New measures, new reports and highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid 19 pandemic worldwide.

– Scintillating distribution in the UK –

The UK, which has faced a meteoric spread of the Omicron variant, recorded more than 122,000 additional Covid-19 cases on Friday, a new record since the pandemic began.

The country, one of the most severely affected by the pandemic in Europe, recorded 137 additional deaths in 24 hours – for a total of 147,857 – but also 1,171 hospital admissions, accelerating while those data, closely monitored, for little changed Hour remained.

– 4th dose in Chile –

President Sebastian Piñera announced that Chile will administer a fourth dose of vaccine against the coronavirus from February, starting with the risk categories, before extending the measure to the rest of the population.

The first to receive the booster vaccination will be health care workers, the elderly and the chronically ill.

– Ecuador: compulsory vaccination from 5 years, world first –

The vaccination against Covid-19 was made compulsory in Ecuador from the age of five, a world first for this age group, announced the Ministry of Health.

So far, only a few countries have introduced compulsory vaccination.

– Morocco extends the closure of its air borders –

On Friday, Morocco extended the closure of its air borders, which came into force on November 29, until the end of January, in order to combat the spread of the Omicron variant. This closure was originally due to expire on December 31st.

– Air traffic disrupted –

Airlines have had to cancel more than 2,000 flights worldwide, including nearly a quarter in the United States, especially given the Omicron variant of Covid-19 that interrupts travel during vacations.

– Booster doses: adjustments in France and the Netherlands –

In light of the fifth wave of the epidemic, the High Authority for Health (HAS) in France recommended that the booster should be given three months after the last injection instead of the previous five.

The government is preparing to shorten this period to 4 months.

In the Netherlands, which are subject to severe health restrictions, Prime Minister Mark Rutte has admitted “mistakes” in dealing with the health crisis. According to him, the refresher campaign “could have started earlier”.

– Chinese house in Xi’an: local guidelines sanctioned –

In China, 26 politicians were sanctioned for failing to prevent an outbreak of Covid in the city of Xi’an (north), whose 13 million residents are locked up after new infections, the national disciplinary authority announced on Friday.

China has successfully brought the epidemic under control on its soil, recording only two deaths in a year and a half. However, it remains mobilized to avoid a major outbreak ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics in February. Chinese officials who failed to contain the epidemic in their province or city are regularly reprimanded and even fired.

– More than 5.38 million deaths worldwide –

The pandemic has killed at least 5,385,564 people worldwide since late 2019, according to a report compiled by AFP from official sources on Friday at 11 a.m. GMT.

In absolute terms, the United States (815,423), Brazil (618,228), India (478,133) and Russia (302,369) are the countries with the highest number of deaths.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the number of victims of the pandemic could be two to three times higher than the officially recorded.

burx-jba-npk / cds / ial /