More Omicron cases at WA mine site, school Three more workers at a BHP mine site in Western Australia have tested positive to COVID-19, while the virus is also continuing to spread through schools. AAP · Feb 4, 2022
Turkey reports daily record of 111,157 new cases – as it happened Turkish daily death toll highest in four months as cases surge; UK health agency says number of cases each day could be rising The Guardian - AU · Feb 4, 2022
Delta variant still a concern, samples of moderate to severely-ill under study NAGPUR: With fewer detection of Omicron variant among severely ill patients, doctors have warned that the Delta variant could still be in circulation. Samples of only a few in ICUs are testing positive in Omisure RT-PCR kits, which are said to guarantee detection of all Omicron lineages in RT-PCR tests.… The Times of India · Feb 3, 2022
Australia's biggest firms set to reveal the costs of COVID-19 as ASX reporting season picks up steam Investors will be flooded with updates from the nation's largest companies in the next few weeks — about how much they're earning, along with the impact of staff shortages and higher inflation on their profit margins. ABC News · Feb 3, 2022
Critically understaffed and with Omicron looming, why isn't NZ employing more of its foreign-trained doctors? New Zealand’s critical shortage of specialist nurses made headlines again this week, but it’s not the country’s only pressing medical need. The Conversation · Feb 3, 2022
This could be a messy jobs report From Omicron effects to seasonal adjustments, it will be hard to interpret Axios · Feb 3, 2022
Officials stress COVID safety measures at Super Bowl, including, yes, masks LOS ANGELES — NFL and SoFi Stadium officials joined with local leaders to reiterate that masks will be required for fans at the Super Bowl in Inglewood to help protect against omicron transmission. Los Angeles Times · Feb 3, 2022
Jason Leitch: Latest Omicron strain should cause ‘mild’ concern The national clinical director was discussing the new strain of the virus with Holyrood’s Covid-19 Recovery committee. The Independent UK · Feb 3, 2022
‘Winter is coming’: Australia faces new Omicron challenges as Europe enters ‘enduring peace’ Epidemiologists have sounded a warning against complacency after forecasts last week that the Omicron wave is starting to wane. The New Daily · Feb 3, 2022
Service sector bounces back in January as Omicron curbs ease The closely-watched IHS Markit/CIPS UK Services PMI survey scored 54.1 in January, recovering from a 10-month low of 53.6 in December. The Independent UK · Feb 3, 2022
COVID deaths are rising even as Omicron dies down New cases are plunging, but the virus is killing about 2,600 Americans per day. Axios · Feb 3, 2022
Schools close, fairs on amid omicron surge in Bangladesh Schools have closed again in Bangladesh as coronavirus infections surge, disappointing students and teachers alike The Independent UK · Feb 3, 2022
Explained | The sub-lineages of the Omicron variant How many different lineages does Omicron have and how are they different from each other? The Hindu · Feb 3, 2022
Coronavirus live: Europe in virus ‘ceasefire’ with tranquil period ahead, says WHO; record UK long Covid cases — as it happened Europe could enter ‘long period of Covid tranquility’ due to high vaccination rates, WHO says; record 1.33 million UK long Covid patients The Guardian - AU · Feb 3, 2022
The Times of India · Feb 3, 2022 Rajasthan: Delta claimed five times more lives than Omicron JAIPUR: Initially when Omicron was first reported in the state, a lot of questions about its traits had come to the fore. But, its now unfolding. Third wave of Covid driven by Omicron and the second wave dominated by Delta had the same positivity rate in their initial worst-affected months,…
The Independent UK · Feb 3, 2022 Covid news - live: 550,000 people in UK still have symptoms after a year as Israel finds more BA.2 cases The four sub-variants of Omicron collectively account for 93 per cent of all Covid specimens collected in the past month, says WHO
AAP · Feb 3, 2022 Fourth school exposed as Omicron sweeps WA Western Australia's premier is standing by his strict COVID-19 isolation rules as hundreds of school students are plunged into 14 days of quarantine.
ABC News · Feb 2, 2022 WA's COVID-19 testing rates remain low, meaning the Omicron outbreak may be worse than it looks Epidemiologists and public health experts warn Western Australia's low COVID-19 testing rates could mean there are undetected cases in the community.
The Conversation · Feb 2, 2022 BA.2 is like Omicron's sister. Here's what we know about it so far Cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron have escalated globally over the past two months, with many countries experiencing peaks higher than previous variants.
Bangkok Post · Feb 2, 2022 Panel wary of Omicron, border spat The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) warns the economy could falter because of the spread of the Omicron variant and the Russia-Ukraine standoff.
The Guardian - AU · Feb 2, 2022 Albanese demands Colbeck ‘resign today’ as nation records 82 Covid deaths – as it happened This blog is now closed
The Conversation · Feb 2, 2022 New Zealand's border quarantine has intercepted thousands of COVID cases, but is it time to retire the flawed system? The controversy surrounding New Zealand journalist Charlotte Bellis, who has now accepted a place in border quarantine after initially seeking refuge in Afghanistan when her first application was declined, has highlighted confusion and concern over New Zealand’s managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) system.
ABC News · Feb 2, 2022 Why it's important to look at the 'bigger picture' behind COVID-19 intensive care numbers Experts say that given the vast majority of Australians are fully vaccinated, it is not surprising they also make up a greater proportion of the raw number of people in ICU. We take a look at the figures.
Manchester Evening News · Feb 2, 2022 Greater Manchester hospitals hit by wave of staff stress and anxiety sickness as 12-hour waits rise after Omicron battle Almost 500 patients across some of Greater Manchester's biggest hospitals waited more than 12-hours for a bed in December
Wales Online · Feb 2, 2022 Welsh Government spent £200,000 on TikTok adverts in two years Some of the adverts promoted were about stopping the spread of Omicron