UK faces fresh wave of infections amid global concerns over XE strain | 5 points

The Omicron variant and its sub-strains have sparked worry in some parts of Asia and several European countries in fresh caution for world leaders and governments.

With new coronavirus strains emerging from different parts of the world, fears have grown of yet another pandemic wave approaching soon. The global coronavirus caseload topped 493.5 million on Monday, while the deaths have surged to more than 6.16 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. At least 11 billion vaccine doses have been administered across the world so far. Shanghai, the financial capital of China, is among the worst-hit cities in the country amid fresh surge, and it continues to reel under stringent lockdown measures as authorities extended restrictions on transportation on Tuesday to curb the spread of coronavirus infections. Meanwhile, a renewed surge of Covid-19 infections was reported in Britain, led by the Omicron variant and newly discovered mutant strain XE.

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Here are the top 5 developments around the world:

1. For Shanghai, there is no relief from lockdown after the city, which reported more than 13,000 new cases, went through a day of intensive testing amid growing public anger over quarantine rules. China has responded to the Omicron variant with strict Covid-19 measures that are said to lay a frost over the country's budding economic spring.

2. The fresh cases in the United Kingdom have reportedly forced several airlines, including EasyJet, to cancel hundreds of flights in recent days as staff sickness levels soar. Covid-19 infections, due to the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 variant, have hit a record high in Britain, with nearly 5 million people getting infected in the last week. The newly found XE strain – recombinant variant (BA.1-BA.2) – was also detected in the United Kingdom in January, according to the data available with the WHO.

3. The national state of disaster declared in South Africa for the past two years in response to Covid-19 pandemic, would end at midnight local time on Monday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced.

4. In Europe, Germany, France and Italy are on the top of the list of worst-hit countries.

5. Meanwhile, Pfizer Inc announced that it manufactured 6 million courses of its antiviral Covid-19 pill ‘Paxlovid’ in the first quarter, hitting a target set by Chief Executive Albert Bourla. The company has shipped the pills to over 26 countries so far. Pfizer further said that it expects to produce at least 120 million courses of the pill this year.