Staff check a client at a drive-through COVID-19 testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on Jan 8, 2022. (MARK BAKER / AP)
TOKYO / SYDNEY / KATHMANDU / SINGAPORE / WELLINGTON / SEOUL – COVID-19 cases are expected to double in the Australian state of New South Wales within weeks as new Omicron BA.2 variant spreads, the state's health minister warned.
The state health department reported 14,034 new cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths on Friday. There were 998 people in hospitals, slightly up from Thursday's 991, with 39 in intensive care.
While the Omicron variant is still the dominant virus strain in NSW, the new BA.2 subvariant could quickly overtake and cases could double within the next four to six weeks, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Thursday
Paul Griffin, infectious diseases physician and microbiologist from the University of Queensland (UQ), explained that the Omicron BA.2 variant seems to spread more rapidly than the original variant, and the actual number of cases in the state could be higher than the testing results.
"Certainly, (the variant BA.2) is increasing. One of the challenges we're facing in Australia at the moment is we've pivoted to using rapid antigen tests more than PCR, so our tracking of the different variants and sub-variants is a little bit limited, compared to what it was previously," Griffin told Xinhua on Friday.
Griffin said although there is no evidence so far showing whether the BA.2 variant is more or less severe, the likely coming back flu in winter could together pose a significant challenge to Australia.
An employee sits next to signboards showing the location of a Pfizer coronavirus vaccination center at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building in Tokyo on July 15, 2021. (BEHROUZ MEHRI / AFP)
Japan
The Japanese government is considering offering a fourth coronavirus vaccine shot from this summer, the Yomiuri daily reported on Friday.
The shots would likely be supplied by Pfizer and Moderna, the paper said, without citing sources.
Students rest after being inoculated with Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a school in Bhaktapur, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, on Jan 10, 2022. (PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP)
Nepal
The Nepali government on Thursday made it easier for Nepalis and foreigners to enter the country from abroad amid declining COVID-19 cases.
In a notice, the Department of Immigration said it would be enough for those with vaccination cards to enter Nepal. "If anybody cannot produce evidence that he or she is fully vaccinated, such persons can enter Nepal by producing COVID-19 negative report from PCR or True NAAT or GeneXpert test," the notice said.
"It means those showing evidence that they have been fully vaccinated should no longer produce a COVID-19 negative report through PCR tests," Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, director general of the department, told Xinhua.
Earlier, Nepalis and foreigners were required to show proof of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to arrival in Nepal as well as COVID-19 negative reports from PCR tests conducted within 72 hours before departure, as the South Asian country was trying to curb the third wave of the pandemic driven by the Omicron variant in late January.
New Zealand
New Zealand reported 20,989 new community cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
Among the new community infections, 7,240 were in the largest city Auckland. Twenty-three new cases of COVID-19 were detected at the New Zealand border, said the ministry.
The ministry also reported seven deaths of COVID-19, most of whom were elderly people.
A health worker (right) walks past people queueing up for coronavirus swab tests outside a gymnasium in Manila on Jan 7, 2022. (STR / AFP)
Philippines
The Philippines has approved the emergency use of Paxlovid, Pfizer's COVID-19 drug, the country's food and drug agency said on Friday.
It is the third COVID-19 drug approved by the agency for emergency use, after Roche's antibody cocktail and Merck & Co Inc's treatment pill.
Paxlovid can be used to treat adult patients who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk for severe infection, the agency said.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization acting representative in the Philippines on Friday urged Filipinos to remain vigilant, saying the fight against COVID-19 is not over yet.
Acting representative Rajendra Prasad Yadav said in a radio interview that the Western Pacific region is "seeing a huge surge in cases," warning of possibilities of new coronavirus variants emerging.
Following the continuous decreases in COVID-19 cases from mid-January, the Philippines decided to ease the coronavirus restrictions in Metro Manila and 38 other areas since March 1, allowing increased mobility and economic activity.
"It's too early to declare victory against the virus. We need to remain vigilant and continue to exercise caution," Yadav said.
The government is mulling further easing the restriction across the country in the coming weeks to rev up the pandemic-hit economy.
A notice warning people not to gather in groups larger than five persons as part of restrictions to hald the spread of the coronavirus is displayed at Raffles Place financial business district in Singapore on Jan 4, 2022. (ROSLAN RAHMAN / AFP)
Singapore
Singapore reported 16,165 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the total tally to 901,758.
Of the new cases, 2,077 cases were detected through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and 14,088 through ART (antigen rapid test) tests, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Health.
South Korea
South Korea reported 282,987 new COVID-19 cases as of midnight Thursday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 5,822,626, the health authorities said Friday.
The daily caseload was down from 327,543 in the previous day, falling below 300,000 in three days, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.