This handout picture taken and released on Nov 11, 2021 by APEC New Zealand shows New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (center) speaking during her opening address at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Wellington. (JEFF TOLLAN / APEC NEW ZEALAND 2021 / AFP)
MELBOURNE / WELLINGTON / ANKARA / JERUSALEM – New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stayed in self-isolation on Sunday, as the country recorded 103 new COVID-19 infections.
Ardern, in self-isolation until Tuesday, took a coronavirus test on Sunday after being exposed to an infected person. Results were expected later on Sunday or on Monday, her office said.
Ardern, in self-isolation until Tuesday, took a coronavirus test on Sunday after being exposed to an infected person. Results were expected later on Sunday or on Monday, her office said
The exposure took place on Jan 22 during a flight to Auckland from the town of Kerikeri, the government said in a statement on Saturday.
The result of whole genome sequencing would show if the infection was caused by the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
Ardern, who is asymptomatic, is feeling well, the statement added. The governor-general and members of her staff, who were also on board the flight, are following the same isolation procedure.
New Zealand's borders have been shut to foreigners since March 2020. The government pushed back plans for a phased reopening from mid-January to the end of February out of concern about a potential Omicron outbreak, as in neighboring Australia.
A country of five million people, New Zealand has had 15,910 confirmed coronavirus cases and 52 deaths.
Australia
Thousands of Australian students return to school on Monday after a summer break, as the country remains anxious about the spread of COVID-19, which on Sunday killed at least 88 people in the country.
Although some schools reopened last week, most will do so on Monday, many requiring students to be tested twice a week.
Fuelled by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, infections have exploded in Australia since December, the beginning of summer in southern hemisphere.
Fuelled by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, infections have exploded in Australia since December, the beginning of summer in southern hemisphere
There have now been 2 million COVID-19 cases there; up until December, Australia, a country of 25 million people, had counted just 400,000 since the pandemic began two years ago.
In New South Wales, the country's most populous state, with 8 million people, more than 700 have died of COVID-19 this year. In the whole of Australia just more than 3,700 people have died during the pandemic.
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"The single most important thing, and I can't stress this enough, if we can roll out our booster program, lift that uptake of boosters," Kerry Chant, the state's chief health officer, said on Sunday, warning that there would be more deaths.
On Sunday, at least 88 people died of COVID-19 across Australia. The death rate has increased sharply recently but remains a fraction of what other developed countries have seen.
In this file photo taken on Dec 22, 2021, health workers conduct PCR tests at the St Vincent's Bondi Beach COVID-19 drive through testing clinic in Sydney, as the number of COVID-19 cases keeps on the rise across the New South Wales state ahead of the Christmas festivities. (MUHAMMAD FAROOQ / AFP)
Australia has vaccinated more than 93 percent of its adult population with two doses; nearly eight million have received more than two.
Dan Andrews, the premier of Victoria state, which reported 20 deaths on Sunday, flagged that all Australians may soon need to be triple-dosed to be considered fully vaccinated.
"I think it's only a matter of time before the relevant federal agencies confirm that this is three doses, it is not two plus a bonus," Andrews said.
Israel
Israel reported 53,020 new COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the total cases to 2,751,363, according to the Health Ministry.
The number of COVID-19 patients in serious condition in Israel rose 946 to 1,010, the highest figure since February 2021, it added.
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The death toll from the virus in the country rose by 38 to 8,657.
The number of active cases decreased to 444,886, while the positive rate of all daily COVID-19 tests in Israel hit a record 27.44 percent.
Turkey
Turkey on Saturday reported 94,783 new COVID-19 cases, its highest daily figure of the pandemic, raising its tally of infections to 11,438,476, according to its Health Ministry.
The death toll from the virus in Turkey rose by 174 to 87,045, while 83,261 more people recovered in the last 24 hours.
A total of 440,017 tests were conducted over the past day, it said.
Turkey has started mass COVID-19 vaccination on Jan. 14, 2021 after the authorities approved the emergency use of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine.
More than 57.4 million people have received their first doses of the vaccine, while over 52.36 million had their second doses. Turkey has so far administered over 141.7 million doses including third booster jabs.