Covid news live: 4,000 more flights cancelled over Omicron; Israel to offer fourth jab to over-60s

Here’s a roundup of some Covid numbers across Asia.

Thailand has reported 2,927 new Covid cases and 18 deaths over the last 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Monday morning.

Singapore reported 429 new Covid cases on Sunday, including 297 imported infections. There were no deaths recorded, according to the ministry of health.

Malaysia reported 40,606 active coronavirus cases, a reduction of 428 from the previous day, and 19 deaths.

China reported another 161 coronavirus cases on Sunday, down from 191 a day earlier, the country’s health authority said on Monday.

Of the new infections, 101 were locally transmitted, according to a statement by China’s national health commission, down from 131 a day earlier.

Most of the new local cases were in the north-western province of Shanxi, where the capital city of Xian has been under a strict lockdown.

South Korea also reported another 3,833 new confirmed cases, including 150 imported cases. A further 69 deaths were also recorded.

Israel will offer a fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to people over 60 and to medical staff.

Prime minister Naftali Bennett made the announcement on Sunday amid a surge in Omicron variant infections, saying the country’s top medical officer had approved the shot.

“The Omicron wave is here and we must protect ourselves,” Bennett told a news conference, adding that the health ministry had approved the booster jab for people over 60 and health workers.

Israel on Thursday authorised a fourth Covid vaccine for those with weakened immunity, becoming one of the first countries to do so.

Authorities on Sunday also reported 4,206 new Covid infections over the past 24 hours, and a 195% increase over the past week.

Bennett warned that cases could surge to around “50,000 cases per day soon”, urging all adults and children to get vaccinated.

More on the news from earlier regarding US defense secretary Lloyd Austin’s announcement he had tested positive for Covid.

In a statement on Sunday night, Austin said he was experiencing mild symptoms while quarantining at home and planned to attend key meetings and discussions virtually in the coming week “to the degree possible”.

He said deputy secretary Kathleen Hicks would represent him in appropriate matters.

Austin said:

I have informed my leadership team of my positive test result, as well as the president. My staff has begun contact tracing and testing of all those with whom I have come into contact over the last week.

Austin, 68, said he was fully vaccinated and received a booster in October. He said he requested a test on Sunday morning after experiencing symptoms while at home on leave and, given the result, planned to remain in quarantine for five days, per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The vaccines work and will remain a military medical requirement for our workforce. I continue to encourage everyone eligible for a booster shot to get one. This remains a readiness issue.

More than 4,000 flights were cancelled around the world on Sunday due to adverse weather and a surge in coronavirus cases caused by the Omicron variant, Reuters reports.

The flights cancelled by 8pm GMT on Sunday included over 2,400 entering, departing from or within the United States, according to tracking website FlightAware.com.

Globally, more than 11,200 flights were delayed.

Among the airlines with most cancellations were SkyWest and SouthWest, with 510 and 419 cancellations respectively, FlightAware showed.

The Christmas and New Year holidays are typically a peak time for air travel, but the rapid spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant has led to a sharp increase in Covid infections, forcing airlines to cancel flights as pilots and cabin crew quarantine.

US airline cabin crew, pilots and support staff were reluctant to work overtime during the holidays, despite offers of hefty financial incentives. Many feared contracting Covid and did not welcome the prospect of dealing with unruly passengers, some airline unions said.

Hello it’s Samantha Lock back with you on the blog to kick off the new year.

Omicron is continuing to unleash chaos around the world with more than 4,000 flights cancelled on Sunday, as the variant contributes to a surge in cases and quarantines flight crews. More than 11,200 flights were also delayed, according to tracking website FlightAware.com.

The cancellations disrupted the busy Christmas and New Year period, with thousands forced to abandon plans.

Israel is set to offer a fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to people aged over 60 and to medical staff.

Prime minister Naftali Bennett made the announcement on Sunday amid a surge in Omicron variant infections, saying the country’s top medical officer had approved the shot.

“The Omicron wave is here and we must protect ourselves,” Bennett said.

Here is a summary of developments so far:

• In England masks are returning to secondary school classrooms as Omicron continues to spread across the country. A further 137,583 new cases of Covid-19 and 73 deaths were reported in England and Wales.
• The government has told headteachers in England to start preparing for staff shortages by using support staff as fill-in teachers, combining classes or using hybrid learning.
• France has put the United States on its Covid-19 travel “red list”, meaning unvaccinated people coming into the country will have to quarantine for 10 days.
• France announced an easing of Covid restrictions from Monday. Fully vaccinated people in France who test positive will now have to isolate for only seven days, and can leave quarantine after five days if they show a negative test. The country also reported 58,432 new confirmed coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period – a record seven-day average for new Covid cases.
• Dutch police dispersed anti-lockdown protesters in Amsterdam on Sunday.
• India reported 27,553 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and Covid deaths rose by 284.
• Israel is to offer a fourth dose of the Covid vaccine for the over-60s and medical staff. The country reported 4,206 new daily Covid infections, marking a 195% increase over the past week.
• Twitter has permanently suspended the account of US congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene after the Republican repeatedly violated its policy on Covid misinformation.
• Wintry weather and the coronavirus pandemic caused more than 2,300 US flights and more than 3,900 worldwide to be cancelled.
• South Africa has recorded 4,379 new identified coronavirus cases and 30 deaths.
• The US government’s top medical adviser, Dr Anthony Fauci, said the US had been seeing almost a “vertical increase” of new Covid cases, adding he was concerned the Omicron variant was causing “major disruption” on essential services.
• Dr Fauci said hospitalisation figures formed a better guide to the severity of the Omicron coronavirus variant than the traditional case-count of new infections.
• Argentine football star Lionel Messi was one of four Paris Saint-Germain players to test positive for coronavirus, the club announced shortly before a French Cup match.