Latest On Coronavirus

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th December, 2021) The death toll from the coronavirus infection in the world topped 5.412 million, over 282.2 million cases of infection were detected, according to the US-based Johns Hopkins University, which tracks and compiles data from federal and local authorities, media and other sources.

As of 20:30 GMT Tuesday, the number of cases globally is 282,273,939, including 5,412,023 fatalities. As many as 9.02 billion of vaccine doses have been administered to date.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Gamaleya research institute had informed him about a study that had shown that the Sputnik V vaccine neutralized the Omicron coronavirus variant.

The Russian Health Ministry announced that its updated recommendations for COVID-19 prevention and treatment included the Sputnik M vaccine for adolescents.

The first deliveries of the single-component Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik Light are expected in Kazakhstan from December to January, in renewed efforts by the government to expand its vaccination drive, head of the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Control of the Kazakh Health Ministry Aizhan Yesmagambetova said.

Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya announced the approval of a new domestic vaccine, a Novavax vaccine and an anti-viral drug protecting against COVID-19.

Hong Kong is considering mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for schoolchildren due to the spread of Omicron cases, the South China Morning Post newspaper reported.

Japan will consider accelerating the COVID-19 vaccine booster campaign for all nationals so that people can feel safe, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

Russia confirmed 21,922 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total to 10,437,152 , the federal response center said. The response center reported 935 deaths linked to the coronavirus, bringing the country's cumulative coronavirus death toll to 306,090.

As many as 179,807 new COVID-19 cases have been registered in France within the past 24 hours, which is a record high number since the beginning of the pandemic, the national agency for public health said.

An absolute record of over 17,000 new COVID-19 cases has also been logged in Portugal, the country's directorate-general of health said.

Greece reported on Tuesday a record 21,657 new COVID-19 cases per day amid a rapid spread of the new Omicron coronavirus strain, according to the data provided by the National Public Health Organization.

The highest COVID-19 incidence rate in Spain could be reached in early January as the novel coronavirus variant Omicron rapidly spreads across Europe, epidemiologist and scientist at the Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of Valencia Region, Salvador Peiro, said.

The French authorities prepared a draft law to replace health passes with vaccine ones for visiting places of leisure since January 15, Prime Minister Jean Castex said.

India's National Capital Territory of Delhi is entering the "yellow" level of restrictions due to a rising number of new COVID-19 cases, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority said.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended shortening the isolation period for people infected with novel coronavirus from ten to five days on the condition they did not show any symptoms related to the virus and could wear a mask after they finished isolation for additional five days.

The CDC elevated Moldova, Malta and Sweden to its highest Level 4 category on the list of countries it recommends travelers not to visit due to COVID-19 concerns.

US President Joe Biden revoked the travel ban on eight southern African nations first implemented after the initial emergence of the Omicron coronavirus variant from the region.

Almost 2,500 flights have been canceled and nearly 5,200 flights have been delayed worldwide on Tuesday as a result of health officials' and airlines' concerns about the coronavirus Omicron variant, according to the tracking website FlightAware.

Spanish restaurant owners may lose 1.5 billion Euros ($1.7 billion) over the Christmas period due to booking cancellations amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Jose Luis Yzuel, the head of the Hosteleria de Espana group uniting restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs of Spain, said.

US President Joe Biden has issued an executive order for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with coronavirus testing across the United States, the White House announced.

The New York City authorities are distributing some 2 million coronavirus test kits mostly to schools in a bid to keep in class what they term are "asymptomatic children" amid an increase in pediatric hospitalizations, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

New Zealand-based firm Design Energy adapted robotic arm manipulators to lid and delid caps on COVID-19 test samples, significantly reducing workload on the medical staff.