Record of contamination in the United Kingdom, Morocco closes its borders, a further delay for the vaccine candidate Sanofi and $ 93 billion to support the poorest countries ...
Le Figaro
takes stock this Thursday, December 16 on the latest information linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Record of contaminations in the United Kingdom
Faced with an outbreak of contamination linked to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the United Kingdom reported on Wednesday 78,610 positive cases recorded in 24 hours, unheard of since the start of the pandemic in 2020, according to official figures.
The previous record went back to January 8, 2021, at the height of the Alpha variant, when 68,053 positive cases had been recorded in this country severely affected by the pandemic, with now 146,791 deaths (+165 in 24 hours).
Read also Omicron in the United Kingdom: France is working to strengthen border measures, according to Gabriel Attal
Faced with Omicron, ECDC believes that vaccination alone "
will not be enough
"
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recommends "
strong action
" is "
urgent
" in the face of the rapid progression of the Omicron variant because "
vaccination alone will not be enough
".
In particular, he recommends a return to teleworking and increased caution during end-of-year celebrations and trips.
He again called for a “
rapid reintroduction and strengthening
” of so-called “
non-pharmaceutical
”
measures
, a term that covers restrictions in general.
Omicron could become dominant in Europe by mid-January, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Wednesday, adding that there are now enough vaccines for all Europeans.
Read alsoCovid-19: loss of effectiveness of vaccines against Omicron
China hits 100,000 cumulative patients
China said Thursday it had reached a total of exactly 100,000 Covid-19 patients since the start of the pandemic, two years after its appearance in the center of the country.
Apart from small sporadic foci, the country has succeeded in halting the spread of the coronavirus on its soil from the spring of 2020. The population has resumed an almost normal life, thanks to a drastic prevention policy.
The Asian giant thus only records several dozen daily contaminations, far from the reports recorded in the rest of the world.
The Ministry of Health thus reported on Thursday 77 new patients nationwide, bringing to 100,000 stack the official number of patients registered since the start of the epidemic.
For comparison, the United Kingdom on Wednesday reported a record 78,610 contaminations in just 24 hours.
China has reported 4,636 deaths from Covid-19 since the start of the epidemic.
Only two people have officially died of the disease there since May 2020.
Read alsoCovid-19: China hits 100,000 cumulative patients
Entry conditions are restricted in Greece and Italy
Greece announced Wednesday a restriction of entry conditions to its territory for "
all travelers
" from December 19, with a negative PCR test of 48 hours.
Italy has announced a restriction of entry conditions on its territory for travelers from the European Union from Thursday, with a mandatory negative test for all and a five-day quarantine for those not vaccinated. .
Read also Travel to Italy and Covid-19: super health pass, reinforced restrictions from December 16 ... What you need to know to go there this winter
1st case of Omicron in Morocco, which is closing its borders
The first case of infection with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected in Morocco, which will soon close its partially reopened borders in the face of the "
lightning
" spread of the new variant, according to the Moroccan authorities.
"
This first case of contamination by the new Omicron strain was detected in a Moroccan citizen whose state of health is stable and does not cause concern,
" the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday in a statement released by the MAP agency.
The patient was placed under medical supervision in a hospital in Casablanca, the economic capital of the kingdom, the statement added.
Read also Morocco extends the closure of its borders until December 31
South Korea reinstates mandatory closing hours
Authorities in South Korea on Thursday announced the reinstatement of mandatory closing times for cafes, restaurants, cinemas and other public places, and the limitation of gatherings to four people, in an attempt to stem a new outbreak of the pandemic of Covid-19.
Most restrictions had been relaxed in South Korea in November, following a decline in the epidemic thanks to the success of the vaccination campaign.
About 80% of the population received their two doses of the vaccine.
But the number of infections has tripled in one month, with a record 7,850 cases on Wednesday, and authorities expect the figure to reach up to 20,000 daily cases in January.
"
We will only be able to overcome this critical moment if we halt this rebound quickly with vigorous social distancing measures,
" Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Thursday.
Read also Covid-19: South Korea restores mandatory closing hours
In France, new measures planned
The French government plans to take new measures by the weekend, its spokesman, Gabriel Attal announced Wednesday, warning that the number of patients in intensive care should reach 4,000 around the holidays.
He mentioned an acceleration of the vaccination campaign, the strengthening of border controls and the establishment of recommendations for family celebrations.
A Health Defense Council will be held on Friday afternoon, announced the Elysee.
According to the latest figures, nearly 3,000 patients are in intensive care and the figure should reach 4,000 at the time of the end of the year holidays, according to Gabriel Attal.
Another delay for Sanofi's vaccine candidate
The French laboratory Sanofi now plans to publish the final results of its clinical trial on its Covid-19 vaccine in the first quarter of 2022, when they were initially expected at the end of 2021.
The French group, which is developing this recombinant protein-based vaccine with the British GSK, unveiled interim results deemed positive as a booster dose on Wednesday, but it does not give a precise timetable concerning the date on which this vaccine could be available.
"
We will bring this vaccine next year
", only assured AFP on Wednesday Olivier Bogillot, France president of Sanofi, while the recall campaign is in full swing in France.
Read alsoAnti-Covid vaccine: Sanofi's Stations of the Cross
The oldest French citizen dies of Covid-19
Marcel Meys, 112, known to have recently become the oldest man in France, died overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday at the hospital in Vienne (Isère) after contracting Covid-19, he said. we learned from his daughter.
"
He still lived at home but he had the Covid and the situation deteriorated, he was placed on oxygen, they did the impossible but how can you, at 112 years old ...
", told the 'AFP Nicole Boiron, the only daughter of this supercentenary, confirming information from Dauphiné Libéré.
Marcel Meys had been hospitalized since December 2.
He was born on July 12, 1909 in Saint-Julien-de-l'Herms (Isère) and still lived in his house in Saint-Romain-en-Gal (Rhône).
Read also Marcel Meys, the oldest French member, died at the age of 112
Concern over Omicron at the heart of the summit of the Twenty-Seven
The leaders of the Twenty-Seven will try Thursday to improve their coordination in the face of the Covid outbreak and the rapid progression of the Omicron variant, which has prompted several European Union countries to restrict the conditions for entry into their territory of unilaterally.
The threat of a new conflict between Moscow and Kiev will be another dominant of this summit in Brussels with the consideration of additional sanctions in the event of an attack by Russia.
New York Opera demands a booster shot
Faced with the threat of the Omicron variant, the prestigious Metropolitan Opera in New York will demand from all its musicians and the public a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to be at the "
forefront
" of security.
The booster dose will be required "
to enter the Met
" from January 17 for those eligible, that is, six months after receiving the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, and two months after the dose. unique Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Read also Covid-19: the Met Opera in New York will require a booster dose
93 billion dollars to finance the poorest countries
The World Bank announced on Wednesday that the International Development Association (IDA) had been endowed with record funding of $ 93 billion to help low-income countries cope with the Covid crisis and boost the economic growth.
This is, according to a statement from the financial institution, the largest "
replenishment
" ever granted to IDA, which provides loans to 74 countries, most of which are in Africa.
Read alsoThe World Bank announces $ 93 billion to finance the poorest countries
More than 5.3 million deaths around the world
The pandemic has killed at least 5,320,431 people around the world since the end of 2019, according to a report established by AFP from official sources, Wednesday at 11:00 GMT.
The United States is the most bereaved country with 802,389 dead, ahead of Brazil (617,271), India (476,135), Mexico (296,984) and Russia (292,891).
The WHO estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the toll of the pandemic in the world could be two to three times higher.
