Healthcare and frontline workers and citizens above 60 years of age with comorbidities would be administered the third dose of the same vaccine they had been given before.More, and for more | Editorial on On COVID-19 vaccines for children and boosters for the agedMaharashtra recorded its highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases in nearly two months, with 1,648 cases taking its tally of active cases to 9,813 on Sunday. Explained | New easy-to-use COVID-19 pills come with a catchYou can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.Here are the updates:Singapore
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Singapore lifts travel ban imposed on 10 African countries
Singapore has lifted the ban it imposed on 10 African countries over the Omicron variant of coronavirus, while authorities expect a rapid doubling of cases in the coming days.Passengers arriving in Singapore with travel history to Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe within the past 14 days will come under the country’s Category IV border measures from 11.59 pm on Sunday. -PTIHong Kong
Hong Kong suspends Korean Air flights until January 8 due to virus infections
The Hong Kong government ordered a two-week suspension of Korean Air Lines flights, Korean Air said on Monday, after some of its passengers traveling from South Korea to Hong Kong tested positive for coronavirus upon landing last week according to Hong Kong’s official news platform.The suspension will last until January 8.Korean Air, which runs flights between South Korea and Hong Kong three times a week, said it respects the entry regulations of the Hong Kong government, and all passengers had tested negative when it had checked. -ReutersIran
Iran bars travellers from parts of Western Europe over Omicron fears
Iran has banned the entry of travellers from Britain, France, Denmark and Norway for 15 days as part of curbs following the discovery of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the Middle East’s worst-hit country.State television said on Sunday a similar ban imposed in late November on travellers from South Africa and seven neighbouring countries was also extended for 15 days.Health authorities also indefinitely halted land travel to neighbouring Turkey, a popular tourist destination, the broadcaster said. -ReutersFrance
France sees over 100,000 daily virus infections for 1st time
France has recorded more than 100,000 virus infections in a single day for the first time in the pandemic and COVID-19 hospitalizations have doubled over the past month, as the fast-spreading omicron variant complicates the French government’s efforts to stave off a new lockdown.More than 1 in 100 people in the Paris region have tested positive in the past week, according to the regional health service. Most new infections are linked to the omicron variant, which government experts predict will be dominant in France in the coming days. Omicron is already dominant in Britain, right across the Channel. -AP