The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed more than 5.3 million lives, according to a report established by Agence France-Presse from official sources on Sunday December 26. In absolute value, according to these sources, the United States is the most affected country with more than 816,000 dead, followed by Brazil (618,000), India (479,000), Russia (304,000) and the Mexico (298,000). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the toll of the pandemic could be two to three times higher than that officially recorded.
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In the United States, increase in hospitalizations of children in New York and shortage of screening tests
In the United States, health authorities in New York are seeing an increase in the number of children hospitalized in connection with Covid-19. “The largest increase is in New York City with admissions quadrupling” between the week of December 5 and that of December 19, specify the authorities. Half of these admissions concern children under 5, too young to be vaccinated.
The shortage of Covid-19 tests observed in the country will soon be solved, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s main adviser in the fight against the pandemic, assured Sunday, as the country observes an outbreak of cases due to to the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. “One of the problems right now is that [les tests] will not be fully available to everyone until January”, the epidemiologist told ABC while on the occasion of the end-of-year family holidays the United States experienced a real rush on tests, in particular on kits for testing at home.
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Sixty cruise ships infected
More than sixty cruise ships are being investigated by US health authorities after the appearance of cases of Covid-19 on board, can we read on Sunday on the website of the CDC, the main public health agency in the United States. United. According to the daily The Washington Post, several ships were denied port calls in several Caribbean ports.
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In China, the city of Xi’an further tightens restrictions
The Chinese city of Xi’an, where 13 million people are confined, announced disinfection on Sunday ” total “ and tightened the restrictions, at a time when China has recorded a level of Covid-19 contaminations never reached for twenty-one months. The Asian country has been applying a strategy for the past year “zero Covid” which consists of doing everything to limit the occurrence of new cases as much as possible. The authorities are doubling their vigilance to avoid any major outbreak before the Winter Olympics in Beijing, from February 4 to 20, 2022.
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Peru will purchase 55 million vaccine doses in 2022
Peru will buy 55 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines in 2022 to give a fourth injection to medical personnel and vulnerable populations, the government has announced. “We have agreed with various laboratories to purchase 55 million doses of vaccines next year (…), which would allow us to apply a fourth booster dose for the most vulnerable sectors and for front-line staff [médecins et infirmiers] », Peruvian Health Minister Hernando Cevallos told reporters. He indicated that the vaccination of the population with a fourth dose, three months after the third, will depend on the evolution of the pandemic in the country. The Minister also confirmed the acquisition of Pfizer vaccines and the start in January of the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years.
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Australian Open, football, rugby: the Covid-19 disrupts the game
Canadian Denis Shapovalov, 14e in the ATP rankings, tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving in Sydney, he announced on Sunday, highlighting the threat of the virus hanging over the Australian Open (January 17-30). In England, Crystal Palace’s French football coach Patrick Vieira has also tested positive, the Eagles have announced. Thirteen matches, including three of the 19e day, have been postponed for health reasons in England in recent weeks. In rugby, a fourth match of the French championship which was to oppose Stade Toulousain to Stade Français on Sunday on the occasion of the 13e day, has also been postponed.
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