Page 88 - Heca News Today

Germany said on Sunday it had detected a total of three cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant after a suspected infection in the western state of Hesse was confirmed.

Controlling shareholders of Brazilian medical diagnostics company Alliar have accepted a takeover proposal by an investment fund linked to tycoon Nelson Tanure, the firm said in a Friday securities filing.

Australia imposed new restrictions on Saturday on people who have been to nine southern African countries, as the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 raises concerns about another wave of the pandemic.

India restarted exports of COVID-19 shots to the global vaccine-sharing network COVAX on Friday for the first time since April, and producer Serum Institute of India (SII) forecast a substantial increase in supplies from early next year.

Dutch health authorities said on Saturday they had detected 61 COVID-19 cases among people who flew from South Africa on Friday and were now conducting further testing to see whether any are infected with the recently discovered Omicron variant.

Colombia will extend its health state of emergency until Feb. 28 due to the emergence of a new coronavirus strain in South Africa, the Andean country's President Ivan Duque said on Saturday.

Australia and several other countries joined nations imposing restrictions on travel from southern Africa on Saturday after the discovery of the new Omicron coronavirus variant sparked global concern and triggered a market sell-off.

The Czech Republic reported 20,315 new coronavirus cases for Friday, the first week-on-week drop in the daily tally in two months, although its hospitals were still filling and the government toughened restrictions.

Saudi Arabia will allow entry to travellers "from all countries" as long as they have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine inside the kingdom, it said on Saturday, a day after suspending flights from seven African countries due to the Omicron variant.

Italy reported 90 coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday against 51 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell to 12,877 from 13,686.