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Covid Highlights: France urges EU to test passengers coming from China
Coronavirus updates: Amid a fresh outbreak of coronavirus in China and other countries, several nations have ramped up their surveillance and testing facilities to control the spread.
Coronavirus updates: Amid a fresh outbreak of coronavirus in China and other countries, several nations have ramped up their surveillance and testing facilities to control the spread. Canada became the latest country to join other nations to make Covid-19 test mandatory for travellers from mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau. Malaysia, Japan, the United States and Spain are some of the other nations to have increased their Covid testing. India has also started to test and requires a negative RT-PCR test for travellers from China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong....Read More
On the other hand, where Covid is at its peak - China's Wuhan saw massive New Year celebrations on Saturday night to count down to the start of 2023. Several people were seeing releasing balloons in the sky at midnight and grabbing selfies, reported Reuters.
Meanwhile, according to experts, India's health scenario will not turn out to be like China's.
The BF.7 variant of Covid-19 - a sublineage of Omicron's BA.5 variant - is the primary factor in the current outbreak in China. It was already detected in India in September and November, and the four patients have since recovered.
France urges EU to test passengers coming from China
France has appealed to fellow European Union (EU) states to test travellers arriving from China, after Paris itself decided to do so.
Canada seeks negative Covid-19 results from passengers coming from China
For a period of one month starting January 5, travellers (aged 2 and above) coming to Canada from China, Hong Kong and Macao need to show negative Covid-19 test on arrival.
‘Strict checking at Delhi airport’: Passenger who arrived from Singapore
There's strict checking at the airport. We had to fill Air Suvidha form and produce negative RT-PCR report: Passenger who arrived at Delhi airport from Singapore.
Hong Kong to resume cross-border travel with mainland China
Hong Kong is working to resume quarantine-free travel with mainland China by as early as January 8, reported Reuters.
Hong Kong asks Japan to withdraw Covid restrictions
Hong Kong has asked Japan to withdraw a COVID-19 restriction that allows passenger flights from the financial hub to land only at four designated airports, saying the decision would affect about 60,000 passengers.
India sees 265 new COVID cases, 3 deaths in 24 hours
India saw a single-day rise of 265 new coronavirus infections and a decline in active cases to 2,706, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. The total tally of COVID cases was recorded at 4.46 crore. The death toll so far stands at 5,30,705 with three fatalities -- two reconciled by Kerala, and one death reported by Karnataka, in the last 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated.
Karnataka's new Covid rules
The Karnataka government on Saturday made home quarantine mandatory for those travelling from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand. The central government had already announced that travelers from these nations must produce their RT-PCR test reports before leaving the airport. Read more here
China's Xi Jinping: Country facing ‘tough challenges with new Covid phase'
Chinese president Xi Jinping during his annual new year's address on Saturday said that the country is facing “tough challenges” as it enters "a new phase" in its Covid-19 response. “We have now entered a new phase of COVID response where tough challenges remain,” he said.
Australia to start Covid-19 testing for travelers from China
Australia said travelers departing China, Hong Kong and Macau will require a negative Covid-19 test before boarding flights to the country from January 5, reported Bloomberg.
India see huge crowds amid Covid scare
Soaked in revelry, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata and other big cities across India welcomed 2023 amid huge celebrations. This is the first time in nearly two years that Covid restrictions were eased for those ringing in the New Year. While the latest surge in Covid cases in China remains a concern, authorities in India are taking precautions but no major curbs have yet been announced. Read more here
Taiwan offers China help to deal with Covid surge
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Sunday offered to provide China with "necessary assistance" to help it deal with a surge in COVID-19 cases, reported Reuters.
China sees massive New Year celebrations amid on-going Covid wave
Thousands of people gathered in central Wuhan on Saturday night to count down to the start 2023 amid the on-going wave of coronavirus, reported Reuters.
