Omicron cases rising in Europe, US & China

The BA.2 variant, Omicron, has driven a fresh surge in Europe, the United States and China in the last few weeks. France continued to report an increase in hospitalisations as the poll-bound country logged nearly 2 lakh fresh cases. Germany recorded 1.76 Lakh cases in the last 24 hours. In China, Shanghai’s daily spike hovered around the 25,000-mark yet again. South Korea logged a single-day spike of 1,95,419 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the country's total tally to 15,830,644 infections. The country loosened restrictions earlier this month, pushing back the curfew on eateries and other businesses to midnight, and allowing wider private gatherings of up to 10 peopl. South Korea’s health ministry said on Wednesday it will administer a second Covid-19 vaccine booster shot for people over 60 soon, 

In the US, the BA.2 Omicron subvariant of the coronavirus is now responsible for 86% of the Covid cases in the country, according to data from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Malaysia reported 9,002 new Covid-19 infections as of midnight Tuesday, bringing the national total to 4,342,559, according to the health ministry.

Shanghai, remains sealed over a surge in Covid cases, Indians have been asked to contact the embassy in Beijing for the time being. The consular services in the Chinese financial hub - which has emerged as the latest hotspot - are “inaccessible” for now, an official statement said on Wednesday.The Consulate General of India in a notice said it will remain inaccessible and will not be in a position to provide consular services in person”. “As the City of Shanghai continues to remain sealed and controlled to different degrees by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government.

Notice from CGI Shanghai @IndiaInShanghai on Availing Consular Services

: https://t.co/DP082OOY32 pic.twitter.com/zCcLYYj8XE

— India in China (@EOIBeijing) April 13, 2022

China is dealing with its worst Covid-19 outbreak after the surge in 2020, with its city Shanghai being the worst-hit. The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported 1,500 new locally transmitted confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, as per the National Health Commission. Out of these, 1,189 were reported in Shanghai alone, followed by 233 in Jilin, 22 in Guangdong, 14 in Hainan, and 12 in Zhejiang, Xinhua. Meanwhile, 13 imported Covid-19 cases were also reported on Tuesday. The latest surge in China is believed to be driven by the BA.2 variant of Omicron.