Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Thursday – CBC News

The latest:

Spiralling infections in Britain driven in part by the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus rattled many in Europe on Thursday, fuelling a familiar feeling of dread that tighter restrictions will scuttle holiday plans again this year.

Much remains unknown about Omicron, but increasingly officials are warning that at the very least it appears more transmissible than the Delta variant, which was already putting pressure on hospitals from the United States to the Netherlands. With so many questions outstanding, uncertainty reigned over how quickly and how severely to crack down on Christmas travel and end-of-year parties.

After the U.K. recorded the highest number of confirmed new COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began, France announced Thursday that it would tighten entry rules for those coming from Britain.

On Thursday, after France’s announcement, the U.K. saw yet another record high.

In England, the chief medical officer urged people to limit who they see in the festive period — and pubs and restaurants said many were heeding that advice by cancelling Christmas parties, although there has been much debate about what’s OK to do right now. In the U.S., meanwhile, the White House insisted there was no need for a lockdown, despite signs that Omicron was gaining ground there.

In Britain, where Omicron cases are doubling every two to three days, the variant is expected to soon replace Delta as the dominant strain in the country — and the government has accelerated its booster program in response. Authorities in the 27-member European Union say Omicron will be the dominant variant in the bloc by mid-January.

On Thursday, Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, told a parliamentary committee hearing that the government could have to review measures if vaccines prove less effective than expected against Omicron.

He said that “would be a material change to how ministers viewed the risks going forward.”

Among those taking the more cautious route was Queen Elizabeth, who opted to cancel her traditional pre-Christmas family lunch as cases soared.

The Netherlands, meanwhile, has been in a partial lockdown since November to curb a Delta-driven surge and while infection numbers are declining now, the government this week ordered elementary schools to close for Christmas a week early amid fears Omicron will fuel a new rise. Authorities also sped up a vaccination booster campaign as caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte cited Britain as an example of how swiftly the variant can spread.

Denmark, a country of roughly 5.8 million people that has reported a surge in Omicron cases, on Thursday reported almost 10,000 new cases of COVID-19. 

Understanding a new coronavirus variant: What are scientists learning about Omicron?

EU leaders gathering in Brussels for a summit Thursday sought to balance tackling the surge of infections across the continent while keeping borders open with common policies throughout the bloc.

“Let’s try to maintain the European solution,” Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said. “If every country goes it alone again we’ll be even further from home.”

But ahead of the meeting, European countries already were acting to rein in the spread of the virus. Greece and Italy tightened entry requirements for travellers earlier this week, and Portugal decided to keep stricter border controls in place beyond their planned Jan. 9 end.

On Thursday, France said it will slap restrictions on travellers arriving from the U.K. — which is no longer part of the EU — putting limits on reasons for travelling and requiring 48-hour isolation upon arrival. The new measures will take effect first thing Saturday.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex said the measures are being imposed “in the face of the extremely rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the U.K.”

-From The Associated Press, last updated at 12:10 p.m. ET

What’s happening across Canada

WATCH | What masks are most effective against Omicron? 

What masks are most effective against Omicron?

16 hours ago

Duration 3:37

The National’s Andrew Chang finds out what researchers have learned about cloth, surgical and N95-style masks and the protection they offer against the Omicron variant. 3:37

What’s happening around the world

As of early Thursday afternoon, more than 272.5 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to case-tracking done by Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. The reported global death toll stood at more than 5.3 million.

In eastern Europe, countries like Bosnia and Romania are seeing their vaccination rates rise as some former vaccine skeptics shift over to the other side. Fata Keco was afraid of possible adverse side effects when she rolled up her sleeve in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo to take her first vaccine shot, but the worst she had to contend with was “moderately discomforting pain” in her left arm. The 52-year-old joined the global community of vaccine-believers after months of “being very susceptible” to what she now describes as “the most ridiculous theories.” 

In the Middle East, Turkey is offering COVID-19 booster shots for people who received their second shots at least three months ago as a measure to fight the Omicron variant. The country of nearly 84 million has so far reported six cases of the variant.

The Palestinian health ministry also reported its first cases of the Omicron variant in the territory.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Japan, Indonesia and New Zealand reported their first cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant while South Korea said it will reinstate stricter physical distancing rules a month-and-a-half after easing them.

In Africa, health officials in South Africa on Wednesday reported 26,976 new cases of COVID-19 and 54 additional deaths. Health Minister Dr. Joe Phaahla urged people on Thursday to follow COVID-19 prevention protocols through the holiday season.

“We call upon all travellers, especially those who are unvaccinated or partly vaccinated coming from areas declared hot spots, to get vaccinated before hitting the roads to protect their families and friends they will be visiting during this period associated with large social gatherings like parties and weddings, which can be ‘super spreader’ events that carry a huge risk of transmission of the virus,” the health minister said in a statement.

In the Americas, Brazil registered 301 COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday and 5,446 additional cases, according to data released by the nation’s Health Ministry, though the statistics were incomplete as four of the nation’s 27 federative units failed to provide complete numbers following a Friday hacking incident. 

WATCH | COVID-19: How risky are holiday travel and gatherings? 

COVID-19: How risky are holiday travel and gatherings?

15 hours ago

Duration 2:59

Infectious diseases physician Dr. Lisa Barrett answers viewer questions about how risky holiday travel and gatherings may be and the usefulness of rapid COVID-19 tests. 2:59

-From The Associated Press, Reuters and CBC News, last updated at 1:37 p.m. ET

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