Covid-19: Top developments worldwide today

As Covid-19 infections increase, countries worldwide are opting to ease back into pre-pandemic patterns. In Europe and Asia, a new, more contagious variant of the omicron strain of the coronavirus is driving the increase in cases.
A day before US President Joe Biden’s Europe visit, his Press Secretary tested positive for the virus. Biden has reportedly tested negative. Meanwhile in India, Novavax Inc said the Drugs Controller General of India has granted emergency use authorisation for its Covid-19 vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 17 years in the country.
China: Authorities in the Chinese city of Shanghai have denied rumours of a city-wide lockdown after a sixth straight increase in daily asymptomatic coronavirus cases pushed its count to record levels despite a campaign of mass testing aimed at stifling the spread. Meanwhile, China’s top steelmaking city Tangshan implemented a temporary lockdown on Tuesday to avoid further cases of Covid-19 as infections surged, the local government said in a statement.

New Zealand: New Zealand will remove many of its Covid-19 pandemic mandates over the next two weeks as an outbreak of the omicron variant begins to wane. New Zealand sports will welcome full-capacity crowds when Covid-19 rules ease this weekend after a bruising period for revenues. New Zealand capped crowds at 100 people for outdoor events while battling an outbreak of the Omicron variant, but will lift the curbs from Saturday, along with the need for fans to wear masks, the government said on Wednesday.
United States: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday she has tested positive for Covid-19 with “mild” symptoms while her husband Bill Clinton had tested negative. Separately, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that she is positive again for Covid-19 and will not accompany President Joe Biden to Europe this week for urgent meetings with world counterparts on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Biden tested negative on Tuesday, she said.
Here is a glimpse at the top developments today.
➡️ Top US infectious disease official Dr Anthony Fauci said he would not be surprised to see an increase in Covid-19 cases in the United States, but he does not expect a major surge.
➡️ About one-in-three Covid-19 cases in the United States are now caused the BA.2 Omicron sub-variant of the coronavirus, according to government data that also showed overall infections still declining from January’s record highs.
➡️ The US Travel Association urged the White House to lift Covid-19 travel restrictions and repeal a mandate requiring masks on airplanes and in other transit modes April 18, according to a letter seen Reuters.
➡️ Mexico is sticking to its plan to package domestically the Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V because health matters are separate from political conflicts, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said.
➡️  France saw the biggest jump in new Covid-19 cases since February, health minry data showed.
➡️ Poland’s parliament will try to thrash out a compromise on Wednesday over reforms to the Supreme Court that could unlock 36 billion euros of EU Covid-recovery grants and loans being withheld due to a dispute over judicial independence.
➡️ Novavax said its Covid-19 vaccine has got emergency-use authorisation from the Drugs Controller General of India for children aged 12 to 17 years.
➡️ Fully reopening international travel in Hong Kong should have “little marginal impact” on the spread of Covid-19, an academic study said, as the financial hub begins to unwind strict coronavirus measures.
➡️ South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said restrictive Covid-19 regulations that have weighed on the nation’s struggling economy for two years would be removed on Wednesday, with the national state of disaster also to end soon.

➡️ Most children and adolescents with Covid-19 antibodies after SARS-CoV-2 infection usually still have the antibodies in their blood more than half a year later, new data shows.
➡️ An Italian study published on Tuesday suggests that efficient ventilation systems can reduce the transmission of Covid-19 in schools more than 80%.
➡️ Treasury yields marched higher on Tuesday, bringing US stocks with them, as investors digested the increased likelihood of swift interest rate hikes following hawkish comments from the US Federal Reserve.
(Compiled from Reuters and Associated Press reports)