Omicron Covid-19 variant could already be in U.S., Fauci says [NBC News, 28 Nov 2021]

By Nicole Acevedo

"We have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility," it will "go essentially all over,” Biden's chief medical adviser said.


It is possible that omicron, a new coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa, could already be in the United States, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

While there are no confirmed cases of the new variant in the States, Fauci said he "would not be surprised" if omicron already made its way to the U.S.

"We have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility and you're already having travel-related cases that they've been noted in Israel and Belgium and in other places — when you have a virus like this, it almost invariably is ultimately going to go essentially all over,” Fauci told "Weekend TODAY" on Saturday.

The new variant is concerning because it "has a large number of mutations" that potentially makes this virus more contagious than other variants, according to Fauci.

"We don't know that yet, but we're going to assume that's the case," he said, adding that the large number of mutations also suggested the new variant "could evade the protection" of coronavirus treatments such as monoclonal antibodies and convalescent plasma as well as the Covid-19 vaccines.

"These are all maybes, but the suggestion is enough," Fauci said. "This is something we got to pay really close attention to and be prepared for something that's serious. It may not turn out that way, but you really want to be ahead of it."

Two cases of the variant have been identified in the U.K., Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Saturday. He added that the people involved were linked to each other and to travel to southern Africa, where omicron was first detected earlier this week.

As public health experts try to find concrete answers to questions about whether the omicron variant causes more severe illness and if it can evade protection from vaccines and treatments, President Joe Biden announced new travel restrictions Friday.

Restrictions for travelers from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi are set to begin Monday.

Travel restrictions are only helpful in giving the U.S. more time to better assess the situation and respond accordingly; it won't stop the spread of the new variant, Fauci said.

Fauci, who also serves as Biden's chief medical adviser, doubled down on how it is "absolutely essential that unvaccinated people get vaccinated and that vaccinated people get boosters" and wear masks during indoor congregations.

New Coronavirus News from 25 Nov 2021

COVID mortality by 50 times higher than that of swine flu — expert [TASS, 25 Nov 2021]

The key task for humankind now is to develop herd immunity to bring down lethality, Denis Logunov said

MOSCOW, November 25. /TASS/. COVID-19 mortality is 50 times as high as that of swine flu, deputy director of the Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Denis Logunov, said on Wednesday.

"Mortality from acute respiratory viral diseases is critically lower that mortality from COVID-19.

Mortality from flu, even of swine flu, is only 0.04% whereas mortality from COVID-19 is two percent, based on WHO statistics. The difference is by 50 times," he said in an interview with RT.

The key task for humankind now is to develop herd immunity to bring down lethality and reduce the burden on the public health system he stressed.

"High-level herd immunity will be developed when people are immune either after vaccination or after the disease, or when some of those vaccinated have a mild form of the disease. All these will matter," he said.

According to Russia’s anti-coronavirus crisis center, herd immunity to COVID-19 in Russia currently stands at 50.4%

Nipah Outbreak News in Bangladesh and elsewhere since 15 Oct 2021 till 29 Jan 2023

Bangladesh reports eight Nipah virus cases this season [Outbreak News Today, 29 Jan 2023]

The Bangladesh Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Zahid Maleque, announced that Nipah virus cases in the country have risen to eight, including five fatalities, according to a local media report.

This is more than the three cases that were reported in all 0f 2022.

The health minister notes that most of the cases were from Rajshahi Division.

This has prompted officials to urge the public not to drink raw date juice and not to eat half eaten fruit that may be found.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the mortality rate due to Nipah is between 40-75 percent globally. In Bangladesh, it stands at 71 percent.

Nipah is also one of the WHOs nine “priority diseases” (diseases that pose the greatest public health risk due to their epidemic potential and/or whether there is no or insufficient countermeasures)

According to icddr,b, the Nipah virus emerged in Bangladesh in 2001. Even if people recover from the sickness, they remain vulnerable to severe neurological issues. It also causes complications towards the end of pregnancy for women.

Bangladesh researchers: Transfer of immunity against Nipah virus from mother to child confirmed for the first time [Outbreak News Today, 26 Jan 2023]

Recently, a novel finding by icddr,b (formerly known as the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh) scientists, and partners published in the journal of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease have confirmed the transfer of humoral immunity against Nipah Virus (NiV) from mother to newborn baby for the first time. This paper described novel information on the vertical transfer of immune properties.

According to the World Health Organization, the mortality rate for NiV is estimated at 40% to 75% and in Bangladesh it is about 71%. The survivors of NiV infection suffer from severe neurological complications. Moreover, there is a high chance that these symptoms worsen progressively when a survivor becomes pregnant and approaches the term.

In January 2020, a baby girl aged below five years and her mother from the Faridpur district of Bangladesh were infected with NiV. Both had a history of raw date palm sap consumption and were diagnosed as confirmed NiV cases. Unfortunately the daughter passed away, and the mother survived with significant residual neurological impairment. She was conceived in November 2021 and was under thorough antenatal follow-up by the National Nipah surveillance authority. A healthy male baby was born in August 2022. As part of the follow-up, specimens were collected and tested for NiV infection at the reference laboratory to exclude vertical transmission. Although tested negative for anti-Nipah IgM and PCR for NiV, a high titer of anti-Nipah IgG was observed. The transfer of humoral immunity against NiV from the mother to the neonate was confirmed for the first time.

The study’s lead researcher, Dr Syed Moinuddin Satter, Assistant Scientist & Deputy Project Coordinator, Emerging Infections, Infectious Diseases Division at icddr,b said, “To best of our knowledge, this finding is the first to report the vertical transfer of NiV-specific immune properties. It warrants further exploration of its effectiveness in virus neutralization and its potential to protect newborns. This will also be a reference for vaccine recommendations for pregnant and young women against the Nipa Virus.”

To warn people from consuming raw date palm sap, Professor Dr Tahmina Shirin, Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), said, “Recently, we are observing a profound interest among people to consume raw date palm sap and also involve in promoting this culture through social media. People indulge in it without knowing the havoc it can create. Even if someone says they have taken precautions while collecting raw date palm sap, we would urge everyone not to drink raw date palm sap because it is still unsafe.”

Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, Executive Director at icddr,b appreciated the collaborative efforts and said, “icddr,b in partnership with the Government of Bangladesh has been running the world’s longest Nipah virus surveillance to detect Nipah Virus outbreaks, understanding the disease transmission, and finding new knowledge and insights that can help develop therapeutics and vaccines against this deadly infection. The effort has been rewarding, and I hope we will soon have effective preventive measures and treatments, and be able to save lives.”

NiV is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted through foods contaminated by animals or directly between people. Fruit bats from the genus Pteropus are its natural reservoir, and NiV, one of present time’s fatal emerging pathogens. In Bangladesh, the virus was first reported in 2001, and since then, the NiV has become endemic to this densely populated country, with confirmed cases reported almost every year. Until January 2023, a total of 331 cases of NiV infection have been reported, and 236 patients died.

Newborn receives Nipah antibody from mother: icddr,b [The Daily Star, 25 Jan 2023]

Researchers at the icddr,b have found evidence that a newborn received immunity against the Nipah virus from the mother who survived infection previously.

They revealed this after testing the specimen of a newborn whose mother survived a previous Nipah virus infection, said a press release of the icddr,b today.

The finding was published in the journal titled "Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease" on December 27 last year.

"To best of our knowledge, this finding is the first to report the transfer of Nipah virus-specific immune properties from mother to newborn… Hopefully this will be a reference for vaccine recommendations for pregnant and young women against the Nipah virus," Dr Syed Moinuddin Satter, the lead researcher of the study, said in the press release.

The mother and her baby girl aged under five in Faridpur were infected with the virus in January 2020 after they drank raw date juice. While the daughter died from the infection, the mother survived but had significant residual neurological impairment.

The woman later conceived in November 2021 and was under thorough antenatal follow-up by the National Nipah surveillance authority. A healthy male baby was born in August 2022.

Appreciating the revelation, Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, executive director at icddr,b, said, "I hope we will soon have effective preventive measures and treatments, and be able to save lives."

Prof Tahmina Shirin, director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), said, "Even if someone says they have taken precautions while collecting raw date palm sap, we would urge everyone not to drink raw date palm sap because it is still unsafe."

According to the World Health Organisation, the mortality rate for Nipah virus infection is estimated at 40-75 percent, and in Bangladesh, it is about 71 percent.

The survivors suffer from severe neurological complications. Moreover, there is a high chance that these symptoms worsen progressively when a survivor becomes pregnant and approaches the term.

Bangladesh: Additional Nipah virus death reported in 2023 . [Outbreak News Today, 23 Jan 2023]

In Rajshahi, near the Bangladesh-India border, a seven-year-old child died of Nipah virus Monday, according to local media.

The boy is the is the second victim that died of the virusthe Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in January 2023.

It is reported that the child drank raw date juice on Friday.

From 2001-2022, 325 Nipah virus cases were reported in Bangladesh, according to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), including more than 230 fatalities (more than a 70 percent case fatality rate).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus, meaning that it can spread between animals and people. Fruit bats, also called flying foxes, are the animal reservoir for NiV in nature. Nipah virus is also known to cause illness in pigs and people. Infection with NiV is associated with encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and can cause mild to severe illness and even death. Outbreaks occur almost annually in parts of Asia, primarily Bangladesh and India.

Nipah virus with Emily Gurley, PhD
Nipah virus infection can be prevented by avoiding exposure to sick pigs and bats in areas where the virus is present, and not drinking raw date palm sap which can be contaminated by an infected bat.

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Nipah virus continues to kill in silence [newagebd.net, 11 Jan 2023]

By Rashad Ahamad

The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research came up with the revelation at an event organised in the city to make people aware about the virus which is neglected by people.

According to the IEDCR statistics, 231 NiV deaths occurred out of 326 positive cases since the country first detected the disease in 2001 and started surveillance.

The IEDCR has recorded another death in Rajshahi district on January 3 due to the virus.
A 35-year-old woman died in the district hospital after she drank date juice while the country recorded three NiV deaths in 2022.

IEDCR director professor Tahmina Shirin at a seminar on Wednesday said that analysing history they found all the patients were infected with the disease after being consuming raw palm juice contaminated by bat saliva or urine and by the secondary contact with Nipah-infected persons or any food prepared from raw date/palm juice.

She urged people not to drink raw date juice to save them from one of the deadliest vector-borne diseases.

Tahmina said that those who survived also suffered from complexities for the rest of life.

Virologist professor Nazrul Islam told New Age that the vector-borne disease Nipah topped the second deadliest disease in the country as Rabies counted nearly 100 per cent deaths.
He said that cooked date juice was safe.

‘Nipah may cause contamination from half-eaten fruits and also from other contaminated animals,’ he said, asking people to maintain hand hygiene as well.

Virologists said that the NiV infection was an emerging vector-borne zoonotic infectious disease with significant public health risk as people across the country continued consuming raw date juice.

‘It is very unacceptable when educated people celebrate date juice festival despite knowing danger,’ said ASM Alamgir, a virologist.

So far NiV cases had already been detected in 32 of 64 districts across the country while the rest of the districts were under risk as well.

In terms of case detection, Rajbari, Faridpur, Lalmonirhat, Rajshahi, Jashore and Tangail were found among the top-infected districts.

NiV first emerged in Malaysia in 1998 while Bangladesh reported its first Nipah case in 2001 and so far India and Singapore also detected the virus.

Virologist Manjur Hossain Khan said that mainly Nipah was a winter disease when people harvested and consumed date juice.

Bangladesh has already experienced several Nipah outbreaks over the years including in 2001 when a total of nine people died out of 13 positive cases in Meherpur.

In 2004, 50 people died out of 67 Nipah-infected persons across the districts.

The highest over 30 infected patients were found in Faridpur district since the virus outbreak in 2004 and 2011.

The other notably infected districts are Lalmonirhat, Naogaon and Rajbari, with infected patients ranging between 21 and 30.

Nazrul Islam said that there was no treatment of the disease so far in the country that caused the highest deaths.

Patients with NiV die in hospital within two to three days of admission, he added.

IEDCR director Tahmina Shirin said that a team of researchers from Oxford University was working for vaccine development among other initiatives.

‘Vaccine development is still at a primary level,’ she pointed out.

The World Health Organisation has listed NiV as one of 10 viruses with pandemic potential.

Langya vs. Nipah: China's New Virus Spread by Shrews Has a Deadly Relative [Newsweek, 10 Aug 2022]

BY JESS THOMSON

L Langya henipavirus (LayV), a virus that spreads by shrews which has been identified in 35 people in China, has an extremely deadly relative: Nipah virus.

The latest Langya cases were announced in a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In it, Xiao-Ai Zhang, from the Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, and colleagues said cases had been found in two provinces: Shandong and Henan.

As reported by Focus Taiwan, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said it is starting to develop ways to track the Langya virus and that methods of sequencing its genome will be ready within a week.

Nipah virus outbreaks and symptoms

This new virus is a close relative of a previously reported, extremely deadly, Nipah virus. Both Nipah and Langya belong to the henipavirus family, which according to the World Health Organization (WHO) are classed as biosafety Level 4 viruses.

The Nipah virus is zoonotic, having evolved in fruit bats. It is able to be transmitted to humans via animals like bats or pigs, contaminated foods, and between humans.

It is fatal in between 40 to 75 percent of cases. The fatality rate, however, varies on local capabilities.

Nipah was first discovered during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia in 1999. Two years later, cases were found in Bangladesh. There have been an outbreaks almost every year in India ever since.

Other regions known to be at risk include Cambodia, Ghana, Indonesia, Thailand, Madagascar and the Philippines, as natural reservoirs of the virus exist in bats in these regions.

Symptoms of Nipah virus are known to include fever, headaches, myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting and sore throat, as well as dizziness, drowsiness, and acute encephalitis. In serious cases, the patient may fall into a coma within 48 hours.

How does Langyna virus compare?
The NEJM letter describes the symptoms of the 35 Langya patients. It said that of the 26 patients who were infected with Langya alone, had a fever, 54 percent were experiencing fatigue, 50 percent had a cough, 46 percent had muscle aches and pain, 38 percent had nausea, and 35 percent had a headache. The same number reported vomiting.

Half of the patients had anorexia, while 35 percent developed thrombocytopenia—a condition where the platelet count in the blood drops too low. Over half developed leukopenia, where a person's white blood cell count drops. Thirty five percent developed impaired liver function, and eight percent had impaired kidney function.

The fatality rates of this new strain are not yet known, as nobody infected with the virus has yet died.

Canada Sent Nipah Virus to Wuhan; Lab Conducts 'Most Dangerous Research' on Nipah, Scientist Testifies to US Senate [The Epoch Times, 10 Aug 2022]

By Omid Ghoreishi

A U.S. scientist recently testified at a U.S. Senate hearing that his research provides evidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) has conducted synthetic biology research on the deadly Nipah virus. Some scientists are expressing concern about Canada sending Nipah and Ebola viruses to a lab potentially engaged in such research.

“The Nipah virus is a smaller virus than SARS2 [virus causing COVID-19] and is much less transmissible. But it is one of the deadliest viruses, with a greater than 60 percent lethality. This is 60-times deadlier than SARS2,” Dr. Steven Quay, a Seattle-based physician-scientist, told a Senate subcommittee at an Aug. 3 hearing.

Quay, who was previously on the faculty of Stanford University’s School of Medicine for about a decade, also said the work on Nipah at the Wuhan lab wasn’t conducted at biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) facilities, which have the highest level of biosafety, but rather at BSL-2 or BSL-3 facilities with lower safety protocols.

“This is the most dangerous research I have ever encountered,” he said.

In an interview with The Epoch Times, Quay said international agreements forbid synthetic biology on certain lethal viruses, such as Nipah and Ebola. Synthetic biology involves creating or redesigning biological entities and systems. An example of synthetic biology is gain-of-function research, which involves increasing the lethal level or the transmissibility of pathogens.

Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) in Winnipeg shipped samples of the Nipah and Ebola viruses to the WIV in March 2019 after receiving a request from the Chinese lab. The shipment was arranged by Chinese-born scientist Xiangguo Qiu, who worked at the NML at the time, with permission from her superiors. Qiu and her husband, Keding Cheng, were the subjects of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police raid at the lab in July 2019 and were later fired for undisclosed reasons.

During a parliamentary committee meeting in March 2021, members of Parliament (MP) challenged the NML’s senior management on why the lab allowed the shipment of the Nipah and Ebola viruses to the WIV.

NML’s acting scientific director general, Guillaume Poliquin, told MPs that the lab only sent the samples to the WIV after receiving assurance that no gain-of-function research would take place.

Conservative MP John Williamson said in response that the word of a state-run Chinese lab can’t be trusted, as the Chinese regime “has a history of theft and lies.”
NML

Before she was ousted from the NML, Qiu traveled several times to the WIV, helping train personnel at the lab on level 4 biosafety.

Qiu also collaborated and published papers with Chinese military researchers, including People’s Liberation Army Maj. Gen. Chen Wei.

Qiu and Cheng, along with a group of Chinese students, were escorted from the NML in July 2019 amid a police investigation. The two were formally fired from the lab in January 2021.

The Canadian federal government has refused to provide details of why Qiu and Cheng were fired, citing privacy and national security concerns. This has been challenged by opposition parties, with MPs in the House of Commons issuing an order in the previous Parliament requiring the government to disclose the information.

The government took the speaker of the House to court seeking to withhold the documents, then later dropped the court case once an election was called in August 2021 and Parliament was dissolved.

Cathy He contributed to this report.

Editor’s note: This article was updated with a statement from the Public Health Agency of Canada provided on Aug. 11.

Measles and Nipah virus assembly: Specific lipid binding drives matrix polymerization [Science, 20 Jul 2022]

Authored by MICHAEL J. NORRIS, MONICA L. HUSBY, WILLIAM B. KIOSSES, JIEYUN YIN, ROOPASHI SAXENA, LINDA J. RENNICK, ANJA HEINER, STEPHANIE S. HARKINS RUDRAMANI POKHREL, SHARON L. SCHENDEL, KATHRYN M. HASTIE, SARA LANDERAS-BUENO, ZHE LI SALIE, BENHUR LEE, PREM P. CHAPAGAIN, ANDREA MAISNER, W. PAUL DUPREX, ROBERT V. STAHELIN, AND ERICA OLLMANN SAPHIRE

Abstract
Measles virus, Nipah virus, and multiple other paramyxoviruses cause disease outbreaks in humans and animals worldwide. The paramyxovirus matrix (M) protein mediates virion assembly and budding from host cell membranes. M is thus a key target for antivirals, but few high-resolution structures of paramyxovirus M are available, and we lack the clear understanding of how viral M proteins interact with membrane lipids to mediate viral assembly and egress that is needed to guide antiviral design. Here, we reveal that M proteins associate with phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] at the plasma membrane. Using x-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, and molecular dynamics, we demonstrate that PI(4,5)P2 binding induces conformational and electrostatic changes in the M protein surface that trigger membrane deformation, matrix layer polymerization, and virion assembly.

Measles and Nipah virus assembly: Specific lipid binding drives matrix polymerization [Science, 20 Jul 2022]

Authored by MICHAEL J. NORRIS H, MONICA L. HUSBY, WILLIAM B. KIOSSES 050, JIEYUN YIN, ROOPASHI SAXENA, LINDA J. RENNICK H, ANJA HEINER, STEPHANIE S. HARKINS, RUDRAMANI POKHREL, SHARON L. SCHENDEL, KATHRYN M. HASTIE, SARA LANDERAS-BUENO, ZHE LI SALIE , BENHUR LEE 9, PREM P. CHAPAGAIN, ANDREA MAISNER, W. PAUL DUPREX, ROBERT V. STAHELIN, AND ERICA OLLMANN SAPHIRE

Abstract
Measles virus, Nipah virus, and multiple other paramyxoviruses cause disease outbreaks in humans and animals worldwide. The paramyxovirus matrix (M) protein mediates virion assembly and budding from host cell membranes. M is thus a key target for antivirals, but few high-resolution structures of paramyxovirus M are available, and we lack the clear understanding of how viral M proteins interact with membrane lipids to mediate viral assembly and egress that is needed to guide antiviral design. Here, we reveal that M proteins associate with phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] at the plasma membrane. Using x-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, and molecular dynamics, we demonstrate that PI(4,5)P2 binding induces conformational and electrostatic changes in the M protein surface that trigger membrane deformation, matrix layer polymerization, and virion assembly.

NIH Launches Clinical Trial of First mRNA Nipah Virus Vaccine - HS Today [HSToday, 19 Jul 2022]

Since 1999, outbreaks have occurred annually in Asia, primarily in Bangladesh and India. An estimated 40 to 75 percent of people infected with Nipah virus die.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has launched an early-stage clinical trial evaluating an investigational vaccine to prevent infection with Nipah virus. The experimental vaccine is manufactured by Moderna, Inc., (Cambridge, Massachusetts) and was developed in collaboration with NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center. It is based on a messenger RNA (mRNA) platform—a technology used in several approved COVID-19 vaccines. NIAID is sponsoring the Phase 1 clinical study, which is being conducted at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic disease, meaning that it is spread between animals and people. Fruit bats are the natural host for the virus. The first known Nipah outbreak occurred in 1998 in Malaysia and Singapore and resulted in 265 human cases and 105 deaths, and caused significant economic damage to the swine industry there. Since 1999, outbreaks have occurred annually in Asia, primarily in Bangladesh and India. The virus can cause mild-to-severe disease rapidly progressing from respiratory infection symptoms to encephalitis (brain swelling) leading to coma or death. An estimated 40 to 75 percent of people infected with Nipah virus die. Although most cases are transmitted via animals, person-to-person transmission can occur. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine or treatment for Nipah virus infection.

“Nipah virus poses a considerable pandemic threat because it mutates relatively easily, causes disease in a wide range of mammals, can transmit from person-to-person, and kills a large percentage of the people it infects,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “The need for a preventive Nipah virus vaccine is significant.”

NIAID’s Pandemic Preparedness Plan, published earlier this year, established a framework to study viruses of pandemic potential and prioritize research on prototype pathogens, such as Nipah virus. This is the first clinical trial using the prototype pathogen approach since the plan’s publication.

The experimental mRNA-1215 Nipah virus vaccine will be tested in a dose-escalation clinical trial to evaluate its safety, tolerability and ability to generate an immune response in 40 healthy adults ages 18 to 60 years. Specifically, 4 groups of 10 participants each will receive two doses of the investigational vaccine via injection in the shoulder muscle four or 12 weeks apart. Group 1 (10 participants) will receive two 25-microgram (mcg) injections; group 2 will receive two 50-mcg injections; and group 3 will receive two 100-mcg injections, each four weeks apart. The vaccine dose for the fourth group of participants will be determined based on an interim analysis of the results from the three previous groups. The fourth group will receive two injections 12 weeks apart. Study participants will be evaluated through clinical observation and blood collection at specified times throughout the study and will be followed by clinical study staff through 52 weeks following their final vaccination.

NIH launches clinical trial of mRNA Nipah virus vaccine [NIH, 11 Jul 2022]

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has launched an early-stage clinical trial evaluating an investigational vaccine to prevent infection with Nipah virus. The experimental vaccine is manufactured by Moderna, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was developed in collaboration with NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center. It is based on a messenger RNA (mRNA) platform—a technology used in several approved COVID-19 vaccines. NIAID is sponsoring the Phase 1 clinical study, which is being conducted at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic disease, meaning that it is spread between animals and people. Fruit bats are the natural host for the virus. The first known Nipah outbreak occurred in 1998 in Malaysia and Singapore and resulted in 265 human cases and 105 deaths, and caused significant economic damage to the swine industry there. Since 1999, outbreaks have occurred annually in Asia, primarily in Bangladesh and India. The virus can cause mild-to-severe disease rapidly progressing from respiratory infection symptoms to encephalitis (brain swelling) leading to coma or death. An estimated 40% to 75% of people infected with Nipah virus die. Although most cases are transmitted via animals, person-to-person transmission can occur. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine or treatment for Nipah virus infection.

“Nipah virus poses a considerable pandemic threat because it mutates relatively easily, causes disease in a wide range of mammals, can transmit from person-to-person, and kills a large percentage of the people it infects,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “The need for a preventive Nipah virus vaccine is significant.”

NIAID’s Pandemic Preparedness Plan, published earlier this year, established a framework to study viruses of pandemic potential and prioritize research on prototype pathogens, such as Nipah virus. This is the first clinical trial using the prototype pathogen approach since the plan’s publication.

The experimental mRNA-1215 Nipah virus vaccine will be tested in a dose-escalation clinical trial to evaluate its safety, tolerability, and ability to generate an immune response in 40 healthy adults ages 18 to 60 years. Specifically, four groups of 10 participants each will receive two doses of the investigational vaccine via injection in the shoulder muscle four or 12 weeks apart. Group one (10 participants) will receive two 25-microgram (mcg) injections; group two will receive two 50-mcg injections; and group three will receive two 100-mcg injections, each four weeks apart. The vaccine dose for the fourth group of participants will be determined based on an interim analysis of the results from the three previous groups. The fourth group will receive two injections 12 weeks apart. Study participants will be evaluated through clinical observation and blood collection at specified times throughout the study and will be followed by clinical study staff through 52 weeks following their final vaccination.

For more information about the clinical trial, visit ClinicalTrials.gov using the study identifier NCT05398796.

NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide—to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing, and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

Evaluation and comparison of three virucidal agents on inactivation of Nipah virus [Scientific Reports, 5 Jul 2022]

Authored by Yi Huang, Shuqi Xiao, Donglin Song & Zhiming Yuan

Abstract
Modern human activity is profoundly changing our relationship with microorganisms with the startling rise in the rate of emerging infectious diseases. Nipah virus together with Ebola virus and SARS-CoV-2 are prominent examples. Since COVID-19 and the West African Ebola virus disease outbreak, different chemical disinfectants have been developed for preventing the direct spread of viruses and their efficacy has also been evaluated. However, there are currently no published efficacy studies for the chemical disinfection of Nipah virus. In this study, the virucidal efficacy of three disinfectants (Micro-Chem Plus detergent disinfectant cleaner, FWD and Medical EtOH) against Nipah virus was evaluated in quantitative suspension tests including. Our results showed that the > 4 log reduction achieved for all products in inactivating Nipah virus in 15 s. Even, 19% ethanol was able to inactivate Nipah virus when applied for at least 8 min contact time. Comparative analysis displayed virucidal efficacy of each of the evaluated disinfectants against SARS-CoV-2, Ebola virus and Nipah virus, with only minor differences in working concentrations and contact times required for complete inactivation. We expect that our study can assist in decontamination in healthcare settings and high level biosafety laboratories and can be beneficial to control for emerging enveloped viruses.

UTMB drug discovery partnership awarded $56 million grant [EurekAlert, 18 May 2022]

Thanks to a $56 million grant, the University of Texas Medical Branch and global health care company Novartis will enhance their work together to discover drugs to fight off the next pandemic.

The grant comes from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and is one of nine such grants awarded by NIAID to establish Antiviral Drug Discovery (AViDD) Centers for Pathogens of Pandemic Concern.

“We must prepare for the next pandemic by working together across governmental, non-governmental, academic and private sectors to develop an arsenal of countermeasures,” said Dr. Pei-Yong Shi, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and VP for Research Innovation at UTMB and one of the leaders of the partnership. “This project is built on an ongoing collaboration between Novartis and UTMB. Combining our world-leading virology research capabilities with the state-of-the art drug discovery technologies at Novartis, we have a real opportunity to discover safe and effective drugs against viruses with pandemic potential.”

The partnership, dubbed the UTMB-Novartis Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness (UNAPP), will focus on coronaviruses, flavivirus and henipavirus, three major classes of viruses with pandemic potential. SARS-CoV-2 is the now well-known coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Falviviruses include Zika, West Nile, and yellow fever, among others.
Henipaviruses include Nipah and Hendra virus, both highly virulent emerging pathogens with the potential to cause outbreaks in humans.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how important it is to be prepared,” said Dr. Charles Mouton, Executive Vice President, Provost and Dean of the John Sealy School of Medicine at UTMB. “Through his hard work and ability to both innovate and collaborate, Dr. Shi is making sure we are on the cutting edge of research and discovery so that when the next pandemic hits, we have the antiviral drugs necessary to respond.”

The partnership’s projects will include looking at well validated drug targets as well as phenotypic screening, which will allow for the discovery of clinical drug candidates as well as new targets that will advance the fundamental understanding of the biology of the viruses.

Scientists develop Nipah virus vaccine that 'gives lifesaving protection in three DAYS' [Daily Mail, 14 Mar 2022]

By CONNOR BOYD

A vaccine that could protect against the deadly Nipah virus in just three days has been developed by scientists.

All six monkeys given the experimental jab seven days before being exposed to a lethal dose of the disease survived. Two-thirds of primates given the shot three days in advance lived.

Like Covid, Nipah can spread through respiratory droplets. But it is far more deadly, killing up to three-quarters of people it infects.

It has been listed as one of the viruses most likely to cause the next pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).

There is currently no vaccine approved for humans — but at least eight are currently being tested on animals, including one made by Oxford University.

However, most studies suggest immunity takes about a month to five weeks to kick in.

A rapid vaccine that may protect people from the deadly Nipah virus in just three days has been developed by scientists (pictured, an illustration of the individual viruses)

The new jab works like the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, using a weakened virus to deliver a chunk of Nipah's protein to the cells, where it cannot replicate.

It gives the body the chance to get a read of the virus so it can recognise and fight the real thing.

The vaccine uses a virus from the same family as rabies that has been modified so it cannot cause symptoms.

It acts as a vehicle deliver the harmless protein to the cells.

Once inside, the cells display the protein on their surface, and the immune system recognises that it doesn’t belong there.

This triggers an immune response in which antibodies and T-cells are released, simulating what would happen in the event of a real infection.

The body then keeps a memory of this process so it knows how to deal with the real Nipah virus in the future.

University of Texas researchers trialled the jab on 12 monkeys and used six as a control group.
Half were given the vaccine a week before a deadly dose of Nipah and the other half were given it three days prior.

In the seven-day group, all vaccinated monkeys survived and showed no signs of illness, compared to a 100 per cent fatality rate in the control group.

Among those given the shot three days before, 67 per cent survived but most were symptomatic.

Writing in the paper, the researchers said: 'There are currently no NiV [Nipah virus] vaccines licensed for human use.

'While several preventive vaccines have shown promise in protecting animals against lethal NiV disease, most studies have assessed protection 1 month after vaccination.

'However, in order to contain and control outbreaks, vaccines that can rapidly confer protection in days rather than months are needed.'

Outbreaks of the Nipah virus are rare, with only around 700 cases reported since the virus was first discovered in Malaysia in 1999.

A 12-year-old boy died during an outbreak in India last year, where outbreaks are most common, along with Bangladesh.

It is also present in bats in Cambodia, Ghana, Indonesia, Madagascar, the Philippines and Thailand, suggesting there is potential for it to spread among people there.

The WHO says the virus is a public health concern because 'it infects a wide range of animals and causes severe disease and death in people'.

It lists Nipah alongside other deadly, threatening diseases such as Ebola, Lassa fever, Zika, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and Rift Valley fever.

Pirbright receives grant to develop Nipah virus vaccine [National Hog Farmer, 18 Feb 2022]

Pirbright researchers have been awarded £389,089 to develop a Nipah virus vaccine that could protect pigs and prevent disease in humans.

This funding was provided by the United Kingdom government's UK Vaccine Network and will be delivered by Innovate UK. The Institute's award is part of £10million of UK aid funding going to 22 projects advancing research into vaccines to tackle some of the world's deadliest diseases in low- and middle-income countries. These include Nipah, Ebola, Lassa fever, Zika, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and Chikungunya virus.

Nipah virus can be transmitted to pigs from infected fruit bats, which contaminate the environment with their saliva, urine or feces containing the virus. Infected pigs can then pass the virus on to humans when they come into close contact. This was seen in Malaysia, where the first outbreak of Nipah virus saw over 200 human cases in pig farmers.

While the disease is relatively mild in pigs, in humans it is much more dangerous. Initial symptoms include fever, headache, coughing and breathing difficulties, followed by brain swelling and leading to a coma. If a human becomes infected with the virus, there is a 45 to 75% chance that they will die.

There is currently no vaccine against Nipah virus in pigs and control methods include having 'designated pig farming areas' and culling of animals during an outbreak to prevent the spread of disease.

Researchers at Pirbright aim to change this by developing a vaccine which will protect pigs from the virus. They aim to exploit a highly successful pseudorabies vaccine that is routinely used to vaccinate pigs in Southeast Asia. In collaboration with the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Germany, they will genetically engineer the vaccine so it can also induce protection against Nipah virus. This dual-purpose vaccine should be an economically viable approach to mass immunization of pigs against Nipah virus. The team also plan to develop a companion diagnostic test that can tell the difference between animals that have been vaccinated and animals that have been naturally infected. Without this, disease surveillance and determining the success of the vaccine would be difficult.

"The risk of this emerging disease is increasing due to the increase in pig farming across Southeast Asia," says Professor Simon Graham, leader of the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Immunology group at Pirbright. "In turn, this increases the risk of pig to human transmission which could have devastating consequences for pig and human health.

With a vaccine to protect pigs, we will be able to improve pig health and welfare, while also preventing transmission to humans, this is why work to create an effective vaccine is so important.

"This grant will help us build upon existing research and produce a vaccine that will give at-risk countries the opportunity to protect their pig populations. In addition to the welfare and economic advantages this will bring, it offers an opportunity to create a vaccine that will protect humans from Nipah virus infection."

Gates Foundation, Wellcome offer $300M to CEPI's pandemic, vaccine development efforts [Homeland Preparedness News, 21 Jan 2022]

by Chris Galford

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations’ (CEPI) 100 Days Mission to reduce the vaccine development timeline received a $300 million investment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome.

While a fraction of the organization’s overall fundraising goal of $3.5 billion, the Gates Foundation and Wellcome funding will help advance CEPI’s development of new COVID-19 vaccines and work to reduce vaccine development to a within 100 days process – a third of the time it took to develop some of the current COVID-19 vaccines. This would benefit the development of other vaccines as well, including priority focuses such as Chikungunya, Lassa fever, MERS, Nipah, and Rift Valley fever. For coronaviruses, a major push will be on developing all-in-one vaccines to protect against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants and other Betacoronaviruses in a single go.

“Achieving this funding target will enable CEPI to further advance, and enable equitable access to, life-saving vaccines and help the world develop ground-breaking new technologies including universal vaccines against Betacoronaviruses,” Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, said. “Both these Foundations have shown incredible leadership with regards to global health, and we are enormously grateful to them for their visionary contribution to our work. If fully funded, CEPI’s ambitious plan will revolutionize the way the world deals with future epidemics and could prevent us ever again having to suffer the devastation of a pandemic like COVID-19.”

Both the Gates Foundation and Wellcome were co-founders of CEPI in 2017, together with the governments of Norway and India and the World Economic Forum. Now, each foundation will provide $150 million in advance of CEPI’s planned Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit, which the UK government will host in March 2022. The summit will unite government, industry, philanthropy, and civil society leaders and discuss and address global health security and work toward CEPI’s funding goals.

“As the world faces the grim consequences of a continuously evolving coronavirus pandemic, the ability to rapidly develop and deliver new tools to address current and future health threats has never been greater,” Bill Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation, said. “By investing now in collaborative approaches to global health, the world will save millions of lives and trillions of dollars later on by ending the acute phase of this pandemic sooner, while also preventing or preparing for the next pandemic, and easing the heavy burden of longstanding epidemics.”

In terms of the 100 Days Mission, CEPI’s goals have also been backed by the G7 and G20 to limit damage to lives, economies, and the emergence of new COVID-19 variants. However, financial pledges will allow CEPI to partner with developers and scientific organizations to advance preparedness and response efforts.

As winter nears, many in Bangladesh fear a Nipah Virus re-emergence [The Business Standard, 26 Nov 2021]

It spreads from fruits half eaten by bats or birds too, half of the country is vulnerable to the virus

It was an evening of late October in Lalmonirhat. Taposhi Gosh – a mother of two, could be seen cleaning dust off a photo of her son and daughter. Tears flow down her cheeks on the photo frame as Ghosh recalls the time 10 years ago when both her children died of the dreaded Nipah virus, leaving her only with their memories to hold on to.

In February, 2011, Ghosh's son Aronno Kumar, 8, was the first of the two children to get infected by the virus. Two days later, his sister Ananya, 4, was also infected. Ghosh suspects that both the children may have eaten guavas from their yard that were half eaten by bats or drunk raw date juice with friends.

Since then, Taposhi, a former NGO worker, and Ashok Kumar Gosh, headteacher of Char Dhuboni Govt Primary School, have been living in the Bandar area of Hatibandha Upazila in the Lalmonirhat district with their memories of children as they have no other children. After Ananya was born, Taposhi permanently adopted the method of birth control.

Taposhi said, "My kids ate half-eaten fruits because of ignorance. I wish no other parents has to endure such pain. Government should do more to prevent this from happening."

However, Taposhi and Ashok are not the only parents woh lost their children to Nipah. In the same month that year, another kid in the area, Sudipta Sarker Dwip, 12, a VI-grade student of the S S High School, also died in a Dhaka hospital of the same deadly virus.

Like Aronno, Sudipta was also the only son of his father - Subal Chandra Sarker. "With his friends at school, he (Sudipta) drank raw date palm juice from the local market. Then he suffered from fever, pain, and headache," Sarkar recalls.

The tragic death of his son created a huge wave of panic in the neighbourhood, Sarkar recalls. As a result, the family was socially ostracized which only added to their pain.

"When my son died of the Nipah virus, the area turned into a desert due to fear. Our close relatives kept their distance out of concern for infection. Nobody talked to us or took care of us," said Sarkar, who, ironically, is a doctor himself.

"We could not cremate my son's body the usual way. I had to carry my son's body alone to the crematorium, in a pushcart and manage to cremate him. Our neighbours avoided us for at least two years. So, winter emerge to us as a panic," added Sarker.

In Lalmonirhat district so far, 30 people have been infected, while in 2011 it turned into an epidemic that caused several deaths in a week.

Nipah Virus in Bangladesh
NiV first emerged in Malaysia in 1998 while Bangladesh reported its first Nipah case in 2001. According to the Infectious Diseases Division of icddr,b as of October 2021, a total of 322 Nipah cases have been reported, 229 of them have succumbed to the infection. The infection has claimed the lives of 71.1% of the patients.

Several researchers speculate that Nipah Virus (NiV) may be the next pandemic agent after COVID-19, and World Health Organisation (WHO) has listed Nipah virus as one of the ten viruses with pandemic potential.

So far two strains were found named NiV Bangladesh (NiVB) and NiV Malaysia (NiVM).

According to a research titled "Pathogenic Differences between Nipah Virus Bangladesh and Malaysia Strains in Primates: Implications for Antibody Therapy," NiVB is more likely infectious than NiVM.

Bangladesh has detected this virus in 32 of its 64 districts. The highest number of infections —over 30 infected patients--was found in the Faridpur district. There were epidemics of this virus in 2004 and 2011 in Faridpur.

The second highest infected districts are Lalmonirhat, Nagoan, and Rajbari where 21-30 infected patients were found. These districts experienced more than once epidemic of the virus.

Nine districts had 11 to 20 infected patients, seven other districts had 6 to 10 infected patients and nine each district had one infected patient.

Experts say that the widespread infections by Nipah virus is mostly due to the fact that virus spillover from a primary reservoir (bats) to intermediate hosts (pig) to humans is still poorly understood.

Deadly Virus in a Winter Delicacy
In Bangladesh, it transmits mainly from traditional liquor made from Date Palm sap as it is a very popular drink across the country. People drink the juice untreated or raw – which is collected overnight from date palm trees. Often at night, bats visit the tree and leave their saliva or body fluid on the tree which gets mixed in the juice collected by raw juice sellers. As bats are a natural reservoir of Nipah virus -meaning the virus lives in their bodies naturally, the saliva also can contain the virus. Unaware of this bat saliva or the possible existence of Nipah virus in the raw juice, sellers and drinkers use it freely which makes them highly vulnerable to an infection.

Dr Syed Moinuddin Satter, assistant scientist, and deputy project coordinator, Emerging Infections, Infectious Diseases Division of ICDDRB tells The Business Standard, "It is one of the most fatal communicable diseases of our time and unfortunately, it is endemic to our country.

"It is spread from bats to humans which is considered a spillover event. The most common medium of this spillover is through consumption of raw date palm sap, contaminated with bat saliva, urine, or feces. It can also spread from one infected person to another via bodily secretions e.g., saliva, blood, urine, feces, etc. In addition to this, there is a history of human infection through infected domestic animals," he adds.

Post-recovery complications
In February 2011, Sharmin Zaman Mare, 32, of Lalmonirhat Matibhanga, became infected after eating plum picked up from the ground under a plum tree. After three weeks of treatment, she recovered, but the infection left lasting effects.

"I have regular headaches, memory loss, weakness, breathing problems and a regular mild fever," she said.

"Bats used to visit the plum tree, but I was always tempted to eat some ripe plums in the morning. One day, a few hours after eating the fruits, I became sick.

My husband took me to the hospital where I was diagnosed with Nipah," she says.

According to Dr Satter of iccdr,b, after recovering from the initial infection, almost all the survivors suffer from neurological problems such as difficulty to perform fine movement, difficulty to maintain balance, diminished or loss of cognitive functioning, partial or complete paralysis; and ophthalmological complications such photophobia as well as mild to severe form of visual impairment. All of these radically affect their mental health, quality of living, ability to earn and maintain a stable societal status.

Along with the health problems, Nipah survivors and family members of deceased patients also face severe social stigma even when they are no longer infected. They are stigmatized by neighbours and Relatives who avoid their contacts in fear of infection. Sharmin Zaman Mare, one of the survivors, explained that many of her relatives avoided her family for a long time.

"Anyone who heard about my Nipah virus infection still continue to act negligently," said Sharmin.

Subal Chandra Sarker, has a medicine shop in the local market, says that social stigma led to economic hardship for him. "I had lost all my customers after my son died in Nipah," he says.

Experts' recommendations:

Experts recommend that people should be more careful and avoid the known mediums of infection, such as avoiding raw date palm sap, handling live or dead infected animals, and eating fruits eaten by bats or birds. Experts' emphasis on more awareness as no medicine or vaccine has been developed against Nipah virus infection among human.

Dr Syed Moinuddin Satter of icddr,b said "Nipah virus infection is more prevalent in Bangladesh, from December to end of April as the winter is raw date palm sap harvesting season."

Healthcare workers and doctors in the country should be more cautious when they encounter patients who have a history of raw date palm sap consumption.

"We have no formal large awareness campaign programme. The local hospital educates patients who come for treatment during the winter since the virus spreads more in the winter season," says Dr Siddiqur Rahman Civil Surgeon of Faridpur district, the most infected district in Bangladesh.

"We also inform it to the people in different programmes when we get an opportunity," added Rahman.

The civil surgeon of Lalmonirhat district, Dr Nirmelendo Roy, also suggested a large government campaign to raise awareness about the virus as he said "Many people are being infected lack of proper awareness campaign."

The story is supported by the Earth Journalism Network.

Nipah Virus Outbreak Eyed as Trigger of the Next Pandemic; Is Our Healthcare Sector Ready to Face Another Zoonotic Disease? [Science Times, 2 Nov 2021]

By Ron Jefferson

The coronavirus risked global health not just through its destructive potential but also due to the lack of information and the doubt over appropriate preparedness slated since the pandemic surged. Although most regions in East and Southeast Asia had the gist of dealing with a widescale health risk during the 2003 SARS outbreak, they could not perfectly enable their defenses, and a lot of casualties still overlapped the expected rates. Due to what the world observed and experienced throughout the pandemic, it is necessary to know more and prepare a competent response in the event that another pandemic spreads globally.

What is Nipah Virus and How Likely It Could Cause a COVID-Like Pandemic
Nipah virus is being eyed by many health authorities and scientific experts today. A recent outbreak of the specified virus in India stirred theories about how every country should prepare for a worse threat. And even though it may be considered taboo for some, many people are aware of the risks that future infections might have in store for us and corresponding ideas to what we can do about it.

COVID-19 vaccines are the greatest breakthrough that was developed since the pandemic started. Through the implementation of vaccination, the cases did drop for many countries, and most of the industrial and social activities are gradually coming back to normal. Despite the threats of SARS-CoV-2's multiple mutations, the availability of vaccines provides a much transparent path to ensure public health safety and decrease the cases compared to the first few waves where global health authorities are stunned, and empty answers are at hand.
Although a batch of prepared vaccines presents the most effective solution for an upcoming pandemic, predicting a novel type of virus is still either challenging or impossible.

The first detected case of the Nipah virus was charted in Malaysia back in 1998. The case seems to be far behind the clock, but a recent Science Times report confirmed a new outbreak of the same virus. The worst part is that it took the life of a 12-year-old boy in India. Due to the unexpected event, many experts expressed their scientific concerns over the matter. Like the coronavirus, the Nipah virus might mutate following its initial presentation and could be transmitted to a wider population if not acknowledged as early as today.

Nipah Virus and the Preparedness of the Global Health Protocols
Nipah virus shares a similar zoonotic feature with COVID-19. However, the Nipah virus is considered paramyxovirus, a devastating type of virus that could inflict health conditions as much as the coronavirus. Paramyxovirus can impact an individual's health through an acute respiratory disease, and like the coronavirus, it could be transmitted through airborne droplets.
Among the most common hosts of the Nipah virus are bats and flying foxes located at the hearts of South and Southeast Asia.

According to a study published in the journal PNAS, titled "Nipah virus dynamics in bats and implications for spillover to humans," most of the Nipah virus transmissions occur by either drinking raw date palm sap or simply by the presence of an overwhelming bat population in an area. The cases of coronavirus highlight the fact that transmissions and mutations are most frequent in human-to-human contacts, and not just by natural interactions.

Today, the known spread of the Nipah virus is recorded only from close contact with the primary patient. University of Reading's virology expert Ian Jones said in an IFL Science report that while the Nipah virus does not pose any threat of a global pandemic today, awareness and improvement of public health protocols should still be secured.

Can Deadly Indian Nipah Outbreak Lead to the Next Global Pandemic? [Nature World News, 2 Nov 2021]

By Rain Jordan

A recent outbreak of the Nipah virus in India has prompted the issue of whether authorities should begin to think of it as a potential future danger and start preparing our defenses now.
In 1998, the Nipah virus was discovered in Malaysia. Cases like the recent death of a youngster in Kerala, India, have sparked fears that it might evolve and improve its transmission efficiency, leading to global dissemination.

That prospect is terrifying, given that the virus presently has a case fatality rate of over 50% and no vaccination or tried-and-true treatment.

Risk Assessment
Transmissible or zoonotic wildlife diseases increase as nature is damaged, due to the increase of bats and rats harboring pandemic pathogens such as the COVID-19 virus. Human-induced destruction of ecosystems cause an increase in the populations of animals such as bats and rats, as well as other animals which carry diseases which could cause pandemics.

However, before experts devote resources to developing a vaccine for Nipah, they must determine whether it poses a genuine pandemic danger. Even if it is, there are other viruses out there, so we need to figure out where it belongs on the priority list.

There is a need to look at how the virus spreads and replicates to determine the danger.

A paramyxovirus is Nipah. It's linked to a human virus called the human parainfluenza virus, one of the few viruses that may cause a cold.

Fruit bats, big and tiny flying foxes found across South and Southeast Asia, are natural hosts. But, too far, all occurrences of Nipah virus infection in humans have been caused by direct or indirect contact with infected bats.

Bats' illness is sub-clinical. Therefore it remains unnoticed for the most part. However, a virus is discharged in the urine, ensuring transmission within and between colonies through grooming and crowding.

The primary method of viral transmission to humans is through fruit or fruit juice contaminated with bat urine.

Bat population density, virus prevalence, and individuals drinking raw date palm sap are the primary elements explaining the transmission pattern, according to long-term research in Bangladesh, where Nipah virus epidemics occur regularly. While the fluid is being tapped from the date palm tree, the bats contaminate it, then consume it locally.

This is a significant finding. Better transmitting viruses emerge while circulating among human, not animal, hosts, as we have observed with SARS-CoV-2.

As a result, limiting the number of infections in individuals decreases the death rate from Nipah and the risk of viral adaptation. Stopping the spread of the virus eliminates the potential of a pandemic.

Human Infection
In the event of human infection, only intimate contacts of the primary infected individual, such as family members or, if the person is hospitalized, hospital workers, have been affected.

Because the Nipah virus's receptors, which it utilizes to enter cells, are concentrated in the brain and central nervous system, there is no widespread transmission.

In most cases, Nipah infection results in mortality due to acute encephalitis, as the virus multiplies best in tissues where it is easiest to penetrate cells.

The virus replicates in the vasculature, blood vessels that offer a pathway for the virus to migrate from eaten foods to the brain system. However, the predilection of the central nervous system may explain why onward transmission is restricted. From there, the pathogen cannot readily spread.

Of course, a sick person will have a virus all on them, but unlike Ebola, the virus is not easily transferred through the respiratory system and instead needs contact or the transfer of bodily fluids. To infect someone else, you must be nearby.

Low Chance of Being a Full Blown Pandemic
While this does not rule out the possibility of a pandemic, the chances of the virus mutating to replicate in the upper respiratory system, where it would most likely be more transmissible, are slim. Like other zoonotic illnesses, the actual spillover occurrence from bat to human and the persons directly impacted is more of a concern than the potential for epidemic transmission.

There is a justification for a Nipah vaccine, but it should be used as an emergency measure for people who have come into contact with a primary case rather than as part of a broader immunization program.

The rationale against it is based on the fact that absolute numbers are few, prices are high, and outbreaks are so rare that conducting a clinical study would be extremely difficult. In addition, therapeutic antibodies have been demonstrated to be successful in studies, making them a lot more viable therapy option in the near term.

Vaccine Rollout
The rapid development of vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2, a new coronavirus, has given a route out of this pandemic. If vaccinations for potentially harmful viruses can be created and stored, they can be used as soon as a new epidemic is discovered. Then, society would be ahead of the game, and a pandemic would be averted.

This strategy is admirable, but it is based on the assumption that viruses with pandemic potential can be recognized in advance, which is challenging. It also carries the danger that a "don't worry, there's a vaccination" mentality may lead to the neglect of simpler prophylactic measures.

Nipah virus likely won't be next pandemic, but should be watched [UPI News, 29 Oct 2021]

By Ian Jones

Oct. 29 (UPI) -- The severe and devastating consequences of the coronavirus pandemic were undoubtedly made worse by a substantial lack of pandemic preparedness, with the exception of East and South East Asia, which had built up defenses after their experience with SARS in 2003. So it is crucial that governments begin to develop strategies to protect us if other deadly viruses emerge.

A recent outbreak of Nipah virus in India has raised the question of whether we should start to consider it as a future threat, and look to build up our arsenal of defenses now.

The rapid development of vaccines against the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, have provided a pathway out of this pandemic. So, if vaccines for other potentially dangerous viruses could be developed and stockpiled, they could be rolled out as soon as any new outbreak is detected. We would then be ahead of the curve and a pandemic could be avoided.

This approach is laudable -- but it assumes that viruses with pandemic potential can be identified in advance, which is not easy to do. And it also runs the risk that a "don't worry, there's a vaccine" mindset might cause simpler preventative methods to be overlooked.

Nipah virus was first identified in Malaysia in 1998. Cases such as the recent death of a boy in Kerala, India have raised concerns that it could mutate and increase its efficiency of transmission, leading to widespread circulation.

That scenario is frightening as the virus currently has a case fatality rate of over 50% and there is no vaccine or tried-and-tested treatment.

But before we can invest resources into vaccine development against Nipah we need to assess whether it is a realistic pandemic threat. And even if it is, there are other viruses out there, so we must understand where it should rank on the list of priorities.

Assessing the risk
To assess the risk, we need to look at how the virus transmits and replicates.

Nipah is a paramyxovirus. It is related to a human virus, human parainfluenza virus, one of the handful of viruses that cause the common cold. Its natural host is the fruit bat, the large and small flying foxes which are distributed across South and Southeast Asia. All cases of human infection with the Nipah virus to date have been due to direct or indirect contact with infected bats.

The infection in bats is sub-clinical, so goes largely unnoticed. Virus is excreted in the urine which, via grooming and crowding, ensures transfer within and between colonies.

Fruit or fruit juice contaminated by bat urine is the principal route of virus transmission to people.

A long-term study in Bangladesh, where regular Nipah virus outbreaks occur among its people, suggests that bat population density, virus prevalence and people drinking raw date palm sap are the main factors explaining the pattern of transmission. The bats contaminate the sap while it is being tapped from the date palm tree, and it is then consumed locally.

That is an important finding. As we have seen with SARS-CoV-2, better transmitting viruses evolve while the virus is circulating among its human, not animal, hosts. So, keeping the number of infections in people to a minimum not only minimizes the death rate from Nipah itself but also reduces the chance of virus adaptation. Stop the transmission and you stop the pandemic threat.

In the cases of human infection, so far, there has been limited spread to only close contacts of the primary infected individual, such as family members or, if the person is hospitalized, hospital staff.

General transmission does not occur, mainly because the proteins the Nipah virus uses to enter cells, the receptors, are concentrated in brain and central nervous tissues.

Nipah infection leads to death by acute encephalitis in most cases as the virus replicates best in the tissues where it is easy for the virus to enter the cells.

The virus does replicate to a small degree in the vasculature, the blood vessels, which provide a route for the virus to travel from consumed foodstuffs to the nervous system. But the central nervous system preference also suggests why onward transmission is limited. The virus cannot easily transmit from there.

Of course a very sick individual will have virus everywhere, but as with Ebola, the virus is not efficiently transmitted by the respiratory route and requires touch or transfer of body fluids. Very close contact is required to infect someone else.

The chance of the virus changing to replicate in the upper respiratory tract, from where it certainly would be more transmissible, is small, and while this does not rule out pandemic potential it significantly lessens its probability. Like other regular zoonotic infections, the spillover event itself from bat to human, and the immediate people affected is more the issue than the potential for epidemic spread.

There is a case for a Nipah vaccine, but more for emergency use in those in contact with a primary case than for a vaccination campaign in general.

The case against it rests on the fact that absolute numbers are low, costs high and outbreaks so sporadic that a clinical trial would be very difficult to organize. Research has shown that therapeutic antibody is effective and that would make a far more practical treatment option in the short term.

In my view, Nipah does not pose a high risk of causing a pandemic. Its current pattern of outbreak is likely to remain the norm. Instead, as has been discussed elsewhere, we need to ensure that surveillance, improved awareness and effective public health measures are in place and adhered to. They will have a much bigger impact on the control of Nipah virus cases in the immediate future. As for pandemic preparedness in the medium and long term, we need to turn our attention to identifying which other viruses pose a threat and work to develop vaccines and other defensive measures against those.

Intestine 'organoid' grown in lab to see why bats live with viruses but don't get sick [EurekAlert, 21 Oct 2021]

Experiments attempting to explain why bats can be infected with many viruses at a time without succumbing to diseases such as COVID-19—knowledge that could help us to reduce the threat to humans of infectious disease—have struggled until now with the fact that live wild bats make poor research subjects. To overcome this obstacle, for the first time researchers have grown rousette bat “organoids,” which reproduce intestines in vitro.

A paper describing the bat organoid growth technique appeared in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences on October 5.

Bats are the natural source of a raft of human pathogens (or, in epidemiological jargon, the ‘reservoir’—the host in which a pathogen survives without causing disease). These include the viruses that cause a great many illnesses such as Ebola, Marburg, Nipah, Hendra, SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. In fact, a single bat can host these viruses without getting sick. Why bats can live with so many viruses without themselves falling ill remains one of the great mysteries of virology and its neighbouring disciplines. And solving this mystery has been made all the more urgent by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Yet bats are wild animals, not domesticated experimental animal subjects. It is much more difficult to conduct reproducible investigations on bats than on more common experimental animals such as mice or pigs. And so most experiments have had to take place on cell lines taken from bats rather than bats themselves or bat organs.

“If this experimental blockage could be overcome, virus-bat relationships could be understood and lead to reduce human illness and death.,” said Tsutomu Omatsu, one of the authors of the paper and an associate professor with the Center for Infectious Diseases of Epidemiology and Prevention Research at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.

So the researchers developed a bat organoid that could be used for such experimentation. An organoid is a three-dimensional tissue construct grown ‘in vitro’ (in a petri dish or with other laboratory equipment) from stem cells and that mimics the organ in the living animal. In this case, they grew organoids from cells from the intestine of a flying fox, the species Rousettus leschenaultia within the wider genus of Rousettus, also known as Rousette bats.

They chose Rousette bats, a type of megabat or fruit bat, because they are thought to be a natural reservoir of the filovirus family of viruses, including the Ebola and Marburg viruses.
This particular species of rousette bat was also selected because in previous research, another species of rousette bat, Rousettus leschenaultii, had shown a transient but not robust infection from an experimental inoculation of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, while a cell line from the intestine of Rousettus leschenaultia had not been infected at all.
Several species of flying foxes in Southeast Asia and Australia have also been found to be hosts of Pteropine orthoreovirus (PRV), which has caused respiratory disease in humans.

The researchers first had to find an optimum medium for the growth of bat intestine cells.

They did this by attempting to culture organoids with nine different growth supplements (nutrients and other molecules that encourage cell proliferation). Three out of the nine achieved significantly higher cell growth and proliferation rates after seven days.

In addition, the rousette bat intestinal organoids grown with these three supplements were long-lived, being able to maintain active proliferation for up to ten passages (up to 10 times of reconstructions of organoids from separated cells that were composed of the previous organoids). Organoids that were long-term cryopreserved (in essence frozen) could also grow normally once thawed.

To confirm that the organoid was mimicking the epithelial (outer) tissue of the bat’s intestine—the part of the bat organ that first encounters virus particles and thus of particular scientific interest—the researchers deployed two techniques. First, they used transmission electron microscopy to investigate the cellular anatomy (histology) of the organoids. Second, they used immunofluorescence staining—a common method used to detect and visualize molecules in biological samples—to look for molecular markers that indicate that the tissue under investigation comes from bat intestines. Together, these two techniques told the researchers that the organoids were indeed recreating the typical cellular components of rousette bat intestine tissues.

An initial test of the use of the organoids to investigate viral relationships was also performed. They were shown to be susceptible to PRV but not to SARS-CoV-2 in experimental inoculation.

Having successfully produced bat organoids for the first time, the researchers now want to repeat their trick with other flying fox organs such as lungs, liver, and kidneys. The researchers will then infect this mass of bat ‘insides’ with highly pathogenic viruses to analyse their gene expression (turning genes on and off) in detail to be able to clarify the mechanism of why bats can host such pathogens without getting sick.

Global Nipah Virus Nucleic Acid Detection Kit Market 2021 Growth Opportunities and Competitive Landscape 2027 – BioGerm, Liferiver, Sansure, Bioperfectus [The Manomet Current, 21 Oct 2021]

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• BioGerm
• Liferiver
• Sansure
• Bioperfectus
• Mole
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Nipah virus could cause another deadly pandemic, warns the inventor of AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine [Euronews, 15 Oct 2021]

By Pascale Davies

As the world continues to grapple with COVID-19, there is another virus that is one of the next pandemic threats, warns a scientist who is one of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine inventors.

It goes by the name of the Nipah virus and there is currently no treatment or vaccine.

“If we had a delta type of Nipah virus, we would suddenly have a highly transmissible virus with a 50 per cent mortality rate,” Dame Sarah Gilbert said during an event at the Cheltenham Festival of Literature in the United Kingdom on Thursday.

So, what is the Nipah virus and should we be worried?
The Nipah virus is not new and has been lurking for years. In 1999, the virus arrived in central Malaysia after it found a host in bats, who then stopped over to eat from fruit trees that hung over pig farms.

The pigs ate the leftovers from the bats and the virus passed through the pigs to the humans that worked with them.

How is it transmitted?
Transmission is thought to have occurred via unprotected exposure to secretions from the pigs, or unprotected contact with the tissue of a sick animal.

About 105 Malaysians died within eight months after contracting the virus after suffering comas, fevers and brain inflammation. Nipah killed about 40 per cent of those infected.

Nipah virus can be transmitted to humans from animals as well as by contaminated foods and human-to-human contact.

What is the threat today?
Nipah now erupts annually in Bangladesh and also emerges periodically in eastern India. In September, a 12-year-old boy died after contracting the virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says in subsequent outbreaks in Bangladesh and India, consumption of fruits or fruit products (such as raw date palm juice) contaminated with urine or saliva from infected fruit bats was the most likely source of infection.

According to the WHO, countries with certain bat species may also be at risk, including Cambodia, Ghana, Indonesia, Madagascar, the Philippines, and Thailand.

Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are the natural host of the Nipah virus.

Human-to-human transmission of the Nipah virus has also been reported among family and caregivers of infected patients.

From 2001 to 2008, around half of reported cases in Bangladesh were due to human-to-human transmission through providing care to infected patients.

How deadly is the virus?
The fatality rate in reported cases is estimated at between 40 per cent and 75 per cent, according to the WHO.

Humans can develop asymptomatic infections but symptoms can range from mild to severe respiratory infection, and fatal encephalitis (brain inflammation).

Infected people initially develop symptoms including fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat. This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis.

Some people can also experience atypical pneumonia and severe respiratory problems.

Encephalitis and seizures occur in severe cases and can progress into a coma.

There is currently no treatment or vaccine for Nipah for humans or animals. The main treatment for humans is supportive care.

Zoonotic Bird Flu News since 17 till 30 Nov 2021

Italy: Rome seals off park after swan dies from bird flu [Wanted in Rome, 30 Nov 2021]

Death of swan in Villa Pamphilj prompts partial closure of popular Rome park.

Rome's largest park has been partially sealed off to the public after a swan died from a case of avian influenza, or bird flu.

The news was announced on Monday night by the city's mayor Roberto Gualtieri who ordered the 10-day closure of the eastern part of Villa Pamphilj, in the area around the Giglio lake.

Gualtieri said he signed the order with "great regret", after the Italian public health institute IZSVe confirmed the swan died from bird flu, but stressed that "the health of citizens is a priority for us."

The "precautionary closure" follows a recent outbreak of bird flu at Ostia Antica, near Rome, resulting in the lockdown of 35 small farms in the area.

• Italy reports bird flu outbreak near Rome

The death of the swan, known to park-goers as Orietta, comes days after local media reported the deaths of two other birds in the park: another swan, Giulietta, and a goose known as Ines. It is not clear if the two other birds died from avian influenza.

Lazio regional health councillor Alessio D'Amato said on Monday the situation is "under control" and that there are no restrictions on eating eggs or poultry products.

Symptoms of the disease in birds include decreased activity or vocalisation, eating and drinking less and producing fewer eggs.

In addition to Rome and Ostia Antica, cases of avian influenza have been reported in recent months at commercial chicken and turkey farms in the Verona area of the northern Veneto region.

France detects ‘highly pathogenic’ bird flu outbreak [POLITICO.eu, 27 Nov 2021]

BY PAOLA TAMMA

Birds to be culled at farm near Belgian border.

France has detected a "highly pathogenic" strain of bird flu at a poultry farm close to the Belgian border, the government said today.

It's the first time since an serious outbreak last winter that the avian flu has been found in a French farm, the agriculture ministry said in a statement, although four cases have been found among wildlife and three in backyard poultry.

The virus is being analysed by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. All birds at the affected farm in the northwestern town of Warhem will be killed and a 10-kilometer surveillance perimeter has been set up, with all movement of poultry prohibited in the area.

Part of the circumscribed area is in the Belgian province of West Flanders. Belgium's Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain today adopted additional measures for the towns of De Panne, Veurne, Alveringem and Poperinge. Poultry farmers and private owners must keep birds caged, and poultry shows and markets are prohibited.

Consumption of poultry and eggs presents no risks to humans, the French ministry said.

Bird Flu: Scottish Government introduce measures after cases in Fife and Scotland [centralfifetimes.com, 26 Nov 2021]

By Ieuan Williams

NEW housing measures to protect poultry and captive birds against avian influenza (Bird Flu) are being introduced after cases across the UK, including in Fife.

The Chief Veterinary Officers for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland have agreed to bring in new housing measures to protect poultry and captive birds from avian influenza following a number of confirmed cases across the United Kingdom in recent weeks.

The new housing measures, which will come into force on Monday next week, November 29, mean that it will be a legal requirement for all bird keepers across the UK to keep their birds indoors and to follow strict biosecurity measures in order to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease.

Wild birds migrating to the UK from mainland Europe during the winter months can carry the disease and this can lead to cases in poultry and other captive birds.

Public health advice remains that the risk to human health from the virus is very low and food standards bodies advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers.

Government Chief Veterinary Officers are encouraging bird keepers to use the next five days to prepare for the new housing measures, including taking steps to safeguard animal welfare, consult their vet and put up additional housing where necessary.

The Chief Veterinary Officers from across all four nations have worked together to introduce the new housing measures at the same time, meaning that the restrictions will be applied across the whole of the UK.

In a joint statement the UK’s four Chief Veterinary Officers said:
“We have taken swift action to limit the spread of the disease and are now planning to introduce a legal requirement for all poultry and captive bird keepers to keep their birds housed or otherwise separate from wild birds.

“Whether you keep just a few birds or thousands, from Monday 29 November onwards you will be legally required to keep your birds indoors, or take appropriate steps to keep them separate from wild birds. We have not taken this decision lightly, taking this action now is the best way to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease.”

Following the news that bird keepers across the UK will have to house their birds from Monday, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Claire Baker has highlighted the importance of backyard keepers following the new requirements in order to mitigate risk.

Last week, Ms Baker called on the Scottish Government to ensure keepers of birds and poultry, as well as the general public, were prepared to respond to any cases of avian influenza virus, following reports of cases in Fife, Perth and Angus, and the status of the UK as an avian influenza prevention zone.

During Portfolio Questions on Environment and Rural Affairs, Ms Baker asked the Scottish Government how it was ensuring keepers, including households with a small number of chickens, were up to date with their responsibilities, and what steps were being taken to encourage preparedness ahead of the anticipated outbreak season this winter.

Following the update from the Scottish Government, MSP Baker said: "Over a million households across Britain now keep chickens but registration is only a legal requirement for keepers of larger flocks. With new housing requirements for birds and strict biosecurity measures coming into force it is vital that all keepers are up to date with their responsibilities.

“Chickens make friendly pets and many backyard keepers will enjoy looking after chickens and the benefits they bring, but they may not always be fully aware of their responsibilities and how important it is to follow them, even for a very small number of birds. From Monday 29 November there is a legal requirement for all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors, in addition to limiting movement in and out of bird enclosures and disinfecting clothing and footwear after entering.

“The Scottish Government needs to ensure it is working to communicate with smaller backyard keepers and the general public on what steps should be taken to mitigate risk and what to do if encountering dead birds.”

Avian flu confirmed in dead wild bird found in Stockton [The Northern Echo, 26 Nov 2021]

By Catherine Priestley

A NEW case of bird flu has been confirmed in the region.

People in the Stockton area are urged to be extra vigilant after the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) confirmed a case of Avian Influenza H5N1 in a wild bird found dead in the borough.

The discovery follows a number of cases across the country, including at three premises near Thirsk and two in Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire.

Control zones are in place at those premises and infected birds will be humanely culled.

Sarah Bowman-Abouna, Director of Public Health for Stockton-on-Tees, said: “UK health agencies have made it clear that the risk to human health is very low and UK food standards agencies advise that bird flu poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers.

“Nonetheless, the confirmation of a case in our Borough is something we are concerned about and we are appealing to people to be vigilant and take steps to help limit further spread.”

Anyone who finds dead wild waterfowl or other wild birds is asked not to touch or move them but report it to Stockton Borough Council's Animal Health Service on 01642-524789, if it is on public land, or Defra on 03459-335577, if it is on private land.

Bird keepers must follow strict biosecurity measures put in place under the nationwide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone, from 00.01am on Monday which includes keeping birds indoors.

Bird flu confirmed in Sambhar, 80 birds dead in 5 days [Down To Earth Magazine, 25 Nov 2021]

By Madhav Sharma

Veterinarians deployed by local administration yet to reach bird flu-hit Sambhar

Birds in and around the Sambhar tehsil of Jaipur district in Rajasthan died of avian flu in the last five days, according to the report of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bhopal released November 24, 2021.

A team from the forest and animal husbandry departments had collected four samples and sent them to the IVRI in Bhopal November 20. Some 80 birds have died of bird flu so far in the area, most of them crows.

Some eight birds were found dead at the Sambhar lake November 23. They included a rufous tree pie, an owl, five crows and a gull. A crow and a Common Teal were found injured.

A stock-taking meeting was organised at the Jaipur district collectorate on the morning of November 24. Officials from the animal husbandry and forest departments and local administration took part.

The animal husbandry department has deployed 10 veterinarians to tackle the situation. But nobody had reached the area till the time of filing this report.

There are fears that if timely action is not taken, there could be a repeat of the events of 2019. That is when over 30,000 migratory birds died of avian botulism.

Botulinum is a natural toxin produced by a bacteria known as Clostridium botulin. It produces the toxin when it starts reproducing.

Botulinum affects both humans and animals but the type of the toxin varies — botulinum C in birds and A, B and E in humans. The toxin has been recognised as a major cause of mortality in wild birds since the 1900s.

A week before the bird deaths were reported from Sambhar, 189 demoiselle cranes had died at Jodhpur’s Kaparda pond.

At least seven more cranes died on November 20. Samples of the dead birds were examined. The cause of death was ascertained to be bird flu.

The H5N1 strain of bird flu can spread from birds to humans if they come into contact.
Symptoms of H5N1 include cough, fever, sore throat, muscular pain, headache and difficulty breathing. The H5N1 strain can also result in human deaths.

Austria finds bird flu on small chicken farm as virus spreads [WTVB News, 25 Nov 2021]

by Francois Murphy & David Clarke

VIENNA (Reuters) – Austria has found a case of bird flu on a small chicken farm near Vienna airport and is ordering poultry farms with more than 350 birds to keep them indoors, public health agency AGES said on Thursday.

The spread https://reut.rs/3l858m7 of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Europe and Asia has put the poultry industry on alert. Past outbreaks, which usually occur in the autumn, have led to the culling of tens of millions of birds and can lead to trade restrictions.

Known as bird flu, the virus is attracting the attention of epidemiologists too as it can be transmitted to humans. China has reported 21 human infections https://reut.rs/3oTNIe2 with the H5N6 subtype of avian influenza so far this year, more than in the whole of 2020.

“The affected farm’s chickens died or were slaughtered under the authorities’ supervision. The farm was closed,” AGES said in a statement, adding that the case was confirmed on Wednesday.

The farm is in the town of Fischamend, east of Vienna and near the borders with Slovakia and Hungary, both of which have reported outbreaks of bird flu in poultry in the past week.

Bird flu was last detected in Austria early this year, on another small farm, AGES said.

It said the virus was being spread across Europe by migratory birds and that local wild birds such as ducks and geese usually also play a role.

The Health Ministry plans to issue a decree on Thursday ordering poultry farms of more than 350 birds in “risk areas” to keep them inside, AGES said.

It did not elaborate on where the risk areas might be but said all contact between farm birds and wild birds should be avoided and farms should implement protective measures such as only feeding their birds in areas with a roof.

Bird flu outbreak: BCP Council continues visits [Bournemouth Echo, 25 Nov 2021]

By Ben Williets

SEVENTY per cent of visits aimed at identifying bird keepers following an outbreak of bird flu have been completed, BCP Council confirmed.

A temporary control zone covering all of Bournemouth, most of Christchurch and Poole was declared following an outbreak of bird flu at a premises in Pokesdown on November 19.

Providing an update, a BCP Council spokesperson said: “We have completed 70 per cent of our visits aimed at identifying bird keepers in order to provide precautionary advice.

“We should be completed by end of the week, or possibly into the weekend.

“No new cases in Bournemouth have been identified although there have been outbreaks in other parts of the country.

“As a result of this, a new order from Defra has been issued requiring bird breeders to keep their flock’s under-cover.

“This order affects BCP residents and businesses, whom we are advising through direct contact and media messaging.”

'Bird flu fears: Worcester's swans still need feeding' [Worcester News, 25 Nov 2021]

By Barry Kinghorn

DEAR Editor – Re the avian flu outbreak, there have been no deaths or sick swans in Worcester for over a week.

The barriers were put up at the top of the boathouse steps next to the Severn in Worcester to reduce the possibility of infection being spread by walking in droppings.

Exceptions were made by the city council for two named volunteers to cross the barrier at different times for the welfare of the swans. These volunteers are equipped with the appropriate sprays for their boots on leaving the step area.

We are monitoring the river for any further outbreaks. Last year there were no further deaths once the virus had passed through the flock.

There is no reason why people should not feed swans in Worcester on account of the virus.
The swans flock together naturally before feeding times, and at night many of them sleep in the shelter of Diglis Island or the oil basin, towards which sick swans tend to drift anyway.
They get thoroughly mixed up.

And the more hungry the swans are, the more they will bunch together at regular feeding times.

We can try to spread the swans out by the way we feed – it makes us feel better to think we are doing something to help but really the virus is a natural occurrence in a flock that builds some immunity in survivors – just like all the infections our youngsters get in school every winter.

Marilyn McCarthy

Western Cape avian flu oubreak sees seabird deaths top 21 000 [News24, 25 Nov 2021]

More than 20 500 endangered Cape cormorants have died in the Western Cape following an avian flu outbreak.

The outbreak, which was first recorded last month, has seen 21 172 wild seabirds dying. The majority of these birds were endangered Cape cormorants. The worst affected area is Dyer Island off Gansbaai, home to a Cape cormorant breeding colony, where 13 195 deaths have been recorded.

Before the outbreak, there were an estimated 57 000 breeding pairs in South Africa, said Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) research manager Katta Ludynia.

Ludynia previously told News24 the Cape cormorant population had declined by more than 50% in the past 30 years.

According to Anton Bredell, Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, the number of dead birds is decreasing, with less than 100 dead birds being recorded per day.

"The numbers remain low but constant at the moment. All efforts continue to manage the situation, with the primary focus on responding swiftly to areas where dead and sick birds are found, and then implementing a clean-up. We believe if the efforts are let up, the numbers may increase again so all our stakeholders continue to work hard to address the situation where it crops up," he said.

The Disaster Management Centre has urged residents across the province to continue to be vigilant and report unusual behaviour or mortalities among any birds to their local municipality, conservation authority or state veterinarian. The SPCA may also be contacted.

Bird flu confirmed in Sambhar, 80 birds dead in 5 days [Down To Earth Magazine, 25 Nov 2021]

By Madhav Sharma

Veterinarians deployed by local administration yet to reach bird flu-hit Sambhar

Birds in and around the Sambhar tehsil of Jaipur district in Rajasthan died of avian flu in the last five days, according to the report of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bhopal released November 24, 2021.

A team from the forest and animal husbandry departments had collected four samples and sent them to the IVRI in Bhopal November 20. Some 80 birds have died of bird flu so far in the area, most of them crows.

Some eight birds were found dead at the Sambhar lake November 23. They included a rufous tree pie, an owl, five crows and a gull. A crow and a Common Teal were found injured.

A stock-taking meeting was organised at the Jaipur district collectorate on the morning of November 24. Officials from the animal husbandry and forest departments and local administration took part.

The animal husbandry department has deployed 10 veterinarians to tackle the situation. But nobody had reached the area till the time of filing this report.

There are fears that if timely action is not taken, there could be a repeat of the events of 2019. That is when over 30,000 migratory birds died of avian botulism.

Botulinum is a natural toxin produced by a bacteria known as Clostridium botulin. It produces the toxin when it starts reproducing.

Botulinum affects both humans and animals but the type of the toxin varies — botulinum C in birds and A, B and E in humans. The toxin has been recognised as a major cause of mortality in wild birds since the 1900s.

A week before the bird deaths were reported from Sambhar, 189 demoiselle cranes had died at Jodhpur’s Kaparda pond.

At least seven more cranes died on November 20. Samples of the dead birds were examined. The cause of death was ascertained to be bird flu.

The H5N1 strain of bird flu can spread from birds to humans if they come into contact.

Symptoms of H5N1 include cough, fever, sore throat, muscular pain, headache and difficulty breathing. The H5N1 strain can also result in human deaths.

Alert after bird flu found on Leicestershire farm [BBC News, 25 Nov 2021]

Restrictions have been placed on the movement of poultry after bird flu was found in Leicestershire.

Two zones, one 3km (1.9 mile) and another 10km (6.2 miles) from a poultry farm near Barrow upon Soar, have been put in place, covering Loughborough.

Inside the zones there are tighter measures, including more controls on the movement of poultry, eggs and meat.

Leicestershire County Council has said the risk to public health from avian influenza is "very low".

Further testing is under way and all the birds on the infected farm will be killed.

Measures directed at bird owners inside the zones include keeping records of visitors, records of movement of any poultry products and keeping any birds housed or isolated.


A number of locations across the UK - as well as Europe and Asia - have seen outbreaks of bird flu this year.

The H5N1 virus is highly contagious and can kill poultry flocks.

But the government has said that while bird flu can transmit to humans, it is rare and the risks are low.

It is also safe to eat poultry products, officials said.

The controls will be in place until further notice.

Austria finds bird flu on small chicken farm as virus spreads [WTVB News, 25 Nov 2021]

by Francois Murphy & David Clarke

VIENNA (Reuters) – Austria has found a case of bird flu on a small chicken farm near Vienna airport and is ordering poultry farms with more than 350 birds to keep them indoors, public health agency AGES said on Thursday.

The spread https://reut.rs/3l858m7 of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Europe and Asia has put the poultry industry on alert. Past outbreaks, which usually occur in the autumn, have led to the culling of tens of millions of birds and can lead to trade restrictions.

Known as bird flu, the virus is attracting the attention of epidemiologists too as it can be transmitted to humans. China has reported 21 human infections https://reut.rs/3oTNIe2 with the H5N6 subtype of avian influenza so far this year, more than in the whole of 2020.

“The affected farm’s chickens died or were slaughtered under the authorities’ supervision. The farm was closed,” AGES said in a statement, adding that the case was confirmed on Wednesday.

The farm is in the town of Fischamend, east of Vienna and near the borders with Slovakia and Hungary, both of which have reported outbreaks of bird flu in poultry in the past week.

Bird flu was last detected in Austria early this year, on another small farm, AGES said.

It said the virus was being spread across Europe by migratory birds and that local wild birds such as ducks and geese usually also play a role.

The Health Ministry plans to issue a decree on Thursday ordering poultry farms of more than 350 birds in “risk areas” to keep them inside, AGES said.

It did not elaborate on where the risk areas might be but said all contact between farm birds and wild birds should be avoided and farms should implement protective measures such as only feeding their birds in areas with a roof.

Minnesota Turkey Farm Hit by Bird Flu [krforadio.com, 23 Nov 2021]

By Roy Koenig

A Minnesota turkey farm has been hit with a case of a mild version of avian influenza. The situation is not a food safety issue according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, who also states, "This is not the same virus that was the cause of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI Outbreak in the Midwest in 2015."

The news release from the board indicates the outbreak was found in a turkey flock from Kandiyohi County during a routine test. "Testing birds before they go to market is standard protocol for our poultry flocks in Minnesota because it verifies healthy birds are sent to market, and if disease is detected, we can hold the flock and work quickly with producers to address the disease," said Dr. Beth Thompson, State Veterinarian.

The flock was quarantined on Monday, November 22. The animal health board is continuing to test the flock "as well as commercial poultry operations and individuals with backyard flocks within 10 kilometers for signs of the disease. Avian influenza is not a food safety issue."

Slovakia reports bird flu outbreak in poultry – OIE [WTVB News, 23 Nov 2021]

by Sybille de La Hamaide & Gus Trompiz

PARIS (Reuters) – Slovakia has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus among backyard poultry, the Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Tuesday.

The outbreak followed several outbreaks among poultry farms in Europe and Asia in recent weeks in a sign the virus is spreading quickly again.

The virus was detected in 14 backyard birds in Dunajska Streda, southeast of Bratislava, the OIE said, citing a report from the Slovakian authorities.

Bird flu added to COVID-19 in Tatarstan [Realnoe vremya, 23 Nov 2021]

by Eleonora Rylova

Farmers in Tukay District have to slaughter their poultry, Minnikhanov is concerned about pensioners, while Kazan and Almetyevsk were short-charged

The introduction of new restrictions due to the strained situation due to COVID-19 and new trouble in the form of a bird flu outbreak — these are two hot-button issues among those that were discussed at a traditional Saturday meeting with Rustam Minnikhanov in the House of Government on 20 November. Also, it became known that large-scale repairs in blocks of flats hadn’t been completed in 10 cities of the republic. A shortage of financing from local budgets is the culprit. Only 64% of money envisaged by the programme was received, Kazan and Almetyevsk are key debtors. Read more in Realnoe Vremya’s report.

“Transport is that zone where one can get infected faster”
Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov started the meeting with a topic that wasn’t on the agenda deciding to get the priorities right. He claimed that the tense situation in the republic due to COVID-19 required new restrictive measures. Since Monday 22 November, only those adults of the republic who have QR codes (about vaccination or recovery from the coronavirus in the last six months) or certificate of a medical exemption have been able to use public transport.

“Transport is that zone where one can get infected faster, of course, people have mixed feelings about these novelties, but we don’t have choice. The situation in those countries that took this road is already stabilising,” the Tatarstan president stressed.

Rustam Minnikhanov touched on pensioners who have the lowest vaccination rate, just 49%.

Meanwhile, according to him, most beds in COVID-19 hospitals are occupied precisely by citizens older than 60 years. They account for 85% of deaths. To stimulate vaccination in this group of population, the citizens above 60 years who don’t have a QR code or medical exemption will have their social transport cards blocked.

“The elderly are in the high risk group because they seriously suffer from COVID-19. We are trying to protect them as much as possible,” Minnikhanov stressed.

According to the president, from 15,000 to 30,000 citizens are daily vaccinated in Tatarstan.

1,9 million people have already received at least one dose, 1,4 million have been fully vaccinated. 54,000 people have been revaccinated. The head of the republic noted that the growth pace of new infection cases was falling, but it was necessary to save the dynamics so that people could calmly celebrate New Year, which is around the corner, “so that they will be positive.”

Minnikhanov reminded the audience that it has been ordered to suspend the workers who haven’t received the first dose since 9 November according to a decree of the chief state sanitary doctor of Tatarstan, besides people who have a medical exemption or recovered from the disease in the last six months.

“Directors of enterprises and organisations must mandatorily comply with the decree. This is in your interests. Your employees must be healthy, shouldn’t pose a threat to their colleagues and their families. The work is running very smoothly in those workplaces where managers considered this issue responsibly. There is no other way. We will strictly keep an eye on this,” the Tatarstan president said.

Chief veterinarian instructed farmers to start slaughtering poultry
Besides coronavirus, another trouble has appeared in Tatarstan, which is the bird flu. In autumn, it was registered in neighbouring regions: in Saratov, Samara, Orenburg, Kirov Oblasts, Bashkortostan and Udmurtia. On 19 November, it “crossed the border.” As Director of the Main Veterinary Office of the Tatarstan Cabinet of Ministers and chief state veterinarian inspector of Tatarstan Almaz Khisamutdinov explained, an outbreak of very pathogenic bird flu were detected at a quail farm in Tukay District. The farm bred 42,000 adult quails and 10,000 quail chicks. All of them had to be destroyed. Another 48,000 eggs and 171 kg of meat in the farm’s warehouse were disposed of too.

The five-kilometre outbreak area includes 3 settlements of the district. Their residents keep over 3,500 different kinds of birds.

“Today we cannot permit the infection to keep spreading. Farm owners must start slaughtering poultry they have raised for their own needs. Those who breed the poultry on an industrial scale for sale must switch to a closed maintenance regime and comply with all our requirements and instructions of Russia’s agricultural safety watchdog,” Khisamutdinov gave farmers valuable instructions.

Also, he urged them to be careful about where the fodder is brought from and disinfect the amenities so that employees don’t bring the virus on their clothes and shoes. Rustam Minnikhanov reminded that farmers must meet all the requirements given by the veterinarian office. He also urged them to calculate the losses the farmers would have.

“It is better to act strictly on time. It is necessary to introduce very stringent control in all the enterprises that deal with poultry: over staff, fodder, following the rules. All these issues must be seriously overseen,” the Tatarstan president said.

Kazan and Almetyevsk considered debtors
At the Saturday meeting, they traditionally talked about the execution of republican major repair programmes. Tatarstan Minister of Construction, Architecture and Utilities Marat Ayzatullin reported that nowadays 15 in 27 programmes have been implemented, that’s to say, 1,030 in 3,488 facilities have been repaired. Another 12 programmes are still in work. It is necessary to complete 38 facilities and a number of blocks of flats in 10 municipalities for over 1,7 billion rubles.

Kindergarten No. 104 in Kazan, four hospital buildings in Nizhnekamsk, Chistopol, Bugulma and Leninogorsk, two children camps, four facilities that belong to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a series of sports venues are among the places where big repairs haven’t yet ended. Only 48 in 413 educational establishments have been repaired.

Ayzatullin delivered a report reading that last week contractors completed works in the last facilities in two programmes. So 881 facilities have been repaired for 1,4 billion rubles in six engineering infrastructure modernisation areas.

The minister said there was a delay in the repairs of houses because 15% of this programme is financed by municipal money, while there is a shortage of money. Nowadays 740 million rubles, or 64% of the amount envisaged by the programme, has been received from local budgets.
The republic’s two richest cities — Kazan and Almetyevsk — unexpectedly turned out to be debtors.

Only 34% of settlements are in the registry
Tatarstan Minister of Land and Property Fanil Agliullin noted that today the United State Real Estate Registry contains information about only 34% of settlements (1,059 in 3,119), which are parts of 293 municipalities. To include them in the registry, it is necessary to elaborate general plans of 327 municipalities. If the pace stays, this will take more than 8 years, the speaker said.

He added that it is also necessary to create 565 projects on land use and development rules. 130 rules have been approved since 2018. But territorial zones only in 15 approved rules have been added to the cadastral registry.

Fanil Agliullin named the reasons for the delay. It is the absence of information about the borders of territorial zones in the materials of rules. Also, the executive committee (client) doesn’t send information about the borders of territorial zones to the registry or stops further actions after being denied cadastral registration.

The Ministry of Land and Property reported on the course of works designed to establish the borders of the Republic of Tatarstan. The total length of the republic’s border is about 3,500 kilometres. It is necessary to add information about eight parts of the border with neighbouring regions to the registry. The minister called 570 of them “problematic”, nowadays 90% of issues have been resolved, the work on 29 segments goes on.

Working projects on borders were approved at joint meetings of task forces regarding the borders with Orenburg Oblast and the Chuvash Republic, the Republic of Mari El, Samara Oblast and the Republic of Bashkortostan. An agreement with Orenburg Oblast signed with the Republic of Tatarstan has been sent to the region’s governor.

Works on the approval of projects of the border with Ulyanovsk Oblast are about to end. Joint events and three rounds of negotiations on the discussion of the border’s project were held. Nowadays the final round of talks is being prepared.

22 segments remain unapproved on the border with the Udmurt Republic. The materials on the border near Agryz city prepared by the administration of Agryz District, Tatarstan, and Malopurgino District, Udmurtia, were the foundation of the project.

The performer of works to establish the borders have not yet been chosen in Orenburg and Ulyanovsk Oblasts, the Republics of Mari El and Bashkortostan. Due to this, the works on the projects are done by the Spatial Data Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan.

Zelenodolsk District asks the republic for money
Governor of Zelenodolsk District Mikhail Afanasyev reported on socio-economic development and asked the republic to help to repair the road at the entrance to the city and organise water supply and discharge in the Raifa area, which doesn’t have centralised sewerage in general.

The road repair project is already ready and was inspected, only money is needed to start the works. While the Raifa area doesn’t have centralised sewerage in general, this is why Afanasyev asked the president for support with engineering sewerage for villages and settlements of this territory.

Also, the head of the district reminded the audience that the municipality was preparing to celebrate the 90th jubilee since it obtained the status of city. On this occasion, Afanasyev invited the president, thanked him for supporting the initiative of giving Zelenodolsk the status of Labour Merit City.

“Hopefully, on its jubilee, Zelenodolsk will get this honourable status,” Afanasyev expressed his hope.

Measures in place after Bird Flu outbreak in North Fambridge | Echo [Echo, 22 Nov 2021]

By Jessica Day-Parker

PRECAUTIONARY measures are being put in place after an outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed at a premise in North Fambridge.

Essex County Council has confirmed the isolated outbreak is in birds and there are no cases in people.

This is the second outbreak of Avian Influenza in Essex in the past two weeks but the county council says there is no evidence to suggest the two are linked.

The response is being led by Essex County Council, Maldon District Council, Chelmsford City Council, Rochford District Council and the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Health officials have visited the site and taken actions including testing and cleansing.

Avian Influenza is a disease which mainly affects birds but on rare occasions it can affect mammals including humans.

Due to this a number of precautionary measures are being put in place.

Officers will be visiting 965 houses and commercial properties within a 3km zone detailing actions which need to be undertaken and who to contact in the event of a suspected case.

Residents are required to notify Essex County Council of any poultry on their premises and to avoid moving poultry in and out of the 3km zone.

Road signs will be put up on roads entering or leaving the 3km zone.

Anyone who is concerned should call NHS 111 or speak to their GP.

People in direct contact with the affected birds have been contacted and offered appropriate preventative treatment.

John Spence, the county council’s cabinet member for adults and health, said: “It is important to reassure people that the risk of anyone becoming infected as a result of an outbreak like this is extremely low.

“Nevertheless, it is important that we put the correct precautions in place and working with Defra, Maldon District Council, Rochford District Council and Chelmsford City Council this is what we have done.

"We will be visiting premises around the site of the outbreak, and offering information and advice, over the coming days.”

Pet owners with other animals don't usually need to take other action.

If a person has concerns regarding their pet they should contact their private vet.

Richard Siddall, Maldon District Council’s leader designate, said: “As the local council, we are ready to help our colleagues at Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and Essex County Council in any way we can, and particularly with activity to make local people aware of this outbreak.

“The important thing is for people to react sensibly, understand there is minimal risk to human health, and if you keep birds then to follow the measures set out by the authorities.”

The Food Standards Agency has said on the basis of scientific evidence Avian Influenza poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers.

Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.

Dr David Edwards, Public Health England’s Regional Deputy Director (Acting), UK Health Security Agency East, said: “Avian Influenza is primarily a disease of birds and the risk to the general public’s health is very low.

"We are working closely with Defra to monitor the situation and have provided the necessary health advice to anyone on site as a precaution.

“We know the importance of washing hands when it comes to COVID and the same applies here – try not to touch any sick or dead birds and make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap after contact with any animal.”

Bird flu confirmed at Blackpool's Stanley Park as total of 15 birds killed [Accrington Observer, 22 Nov 2021]

By Jamie Lopez

Blackpool Council says a total of 15 birds have died with similar symptoms

One of the swans which died at a Blackpool park has tested positive bird flu, it has been confirmed.

Three swans died at Stanley Park after showing symptoms of the disease, also known as avian influenza.

Blackpool Council says a total of 15 birds have died with similar symptoms and confirmed that one of the swans was carrying the disease.

A cordon has been erected after the birds died and while the park is still open, people are asked not to go near the edge of the lake.

Avian influenza is a disease which mainly affects birds but on rare occasions it can affect mammals including humans.

Consequently, several precautionary measures have been put in place around the several areas in where it has been identified in Lancashire and Cumbria - including a 3km protection zone, a 10km surveillance zone and the humane culling of birds at risk of infection

A spokesperson for Blackpool Council said: “Unfortunately one of the swans that died at Stanley Park last week has tested positive for Avian Influenza.

“Sadly 15 birds have now died with similar symptoms.

“We know that many people love visiting Stanley Park and will find this upsetting news. We can assure you that the birds are well fed and we are keeping a close eye on them.

“Although the risk to the general public’s health is very low it is vitally important visitors to the park follow the signage that is in place.”

Over the last week, disease control zones were put in place in Kirkham, Preston, South Ribble, Wyre,Fylde and Copeland in Cumbria.

The Cumbrian case has been confirmed by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as being highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which is the more serious type and is often fatal in birds. However, the risk to public health remains “very low”.

Blackpool Council has issued advice to those visiting Stanley Park, including to respect the cordon and not walk by the lake or dogs in the water. It also warned people not to touch any injured or deceased birds.

The spokesperson added: “Thank you to everyone who has offered support and assistance. Our team has been specially trained and has appropriate PPE to handle the birds to minimise any risks.

We will continue to keep you updated and will lift the cordon once it is safe to do so.”

Bird flu outbreak on aristocrat's country estate puts Christmas dinner turkeys at risk [Mirror.co.uk, 22 Nov 2021]

By Alahna Kindred

This is the third outbreak of the highly-contagious H5N1 strain of avian flu in the East Anglia region recorded by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs in recent days

A bird flu outbreak has been confirmed on an aristocrat's estate in an area where millions of turkeys are being raised for Christmas dinner.

The disease is carried by migrating birds and has been found in a small flock of pet birds including chickens and turkeys on the Holkham Estate in Norfolk.

The small flock on the Holkham Estate is being culled to prevent the spread of the disease.

Temporary control zones have been set to restrict the movements of the birds in surrounding areas.

This is the third outbreak of the H5N1 strain of avian flu in the region recorded by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs in recent days.

On November 11, the highly-contagious virus was found at an animal sanctuary at Kirby Cross, Essex.

It was then found again 12 miles away at "premises" in North Fambridge near Maldon.

The latest outbreak was invited yesterday evening after several birds suddenly died at a rented house in the 3,000 across of parkland that surrounding Holkham Hall.

The 18th century Palladian mansion is home to Thomas Coke, the 8th Earl of Leicester, and his family.

Norfolk is the country's turkey-producing area with dozens of farms and suppliers.

One includes Bernard Matthews, which produces turkeys to get ready for Christmas dinner tables.

A spokesperson at Holkham said: "A case of bird flu has been identified at a residential address on the Holkham estate in a very small domesticated flock of housed foul.

"A 3km temporary control zone is now in place and the situation is being monitored carefully."

Defra said further testing was underway to confirm the pathogenicity of the virus strain at Holkham to try and establish how infectious it is.

A spokesperson for the department added: "A number of birds have already died on the premises, all remaining birds will be humanely culled to limit the risk of onward transmission."

An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been in place across the UK since November 3 with all bird keepers - whether large commercial farms or back-yard hobbyists - having to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks.

However, outbreaks have been recorded in Cumbria, Warwickshire, Cheshire and North Yorkshire as well as Essex.

Previous, outbreaks of the disease had led to the culls of thousands of turkeys and ducks in East Anglia last November.

UK food and health agencies advise that the risk to public health from the virus is very low and that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for consumers.

Health officials still insist that properly cooked poultry and poultry products, such as eggs, are safe to eat.

The temporary control zones around Holkham restricts all unlicensed movements of poultry and requires flocks to be kept indoors or isolated with no contact with other birds.

Lesser restrictions apply to birds kept with 10km of the infected flock.

Poultry keepers and members of the public should report dead wild birds to Defra's helpline on 03459 33 55 77 (option 7) and keepers should report suspicion of disease to APHA on 03000 200 301.

BBC News Bird flu outbreak confirmed in Wells-next-the-Sea [ABC News, 22 Nov 2021]

Once again, Europe is experiencing bird flu outbreaks – the deadliest animal disease known. In chickens and turkeys, over 90% of an affected flock will die within a couple of weeks, although in ducks and geese the disease may be milder.

Bird flu outbreaks are caused by avian influenza viruses, most of which cause mild infection in birds, but two sub-types (called H5 and H7) can occur as a very deadly virus.

Flu viruses have a high mutation rate and can exchange genes when two viruses simultaneously infect a single host. These genetic changes allow them to change their make up and escape immunity in their host and continue spreading.

In the previous century, epidemics of the deadly bird flu were rare and always originated from mild H5 or H7 viruses that mutated into a deadly virus while transmitting in a chicken or turkey flock. Until 1996, resulting outbreaks and epidemics were either effectively controlled or faded out due to a lack of susceptible hosts.

Get news curated by experts, not algorithms.

H5N1 emerges
Infections caused by these deadly viruses were also never seen in wild birds. This changed after the emergence of the H5N1 virus in China. Outbreaks in poultry were not effectively controlled. The virus gradually expanded its territory across China, and from 2003, further into Asia and Africa. Humans in close contact with infected poultry could become infected, resulting in the death of 456 people to date.

Wild birds became infected because of a spillover from the ongoing spread of the virus in poultry. This gave rise to new H5 viruses that were still deadly to poultry, but of little harm to certain waterbird species. Consequently, migratory waterbirds could fly thousands of kilometres, despite being infected by these viruses, and so were able to spread the viruses over very large distances.

In 2005, wild waterbirds introduced the virus to Europe for the first time during fall migration. This was the first sign that the ecology of these viruses had completely changed; a virus strictly associated with poultry had adapted itself to wild water birds, tremendously increasing its survival potential.

Each year in spring and summer, waterbirds mingle on their breeding grounds in Siberia and mix their influenza viruses, creating new variants they then bring to Europe, Asia and Africa during fall migration, causing deadly outbreaks in poultry.

Obviously, there is little we can do to control infections in the wild water birds. Surveillance is recommended to assess the risk of virus exposure to poultry and the removal of carcasses of dead birds from the environment.

Poultry farmers in areas with many waterbirds that stay there over winter are advised to keep poultry inside and should implement biosecurity measures to keep the virus out of their sheds. Faeces of infected wild birds can contain high amounts of virus and can easily enter a poultry shed by uncleaned boots or materials.

Current biosecurity programmes have not been sufficiently effective to prevent infections in risk areas. In the season 2020-21 there were over 1,000 outbreaks in the EU alone. And in the current season, tens of outbreaks have already been detected.

The yearly recurring outbreaks, with the associated mass killing of poultry, are an obvious threat to the sustainability of poultry farming.

Poultry vaccine
Vaccination could be a tool to help solve the problem. However, it is forbidden in many countries and its use results in trade barriers for poultry. The reason for the trade barriers is that most current vaccines prevent disease, but don’t stop transmission of the infection.

A vaccine that stops disease but doesn’t stop transmission will result in “silent” virus spread, which compromises outbreak control and is undesirable because the virus has the potential to spread from animals to humans.

Fortunately, most of the currently circulating H5 virus variants are not as dangerous to humans as their ancestor H5N1. Still, caution is needed as this could easily change because of the virus’s ability to change its genetic code.

We urgently need effective vaccines for poultry – it is the only sustainable solution. New-generation vaccines may have more potential to control bird flu, but their effectiveness to stop virus transmission should be demonstrated in the field. Such vaccines will not only protect poultry but also minimise exposure of humans to the virus.

Bird flu: What is avian influenza, how does it spread, which viruses infect humans and should we be worried? [ABC News, 22 Nov 2021]

By Belinda Smith

The COVID-19 pandemic may have crushed seasonal flu to historically low levels, but another type of flu — avian influenza or bird flu — has showed no signs of slowing.

In the past month, severe bird flu has popped up in poultry farms across Europe and Asia, with Japan confirming its third outbreak for the winter season so far.

The outbreaks follow Japan's worst winter for bird flu yet. More than 3 million chickens were destroyed in 2020-21.

Closer to home, six Victorian farms, including an emu farm, culled hundreds of thousands of birds in 2020 and early 2021 after multiple outbreaks involving three different strains of the virus.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.

While bird flu viruses do generally stick to infecting birds, they occasionally make the potentially deadly leap to other animals, including humans.

In May, for instance, the first confirmed human case of a rare bird flu subtype was reported in China.

Ricardo Soares Magalhães, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Queensland, says this recent spate of new bird flu strains that can hop to humans is unusual.

"Usually, you'd see these viruses just affecting the poultry population, and very few human cases, or none at all," Dr Soares Magalhães said.

"But most of the different examples we've had in the last year-and-a-half have been viruses that had some human transmission."

And despite the COVID-19 pandemic being driven by a coronavirus, epidemiologists are "very wary" when it comes to emerging flu strains, he added, with influenza still at the top of pandemic-potential diseases.

What is bird flu and where does it come from?
Bird flu is caused by a handful of influenza viruses, just like the seasonal flu that circulates each winter.

ABCs of Hs and Ns:
• Influenza A viruses, which infect humans and animals, are classified into subtypes depending on two spike proteins that cover their surface:
o haemagglutinin
o neuraminidase
• There are 18 different haemagglutinin (H1 to H18) and 11 neuraminidase (N1 to N11) proteins
• Each virus has one type of H and one type of N (such as H1N1 and H3N2)

But while seasonal flu infections rise in cool weather, drop off in spring and spread easily in human populations, bird flu — with the odd exception — is transmitted only between animals or from animals to humans.

It mostly circulates in wild birds, and spreads when migratory waterfowl fly between their summer and winter homes.

Larger birds, such as ducks and geese, tend to ferry bird flu viruses around the world, said Frank Wong, a CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory microbiologist and World Organisation for Animal Health reference expert for highly pathogenic and low pathogenic avian influenza.

(Generally, if smaller migratory birds such as shorebirds are infected with bird flu, they're more likely to delay their migration, or not set out on their journey at all.)

And now, it's peak autumn waterfowl migration time in the northern hemisphere, which is why European and Asian countries are seeing an uptick in bird flu outbreaks, Dr Wong added.

"When the birds congregate [to feed and breed] … mixing of birds also results in mixing of viruses, including influenza viruses. Then when the birds fly south or westwards for the winter, they carry those viruses with them.

"If those wild birds interact with domestic birds, the viruses they're carrying might spill over and cause outbreaks in domestic poultry."

Free-range farming may increase spillover odds too.

YOUTUBEVictoria's worst outbreak of bird flu is raising questions about free-range farming.
Most bird flu viruses out there are low pathogenic strains, causing little to no disease to the wild birds that carry them.

But the problem is they can quickly become highly pathogenic, incredibly contagious and lethal.

Once a highly pathogenic bird flu virus has made its way into a poultry farm, it can spread rapidly and devastate entire flocks.

What's the bird flu situation in Australia?
Australia is in a pretty good place when it comes to bird flu.

There have been only eight outbreaks of the disease in Australia since the 1970s, with the biggest happening in Victoria last year.

Unlike Europe and Asia, Australia has no large waterfowl seasonal migrations from abroad, which bring in new viruses each year, Dr Wong said.

"Australian wild ducks are different species to migratory ducks and geese up in the northern hemisphere.

"Our endemic species of ducks are what we call nomadic. They don't travel according to the seasons — they mainly stay within the Australo-Papuan region — and they move according to drought and rain cycles."

Australia also has stringent controls around how poultry is shuttled into and around the country.

What are the symptoms of bird flu?
• Sudden death
• Difficulty breathing, such as coughing, sneezing, or rasping
• Swelling and purple discolouration of the head, comb, wattles and neck
• Rapid drop in eating, drinking and egg production
• Ruffled feathers, dopiness, closed eyes
• Diarrhoea

And the National Avian Influenza Wild Birds surveillance programme analyses bird poo and the like to keep tabs on the low-pathogenic H7 strains circulating in the wild, Dr Wong said.

Among other biosecurity measures, local regulations state that poultry farms cannot be located near lakes or other bodies of water, Dr Soares Magalhães said: "Just being a few kilometres away can be a risk factor."

That's because the virus doesn't always need direct contact or faeces to spread between birds.
"Because it's a respiratory virus, it can be aerosolised at very large distances. So having those water bodies nearby will attract wild birds, and that means you will have a greater chance of transmission through the air."

Still, these measures aren't completely watertight. And if bird flu is detected in an Australian poultry farm, the policy is clear.

"In Australia, we don't want these viruses around, so regardless of if it's a low pathogenic strain or a high pathogenic strain, depopulation is the way to go," Dr Soares Magalhães said.

Depopulation — or culling — may seem an extreme measure, but the disease can quickly cause debilitation and death, especially if it's a highly pathogenic strain.

"The best strategy from an animal welfare perspective is to depopulate the flock," Dr Soares Magalhães said.

"That happens on a radius of 3 kilometres around the affected zone, and then we impose a surveillance zone out to another 7km."

So that's birds. What about humans?
For a human to get bird flu, they need direct contact with infected birds, or contaminated feathers or faeces. It can't be passed on by eating eggs and cooked meat.

So far, there's been very little human-to-human bird flu transmission, but that doesn't mean new strains won't gain that ability, Dr Soares Magalhães said.

"COVID [which probably originated in bats] is a good example of that."

Pigs can be infected with more than one flu virus, and if that happens, they can act as a virus mixing vessel of sorts to produce new viruses.

Influenza's genetic code, which dictates qualities such as the animals it infects and its contagiousness, is stored as a strand of RNA. If two (or more) influenza viruses meet in a pig's body, they can swap sections of that RNA strand.

Most of the time, these mutations die out. Occasionally, they might spawn a particularly pathogenic strain.

"The H5N1 virus is a good example of a virus that emerged through the interaction of a poultry virus with a swine virus, and has elements of a human virus," Dr Soares Magalhães said.
"But there are some exceptions to that rule.

"H7N9 is a virus that did not need a pig at all. It came straight from chickens to human beings."
Which are the viruses to watch?

Of the different bird flu viruses, H5 and H7 subtypes have the propensity to mutate from low to high pathogenic strains.

The H5N1 subtype, for instance, was first detected in a human in Hong Kong in the 1990s and, in 2003, kicked off a major bird flu outbreak, killing at least 280 people.

There have been more than 860 confirmed cases of H5N1 in humans to date, 456 of whom died.

"The current lineage of highly pathogenic H5 that's causing outbreaks in the northern hemisphere has adapted to be more amenable for infection in many different wild bird species, including ducks and geese," Dr Wong said.

"This has allowed it to have this rapid seasonal spread, when the conditions are right."

Then there's H7N9, which was first reported in humans in China in 2013. It has been reported in more than 1,500 people since and can cause severe disease.

What makes this virus trickier to contain is that it doesn't produce many symptoms in birds.
"That virus is actually a little more insidious," Dr Wong said.

"When a low-pathogenic H7N9 circulates in chickens or ducks, it's harder to spot because the chickens or ducks may not show signs of disease.

"And the right interplay of genes that virus carried [allowed] multiple spillovers into humans."

Just recently, a third H type was found in humans. China reported that a H10N3 virus hospitalised a 41-year-old man.

When it was detected in birds, epidemiologists weren't overly concerned about it spilling over into humans, because there's no history of H10 viruses infecting us, Dr Soares Magalhães said.

"But then there was a human infection as a result of that virus, and the mechanism of transmission was similar to H7N9, whereby there was no indication of pig involvement."
So how worried should we be about a bird flu pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen more funding made available for surveillance programs for diseases such as bird flu.

But even before the pandemic, regions where most bird flu strains first popped up — such as China — really stepped up their poultry farm biosecurity strategies, Dr Soares Magalhães said.

"China will perhaps be the location where new viruses emerge, but they will stop it very quickly."

So it's very much a watch and wait scenario, but we might not have to wait too long.

Dr Soares Magalhães's spatial epidemiology group is helping a World Health Organization program rank countries in South-East Asia according to their capabilities to control diseases that, like bird flu, can jump from animals to humans.

But the part of the world he has an eye on is further afield.

"It's very likely that new viruses will start to emerge; not in the traditional countries where that has happened, but in [what was known as] the Eastern Bloc," Dr Soares Magalhães said.

Even though the biosecurity of farms in the region has been scaled up in the past couple of decades, it "still tends to be suboptimal", he said.

Neighbouring Poland is currently grappling with multiple outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu.

"Poland is the largest poultry producer in Europe, so they have the largest at-risk population.
"No wonder Poland is bearing the brunt of this."

Climate change could encourage new strains of bird flu to emerge too. As the world warms, migratory birds may spend winter elsewhere, and mix with different bird populations — and viruses.

"Every single year, we will have wildlife-originated influenza viruses in the poultry population, and I'm sure there will be a time when a virus similar to H5N1 will pop up," Dr Soares Magalhães said.

"There's a lot of naive poultry populations out there, and this gives a lot of opportunities for these new emerging viruses to really be devastating.

"Everyone is expecting a big resurgence in the next few years."

The southern German state has also imposed a lockdown on all districts

Farm lobby calls for chicken import ban after bird flu outbreaks [BusinessWorld Online, 17 Nov 2021]

By Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

A FARMING industry association, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), said the government needs to ban chicken and other poultry imports due to outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as bird flu, in Asia and Europe.

SINAG Chairman Rosendo O. So said a poultry import ban needs to be in place until the Department of Agriculture (DA) fully implements a system for first border inspection of all imported agricultural products.

“Will we wait for bird flu to enter the country and destroy the livelihood of families relying on the poultry industry? We should have learned our lessons from the African Swine Fever (ASF) and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic,” Mr. So said in a statement Wednesday.

SINAG said bird flu outbreaks were reported in parts of Japan, Norway, and South Korea.

“South Korea reported an outbreak at a farm of around 770,000 poultry in Chungcheongbuk-do. Japan reported its first outbreak at a poultry farm in the northeast of the country. In Europe, Norway reported an H5N1 bird flu outbreak in the Rogaland region in a flock of 7,000 birds,” the group said.

SINAG said imports should not be allowed in the absence of a quarantine inspection system at the port of first entry.

“We are the only country that is not applying the global standard of quarantine inspection at the port of first entry of any imported food, food products and agricultural commodity to ensure food safety and public health security,” Mr. So said.

The DA is set to establish the first commodity examination facility for agriculture at the Subic Freeport Zone, which will subject all agricultural and food imports to 100% sampling and laboratory testing.

The DA’s original plan was to build such a facility at the Manila International Container Port, which has been delayed.

The DA recently implemented a ban on poultry imports from the Netherlands after it reported an outbreak of H5N1 HPAI.

New Coronavirus News from 23 Nov 2021

Britain outpaces eurozone as bloc held back by new Covid surge [Telegraph.co.uk, 23 Nov 2021]

ByTim Wallace

Experts anticipate close to zero economic growth in the eurozone in the final months of the year

Britain’s economy is outpacing the eurozone as supply shortages and Covid fears held back growth on the continent this month even before the latest restrictions came into force in Austria.

Demand is rising strongly in the UK, according to the purchasing managers’ index, an influential survey from IHS Markit, indicating the recovery has further to run.

The index held almost steady at 57.7 in November, compared to 57.8 in October. Any score of above 50 indicates growth in the private sector, so this suggests the expansion is being maintained, led by the services industry but supported by an acceleration in manufacturing.

This is stronger than the eurozone’s index which picked up to 55.8 from 54.2 in October.

Economists warned this may prove the high point for growth on the continent as surging Covid cases in countries including Germany and Belgium threaten to bring new restrictions.

Rising infections already appear to be affecting households’ spending patterns, hitting tourism and recreation spending, while supply problems dragged down car manufacturing, particularly important to countries such as Germany, for the third consecutive month.

However the survey also found rising production of household goods, technology and food and drink.

Melanie Debono at Pantheon Macroeconomics said: “We doubt November’s survey has captured the recent deterioration in the virus situation fully. With virus cases rising sharply in many of the major eurozone economies and restrictions returning in some, manufacturing still constrained by supply issues and the energy crunch rumbling on, it seems more likely than not that the PMI will soften in December and perhaps even heading into 2022.”

She predicts German growth of “little more than zero” in the final three months of the year, warning of growing “downside risks” to her forecast of 0.7pc for the eurozone as a whole.

By contrast the UK should expand by 0.8pc in the same period, according to Bethany Beckett at Capital Economics.

“The latest batch of PMIs indicate that the economy fared reasonably well in November but brought further signs that the rise in price pressures has continued,” she said.

“That means that a hike to interest rates at the Bank of England’s upcoming Monetary Policy Committee meeting in December still looks likely.”

Inflationary pressures are sweeping the eurozone and the UK.

Input pressures for manufacturers and services businesses accelerated to a new record pace in the UK, indicating the rise in prices that has worried central bankers is not letting up yet.

COVID-19: How many more people could die of coronavirus in UK and how will European countries fare? Here's what the data suggests [Sky News, 23 Nov 2021]

By Ed Conway

The question, unpalatable as it is, is worth asking for a few reasons.

The first is that while the death toll from the pandemic is not mounting at anything like the rate it was in spring 2020 or last winter, it is, nonetheless, creeping higher.

The latest figures, released on Tuesday by the Office for National Statistics, showed the death toll in the UK had reached 167,646. Given that many of the worst-case scenarios early in the pandemic had talked of tens of thousands of deaths, even now this figure remains shocking.

Of course, the vast majority of those deaths happened in the first two waves - just under 57,000 in the first one, and almost 95,000 in the second - but there have been 16,163 deaths since May, despite Britain having a high level of vaccination.

Cases are rising again in much of Europe - sharply in the case of countries like Germany, the Netherlands and Austria, with the latter going back into a full lockdown as a result.

Some have warned that the UK could face another cruel winter of COVID-19 deaths and are pushing for more restrictions; the government insists it sees nothing in the data so far to push it from its "Plan A".

So the question is of more than passing importance: how many people would die if the UK really did face another wave of the virus? How does this compare to other countries around Europe?

Working out an answer is less simple than you might have thought, for not only do you need to weigh the levels of vaccination here and in other countries, you also need to look at age breakdowns and at the proportion of each country which has been infected in the past.

Happily, a group of epidemiologists at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) have just done that.

Their modelling is an illustration of the number of people who might be hospitalised or die if the country were to be wholly infected with COVID at this point.

There are many provisos: it doesn't ponder the efficacy or waning of different vaccines; it doesn't adjust for the risk of new variants of the disease. It is an illustration of what could happen if everyone in the population were exposed to COVID right now - not a prediction of what is going to happen.

Even so, the findings from the LSHTM study are strikingly encouraging, for the UK at least.
It found that there could be 10,479 more deaths in England.

Consider: this is less than the 12,540 that have died since May, and infinitesimally smaller than any of the previous waves of deaths.

Their model looked at England rather than the UK because of the availability of data, but it's likely that the rest of the UK would see broadly similar results.

Population-adjust the figures, and compare them to the rest of the Europe, and the news is similarly reassuring.

The level of "maximum remaining COVID-19 deaths" in England is, at 19 per 100,000 of the population, the lowest in Europe.

It's a similar picture for hospitalisations: according to the LSHTM modelling England would face fewer hospitalisations than other European countries even if the virus in its current form were to infect everyone in the country.

What's particularly striking is how much higher many other European countries are on this metric: Germany faces potential deaths of 137 per 100,000; the Netherlands 92 per 100k, Austria 60 per 100k.

The numbers imply that the threat of mortality in many of these countries, which are now facing steep rises in infections, is considerably greater than in England. In some countries the risk is higher still: in Greece the potential deaths are 151 per 100,000 and in Romania it's 356 per 100,000.

Why these stark differences?

In large part the answer is precisely what you'd expect: Britain has higher levels of vaccinations, especially among the elderly, than countries like Germany, Austria or Romania. It has slightly higher levels of natural antibodies from previous infection as well.

This modelling is an illustration, not a prediction - and comes with plenty of provisos.

The fact that it suggests such a low level of potential deaths has to be set against the very high number of deaths in the UK during the previous waves of the pandemic.

But still: if it is to be believed, it's quite plausible that even a sharp rise in COVID cases could be absorbed in the UK without anything like the mortality levels of previous waves; nothing like it.

Bodies pile up outside hospital morgue as Romania struggles with fourth wave of Covid [CNN, 23 Nov 2021]

By Cristiana Moisescu and Ben Wedeman

Bucharest, Romania (CNN)"It's relentless -- relentless," sighed nurse Claudiu Ionita, standing in front of a line of gurneys in Bucharest University Hospital's morgue. On each gurney lay a body inside a black plastic bag.

The morgue has a capacity for 15 bodies, but on the day CNN visited, it had received 41. The excess bodies filled the corridor outside, while wails echoed from within the morgue. A woman had been allowed inside for a final glimpse of her father.

Bucharest University Hospital is the Romanian capital's largest medical facility treating Covid-19 patients and is struggling through the country's fourth wave, its worst yet.

"I never thought, when I started this job, that I would live through something like this," said Ionita. "I never thought such a catastrophe could happen, that we'd end up sending whole families to their graves."

Several floors above, all the beds but one in the hospital's now-expanded intensive care units were full. A nurse was changing the sheets on the one vacant bed -- empty, because the person who occupied it now lay in the morgue.

Romania has one of Europe's lowest vaccination rates.

Just under 36% of the population has been vaccinated, even though the country's vaccination campaign got off to a good start last December.

Medical workers and officials attribute this low vaccination rate to a variety of factors, including suspicion of the authorities, deeply held religious beliefs, and a flood of misinformation surging through social media.

When Dr. Alexandra Munteanu, 32, arrived for duty at one of Bucharest's vaccination centers after an overnight shift in hospital, she found turnout was low. She's perplexed that the gravity of the disease just doesn't seem to have sunk in. "There are lots of doctors, myself included, who work with Covid patients, and we are trying to tell people this disease actually exists," she said.

One of the country's most vocal and high-profile anti-vaxxers is Diana Sosoaca, a member of the Romanian Senate. In one of her many public stunts she tried to block people from entering a vaccine center in her constituency in the northeast of the country.

"If you love your children, stop the vaccinations," she says in a video clip on her Facebook page. "Don't kill them!"

The vaccines on offer in Romania have been extensively tested for use in children and have proven to be safe and effective, but that hasn't stopped her and others from spreading wild rumors on social media and local television.

Officials and medical personnel are exasperated that public figures have done so much to undermine their efforts.

"Look at the reality," said Col. Dr. Valeriu Gheorghita, an army doctor who runs the national vaccination campaign. "We have our intensive care units full of patients. We have lots of new cases. We have, unfortunately, hundreds of deaths every day. So this is the reality. And more than 90% of patients who died were unvaccinated."

In Bucharest, a huge banner has gone up, covering half the façade of a building on a major boulevard. "They're suffocating. They're begging us. They're regretting," are the words printed in massive black letters above black-and-white photographs of medics struggling over Covid patients in an intensive care unit.

Down below, few passers-by glance up at the poster, and even fewer cared to share their thoughts with CNN. Soon, however, that banner will go up in other major cities in the country.
"There's manipulation," said a woman who gave her name only as Claudia, adding: "Some people don't believe in the vaccines."

Mayor: 'It's not a safe vaccine'
Nowhere is that suspicion more apparent than in the countryside, where Covid-19 vaccination rates plummet to about half of those in urban areas.

Suceava County, an hour's flight northeast of Bucharest, has the lowest overall vaccination rate in the country.

Here, the manager of the main hospital, Dr. Alexandru Calancea, 40, talks about the particularity of this region, where he was born and bred.

"This county is very religious. This is an area that has a strong religious tradition, and a lot of religious people. [...] Very few [priests] are pro-vaccine, and I definitely know some who are anti-vax. Most of them choose not to say anything, either for or against. We have proof, from the hospital, from patients who come from the same religious communities, where their priest, or their pastor, has advised them to not get vaccinated, just like that."

Just outside Suceava, in the village of Bosanci, such a pastor also serves as the village mayor. Neculai Miron has been one of the most vocal anti-vax public figures in the country, and today is no different.

"We're not against vaccination, but we want to verify it, to satisfy our worries, because there have been many side effects," he told CNN. "We don't think that the vaccine components are very safe. It's not a safe vaccine."

The medical data doesn't sway him, and neither does the local GP, whom he took the CNN team to see.

Dr. Daniela Afadaroaie administers the vaccine to about 10 people every other day, using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The latest official records show that just under 11% of the village was vaccinated as of early November 2021.

While she talked about the situation in the village, the mayor, Miron, hovered around the doctor's desk, peering down at the papers on her desk to see who had been vaccinated.

"When are you going to get vaccinated, Mr. Mayor?" asked Afadaroaie, laughing.

"I don't need to get vaccinated," he shot back. "I'm perfectly healthy." The doctor's explanation that the vaccine helps keep you that way fell on deaf ears.

Pastor: 'I believe what I see, rather than what I hear'
In rural villages like this, poverty and lack of education, together with local leaders' personal influence and traditional religious beliefs, can make for a deadly combination.

But the local Pentecostal pastor, Dragos Croitoru, insisted he was unaware of any deaths from Covid-19 in the parish. "Here in the church, we don't have any cases of people who are sick with coronavirus. We have a zero percent mortality rate, I don't know anyone who's died of coronavirus here in our parish. And I believe what I see, rather than what I hear," he said.

Despite hearing from CNN about the bodies of Covid-19 victims filling the morgue at Bucharest University Hospital, Croitoru was unconvinced. "Bucharest is bigger than Bosanci, as far as I know," he chuckled. "We haven't had any dead. Maybe we've had a few people who have been ill in the village, yes, as far as I know, yes. But the mortality rate in our church has been zero."

The mortality rate is certainly high elsewhere in this mostly rural county. Suceava ranked third highest in Covid-19 mortality rates for the whole country as of early November, according to figures from the Public Health Unit, which monitors deaths.

A corner of the main cemetery in Suceava, the county seat that's about 10 minutes from Bosanci, is full of freshly dug graves. In the cemetery's chapel, a service is underway. On the hill behind the chapel, mourners gather for a funeral. Nearby, another grave is being prepared.
The wooden crosses over each new grave don't indicate the cause of death, so it's unclear how many died from the virus. A man working on one of the graves, however, said the number of people being buried of late was far higher than usual.

"Eternal regrets," reads a ribbon draped across one of the graves.

Back in the morgue of the Bucharest University Hospital, a medic hammered a nail into a wooden coffin. A colleague sprayed the coffin with disinfectant.

For those who die of Covid, there will be no open-casket funerals.

"The vaccine means the difference between life and death," said Ionita, the nurse. "People should understand that. Maybe in their last hour they should understand that."

For those shrouded in the black body bags before him, it is already too late.

As COVID-19 cases surge, Germany, Austria close many Christmas markets [National Catholic Reporter, 23 Nov 2021]

by Anli Serfontein

BERLIN — Some of the world's most iconic Christmas markets in Germany and Austria were forced to close shortly after or just before they opened, as COVID-19 infections surged across Europe.

After the 2020 pre-vaccine, lockdowned Christmas season with no Christmas markets, the German-speaking countries were looking forward to a return to pre-COVID-19 times.

Christmas markets belong to German Advent social life and normally run from the week before the first Sunday of Advent until a day or two before Christmas Eve. This is where they meet up for a drink or a bite to eat while buying handicraft or typical local specialties as gifts.

Compared to the nearly fully vaccinated southwestern European countries like Portugal or Spain, the German-speaking countries of Austria, Switzerland and Germany have a much lower vaccination rate, with 68% of Germans and 66% of Austrians vaccinated.

Some Catholic bishops, like Berlin's Archbishop Heiner Koch, have announced only vaccinated people or people who had recovered from COVID-19 would be allowed into Christmas church services.

The German states of Bavaria and Saxony announced Nov. 19 they would close all Christmas markets Nov. 22. Many markets in northern and western Germany opened under stringent conditions for the first time since 2019.

Barely an hour after one of the world's most beautiful Christmas markets — the tourist magnet Salzburg Christkindlmarkt — opened on the square in front of Salzburg's Catholic cathedral Nov. 18, regional politicians announced a full lockdown would being Nov. 22. Salzburg is one of Austria's COVID-19 hot spots.

"The lights will continue to burn, but the stalls will be closed," Wolfgang Haider, chairman of the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt association, told the Austrian ORF broadcaster afterward. He estimated the financial loss to be at least 2 million euros, which will hit the exhibitors. "These are pure operating costs," not profit, he added.

During the news conference announcing the lockdown, a local journalist got up to tell the city officials that, on the market square, many of the hundred Christmas market stall holders were openly crying after they received the news. Many of these stalls are family-run small businesses.

A day later, it was announced that the whole of Austria would go into a three-week lockdown — and that, for the second consecutive year, all Christmas markets, hotels and retail stores would have to close until Dec. 13; it was unclear whether they would be able to open again.

In Germany, the Bavaria and Saxony regulations hit some of the oldest and most traditional Christmas markets in Germany. Saxony has the lowest vaccination rate in Germany — just 58% of the population is fully vaccinated, and it is home to many anti-vaxxers.

Holger Zastrow, organizer of various Dresden Christmas markets, told the local MDR broadcaster: "I am very disappointed. I have never experienced anything so ignorant and insensitive."

Zastrow said he was worried that the Christmas culture in Saxony was being lost. He said he believes the area is the authentic motherland of Christmas. He said he sees Christmas not in terms of religion, but in terms of century-old customs.

In Berlin, only a few big markets opened Nov. 22 under stringent conditions. Since the 2016 terrorist attack on Berlin's Breitscheidplatz, the Berlin markets have had concrete barriers and an increased deployment of security personnel.

In Osnabrück, Bishop Franz-Josef Bode called on people get vaccinated against COVID-19. He opened church premises for public vaccination campaigns.

"Getting vaccinated against coronavirus is a moral obligation for everyone — unless there are health reasons for not doing so. We have a responsibility not only to ourselves, but also to our neighbors," the bishop said. "Those who do not get vaccinated should consider that they are harming the weakest in society."

On Nov. 22, the permanent council of the German bishops' conference met in Würzburg. Afterward, it issued a statement saying bishops were witnessing "the progression of the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic taking place at a pace that is almost unstoppable. The incidence figures, new infections and deaths are reaching frightening proportions."

"We strongly urge Catholics and all people in our country to get vaccinated, to the fullest extent possible. Vaccinating in this pandemic is an obligation of justice, solidarity and charity.
From an ethical point of view, it is a moral duty. We must protect ourselves and others," the statement said.

U.S. adds Germany and Denmark to "do not travel" list as COVID cases rise, joining several other European countries [CBS News, 23 Nov 2021]

BY CAITLIN O'KANE

The U.S. has issued a travel advisory for Germany and Denmark due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the two European countries, Reuters reports. The European region as a whole has seen a recent rise in infections.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now considers both Germany and Denmark "Level Four: Very High," telling Americans to avoid travel there. The State Department also issued "Do Not Travel" advisories for both countries.

Numerous European countries are on the CDC's list of "Level Four" countries, including Austria, Britain, Belgium, Greece, Norway, Switzerland, Romania, Ireland and the Czech Republic.

The World Health Organization predicts Europe could reach over 2.2 million COVID-19 deaths by March 2022. The projection comes after the organization said Europe and Asia were once again the epicenter of the pandemic earlier this month.

On Monday, Austria officially started a full nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

It was the first country in the European Union to reinstitute such stringent measures amid the fourth wave of the pandemic. About 50,000 protesters turned out over the weekend to oppose the country's fourth lockdown. Austria is also instating a nationwide vaccine mandate, meaning by February 1, all Austrians over the age of 18 will have to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, by law.

COVID-19 cases in the European region, which stretches into Central Asia and includes 53 countries, rose to nearly 4,200 per day last week, WHO reported. This is double the levels recorded at the end of September, according to the Associated Press.

There have been 1.5 million cumulative deaths in the region since the pandemic began.

On November 4, WHO Europe projected that another half a million lives may be lost to COVID-19 before February 2022. The organization also said that if Europe and Asia achieved 95% universal mask wearing, they could save up to 188,000 of those lives, and stressed that vaccines are the "most powerful asset" to stopping the spread of COVID-19.

In the U.S., COVID-19 deaths in 2021 have surpassed the 2020 death toll, according to Johns Hopkins University. Cases are rising in more than 30 states ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday — with the latest surge straining hospitals in the Upper Midwest.

Over the weekend, 3 million Americans received a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine after the FDA and CDC expanded access to Moderna's and Pfizer's boosters for all adults, the White House reported.

New Coronavirus News from 22 Nov 2021

Europe Covid cases map: How Germany, France and Austria rates compare to UK as restrictions spark riots [iNews, 22 Nov 2021]

By Thomas Saunders

The UK still has a high number of infections and registered 579 new cases per million people on Sunday, the 10th highest in Europe

Covid-19 infections soared across parts of Europe in recent weeks, with six countries registering more than 1,000 new cases per million people as of Sunday.

Slovakia had more than 1,750 new cases and the Czech Republic had over 1,300 new cases.
Austria, which has the second-highest cases in Europe with over 1,500 cases on Sunday, entered its fourth national lockdown on Monday, with residents only allowed to leave home for work, essential shopping or exercise. Restrictions may last longer for those who are unvaccinated, and Austria will embark on mandatory vaccines in February with a fine of up to €3,600 for those who do not get a vaccine.

The country saw violent protests this weekend, as did the Netherlands, which has the fourth-highest cases in Europe at more than 1,200 new cases on Sunday. The Dutch government last week imposed a partial winter lockdown that will force bars, restaurants to close at 8pm and will allow no more than four people to visit a household at one time. The restrictions will last for at least three weeks.

The UK still has a high number of infections and registered 579 new cases per million people on Sunday, the 10th highest in Europe. But Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, a scientist who helped design the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, said it was “unlikely” the UK will see a rise similar to parts of Europe.

He told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show: “We’ve actually had some spread (of the virus) going on since the summer, and so I think it’s unlikely that we’re going to see the very sharp rise in the next few months that’s just been seen. We’re already ahead of that with this particular virus, the Delta variant.”

Germany registered 312 new cases per million people on Sunday and cases in France were marginally below that with 292 new cases per million people.

The new measures sparked riots in Austria and the Netherlands. On Saturday police arrested more than 19 people during unrest in the Hague and Vienna saw tens of thousands of protesters march through the city.

In the Dutch city of Rotterdam, three rioters were hit by bullets and investigations are underway to establish whether they were shot by police on Friday night. Police in Rotterdam have arrested 51 people, more than half of them minors.

Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb called the rioting in his city an “orgy of violence” and said that “on a number of occasions the police felt it necessary to draw their weapons to defend themselves.”

Demonstrations also took place in Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Northern Ireland and Croatia, which along with Slovenia also registered more than 1,000 new cases on Sunday.

A deadly new covid wave in Europe is met by popular fury over lockdowns [The Economist, 22 Nov 2021]

THE SIGHT of 40,000 unvaccinated Austrians marching through their capital, Vienna, in recent days was troubling twice over. The tightly packed opponents of pandemic lockdown measures were at risk of spreading the coronavirus. They also threatened to stir up an already tense political situation. Karl Nehammer, Austria’s interior minister, warned that anti-vaxxers in the Alpine republic are growing ever more radicalised. He called their demonstration “incensed” and “aggressive”. Some protesters were provocative in the extreme, carrying placards likening Alexander Schallenberg, Austria’s new chancellor, to Josef Mengele, the sadistic physician at the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz. A few wore Judensterne, the yellow badges that the Nazi regime forced Jewish citizens to wear, with the inscription “unvaccinated” instead of “Jew”.

The protesters marched against Austria’s increasingly tough measures against anti-vaxxers. On November 22nd the government imposed a full lockdown once again, to last for ten days, which compels Austria’s 9m people to hunker down at home, leaving only for work, essential shopping and exercise. Officials urged those who can do so to work from home. Those in the workplace must be vaccinated, certified immune through recovery or tested daily. Though schools will remain open, parents have been urged to keep their children at home when they can. Austria is also the first Western democracy to make covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for all, starting on February 1st 2022. “For a long time—maybe too long—I and others assumed that it must be possible to convince people in Austria to voluntarily get vaccinated,” said Mr Schallenberg when he announced his “very difficult” decision. So the voluntary option is to end.
Europe, once again, is at the centre of the pandemic. Cases are surging as the contagious Delta variant makes its way, belatedly, through Europe’s population. The World Health Organisation reported this month that coronavirus deaths in Europe rose by 5% in the week of November 8th--the only region in the world where covid-19 deaths increased. Hans Kluge, the boss of the WHO, warned that by March Europe could see another 500,000 deaths.

Will more countries respond with the sort of strict measures seen in Austria? As hospitals in central Europe fill up, anxiety grows. Around 65% of the total population in the European Union are fully vaccinated, but vaccination rates vary greatly between countries. Farther west, they are remarkably high. Among the over-12s in Portugal, more than 88% of the population is fully vaccinated. By contrast, in eastern parts of Poland, less than 40% are jabbed. In Bulgaria the share is below 25%. Within Germany, there are also large geographical variations. In some western parts of the country, such as the city-state of Bremen, nearly 80% of the adult population has had both jabs. In Saxony, however, little more than half the population is fully protected.

Other governments have imposed compulsory covid vaccinations for specific groups. Italy’s made them obligatory for health-care employees in May. In October the rules were expanded to cover all workers in public or private companies, unless they could prove they were immune or had tested negative within the past 48 hours. Those who did not comply faced suspension.
Over 2,000 doctors were suspended by the end of October, according to Italy’s medical association, though many were eventually reinstated after getting the jab. Similarly, France made vaccination compulsory for health staff as well police and fire fighters in September.
Those who refuse may be suspended without pay.

In Germany support for a nationwide vaccine mandate, previously a taboo, is rising. Prominent politicians had repeatedly promised that such a mandate would not be considered. But Daniel Günther, the state premier of Schleswig-Holstein, and Markus Söder, his Bavarian counterpart, now back the measure for the entire federal republic. Many Germans agree. A survey of 7,500 respondents, conducted in the past few days by Civey, a pollster, suggests that 70% would favour an Austrian-style vaccine mandate, whereas only 20% would be against.

As such mandates are becoming likelier in many places, the polarisation between rival camps is growing. Anti-vaxxers consist mainly of supporters of populist and far-right parties, but also acolytes of alternative medicine, hippies and libertarians. Some are taking to the streets. Over the weekend thousands of opponents of measures to fight the pandemic marched in the Benelux countries, Italy, Switzerland and northern Ireland. In Belgium and the Netherlands rioters clashed with the police over three days. The mayor of Rotterdam lamented what he called “an orgy of violence”. The Dutch rioters were incensed by a partial lockdown that bars the unvaccinated from many public places and requires restaurants to close by 8pm. Thierry Baudet, leader of the far-right Forum for Democracy, recently said that he believes such measures make “the unvaccinated the new Jews”.

Andrea Ammon, the head of the European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control, has warned that vaccine mandates could provoke more resistance from anti-vaxxers. That looks more than likely and especially in places, like Germany, where politicians had insisted for months that vaccinations would never be mandatory. Some degree of popular anger, though voiced in extreme terms, thus looks inevitable. Public officials made their promises when taming the pandemic looked doable. Now, however, just as winter weather is forcing more people together indoors and the Delta variant is thriving, the pressure to return to lockdowns and resort to tougher vaccine mandates looks ever harder to resist.

COVID-19 deaths in 2021 have surpassed last year's count, CDC data shows: Live updates [USA TODAY, 22 Nov 2021]

By Celina TeborJohn Bacon

COVID-19 has killed more people in 2021 than 2020, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows.

The disease was reported as the underlying cause of death or a contributing cause of death for an estimated 377,883 people in 2020, accounting for 11.3% of deaths, according to the CDC. As of Monday, more than 770,000 people have died from the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University data. That means over 15,000 more people have died in 2021 than last year from COVID-19 ? and there's still more than a month left.

The CDC figures only account for reported deaths, and it's likely that more people died in 2020 due to COVID-19 than the recorded number; 2020 coronavirus-related deaths in the U.S. weren’t tracked until February. New COVID infections are now on the rise in 38 states and health officials have been bracing for the possibility of a surge in cases over the winter.

Experts say the surge is being driven by a combination of factors: the seasonality of the virus, waning immunity and many still unvaccinated Americans. Despite the rising cases, fully vaccinated family members can “absolutely” enjoy the holidays together inside without wearing masks, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday.

?Germany health officials said the rapid rise in coronavirus cases means it’s likely everyone in the country who isn’t vaccinated will have caught COVID-19 by the end of the winter.
?Connecticut is experiencing a more rapid increase in COVID-19 cases than any other state: The state has averaged 738 daily cases over the last week, which represents a 116% increase over two weeks earlier, the Hartford Courant reported.

〓Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 47.7 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 771,500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 257.8 million cases and 5.15 million deaths. More than 196 million Americans ? 59.1% of the population ? are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

What we're reading: How to stay safe this Thanksgiving, even as the COVID pandemic remains a threat.

Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more? Sign up for USA TODAY's Coronavirus Watch free newsletter to receive updates directly to your inbox and join our Facebook group.

More boosters ahead? Dr. Fauci isn't sure
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said Monday during a White House press briefing that he isn’t sure if Americans will need another COVID-19 boosters in the future.

“The honest answer is that we do not know at this point, but we’re collecting data,” Fauci said.

“We may not need to get boosted every six months or so but if we do, we’ll address it. We’ll find the data, make it public and address it accordingly.”

Fauci said multiple studies from across the globe have made it clear that boosters “significantly enhance protection” from COVID-19. The hope is that the booster dose gives the immune response “a chance to mature and strengthen” significantly, he said, and last longer than the second dose, which waned in effectiveness after several months. Boosters are currently available at more than 80,000 locations nationwide, according to the White House.
-- Lindsay Schnell

Report: Over 95% of federal workers in compliance with vaccine mandate
More than 90% of federal workers received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Monday’s deadline set by President Joe Biden, a U.S. officials said Monday. In all, more than 95% of federal workers are in compliance with the Biden mandate, the official said, either by being vaccinated or having requested an exemption. The official spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the official wasn’t authorized to speak on the record before the date was to be release later Monday.

Biden announced in September that more than 3.5 million federal workers were required to undergo vaccination, with no option to get regularly tested instead, unless they secured an approved medical or religious exemption. A U.S. official said the vast majority of federal workers are fully vaccinated, and that a smaller number have pending or approved exceptions to the mandate.

Pfizer says vaccine 100% effective for kids 12-15 years old
Updated, Phase 3 trial findings show that a two-dose series of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for kids ages 12-15 was 100% effective against the coronavirus, measured seven days through over four months after the second dose. No serious safety concerns were observed, the companies said.

Effectiveness was consistently high across gender, race and ethnicity demographics, obesity and comorbidity status, the companies said. Pfizer and BioNTech plan to submit these data for scientific peer review for potential publication.

“These additional data provide further confidence in our vaccine’s safety and effectiveness profile in adolescents,” said Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer. “We look forward to sharing these data with the FDA and other regulators.”

Andrew Cuomo misrepresented COVID nursing home toll, report says
The New York Assembly's investigation into former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's conduct in office concluded the Democrat's administration misrepresented how many nursing home residents died of COVID-19, according to a lawmaker who reviewed the committee's still-secret report. The report, compiled by the New York City law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, covers a wide array of allegations of misconduct by Cuomo, including sexual harassment claims and the participation of his staff in writing his book on the coronavirus pandemic.

Other topics include the Cuomo administration's manipulation of data on COVID-19 deaths as presented to the public. The Associated Press and other news organizations reported on gaps in the state's statistical accounting of fatalities, including the administration's decision to exclude from its nursing home death totals thousands of patients who died after being transferred to hospitals.

The Davis Polk investigators confirmed news reports that the state Department of Health wanted to include those hospital deaths in the state's nursing home fatality count.

Daily coronavirus cases up 18 percent, according to CDC director [The Washington Post, 22 Nov 2021]

By Lateshia Beachum, Annabelle Timsit and Bryan Pietsch

This live coverage has ended. For the latest coronavirus news, click here.

The seven-day average of reported coronavirus infections has increased by 18 percent,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said at a Monday news conference.

The rise in cases and a 6 percent increase in the seven-day average of hospital admissions come just days after the Food and Drug Administration recommended booster shots for all adults 18 and older who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least six months after their second dose, making more than 135 million people eligible for boosters. Anyone who received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine also is eligible for a booster.

“Heading into the winter months, when respiratory viruses are more likely to spread, and with plans for increased holiday season travel and gatherings, boosting people’s overall protection against covid-19 disease and death was important to do now,” Walensky said.

Walensky and Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious-disease expert, implored unvaccinated Americans to seek shots for protection as recent CDC data showed the increased risks of being unvaccinated and catching the virus.

“Most tragic are the vaccine-preventable deaths we are still seeing from this disease,” Walensky said. “Even in our updated data, unvaccinated people are at 14 times greater risk of dying from covid-19 than people who are vaccinated.”

Here’s what to know
? The White House announced that 95 percent of federal employees have complied with the vaccination mandate before a Monday evening deadline set by the Biden administration in September.
? Vice President Harris announced $1.5 billion in funding to help eliminate the shortage of doctors and nurses in underserved communities by providing scholarships and repaying the student loans of providers who work in medically needy areas.
? Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Sunday on NBC News’s “Meet The Press” that he has not implemented a vaccine requirement for domestic air travel because other strategies, such as mandatory masking, are proving effective.
? In Europe, which the World Health Organization recently called the latest “epicenter” of the pandemic, large-scale, violent protests broke out over the weekend against renewed coronavirus restrictions, including a nationwide lockdown taking effect Monday in Austria.