The United Kingdom (UK) Health security agency says early assessment does not find difference in vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease between Omicron subtypes.The BA.2 subtype of the Omicron coronavirus variant appears to have a substantial growth advantage over the currently predominant BA.1 type, the UK’s Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.The UKHSA said on Friday there was an increased growth rate of BA.2 compared with BA.1 in all regions of England where there were enoug

Almost two years into the pandemic, some countries have declared their intention to start treating COVID-19 like other endemic diseases, such as seasonal flu.Despite witnessing relatively high infection rates amid the frenetic spread of the Omicron variant, which appears to cause less severe disease but is highly transmissible according to early studies, countries including England and Ireland have drastically loosened restrictions on public life. Denmark has announced plans to lift

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:Record Daily Cases In Russia Russia reports more than 100,000 daily coronavirus cases for the first time as the country weathers a surge of infections driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant.A government COVID-19 portal registers 113,122 new cases over 24 hours, nearly double the number of daily infections just a week ago.Australian Medics In Solomons Australia flies a small team of emergency medical speciali

It's all very different from August 2017 when Japan awoke to the sound of air raid sirens. Without warning North Korea had fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) over the top of Japan into the Pacific Ocean. It was an audacious act.This time North Korea's missiles have all been short range, and have landed in the sea, well away from the Japanese coast. Kim Jong-un appears to be holding back, for now.

Hong Kong's U-turn on its mandatory three-week quarantine for arrivals follows growing scrutiny of the strict policy after a coronavirus outbreak was traced to a woman infected during her hotel stay.Like mainland China, Hong Kong is one of the few places left in the world still pursuing a zero-COVID strategy that has largely kept the virus at bay but left the finance hub internationally isolated.On Thursday, city leader Carrie Lam announced the 21-day quarantine period that most arrivals

Merck's anti-COVID pill remains "active" against the Omicron variant, the United States (US) drugmaker said Friday, citing results from six laboratory studies.The oral treatment, called molnupiravir, is taken within five days of symptom onset and was shown in a pre-Omicron trial of 1,400 participants to reduce COVID hospitalizations and deaths by 30 percent among at-risk people.The latest in vitro studies, based on cell-based assays, were conducted independently by researchers

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:Hush-Hush Lockdown With only a week to go before the Beijing Winter Olympics, China locks down an area 100 kilometres from the capital but makes no public announcements about it.EU Chief Slammed The European Union's (EU) own watchdog blasts European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen for keeping secret text messages with Pfizer's CEO about purchasing vaccine doses, saying it "constituted maladminist

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:COVID Pill For Europe The European Union's (EU) drug watchdog approves Pfizer's coronavirus pill, making it the first oral antiviral treatment for the disease to be authorised in Europe.England Lifts RestrictionsEngland lifts virus restrictions, with masks no longer required in enclosed places and vaccine passports shelved.Unjabbed Man Refused Transplant A Boston hospital refuses to perform a heart transpla

Vaccination could reduce the risk of long COVID, research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the United Kingdom (UK) suggests.The study, of more than 6,000 adults, found those who were double-vaccinated had a 41 percent lower likelihood of self-reporting COVID symptoms 12 weeks after first testing positive.Overall, 9.5 percent of the double-vaccinated group reported experiencing long COVID, defined as symptoms lasting more than four weeks, compared with 14.6 percent of a socio-dem

Saudi Arabia and Thailand have ended a 30-year row over a scandal involving stolen jewels and a string of murders.The resumption of full diplomatic ties came during a visit to Riyadh by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.A Thai cleaner working for a Saudi prince took the gems in 1989. A rare 50 carat blue diamond was never recovered.Three Saudi diplomats were shot dead in Bangkok following the theft.