Omicron

Pacific health experts planning for challenges Omicron could create in 2022

Dr Api Talemaitoga said he is sceptical the allocated government funding for Pacific-lead initiatives will be enough, with many providers running on the 'smell of an oily rag' already.

He said adequate funding will be the key to a strong community push to administer boosters and vaccinate children in the new year:

"The reason for that is just two doses of the pfizer vaccine doesn't give enough protection to people from Omicron," he said.

Tongans encouraged to get their Covid jab to avoid Omicron variant

Medical Superintendent, Dr ‘Ana ‘Akau’ola said the new variant has reached neighbouring countries of New Zealand and Fiji.

‘Akau’ola stressed that while not a lot is known about the variant, it does spread faster than the Delta variant and is not as severe.

 “I plead with the people in Tonga to please come and get vaccinated as it has been confirmed that the vaccine will reduce the effect of the illness in the person who has the virus.”

The Ministry of Health aims to fully vaccinate 70% of Tonga's total population of 105,924.

Fijians test positive for Omicron variant - Govt

The pair travelled to Fiji from Nigeria on November 25.

They both tested positive to Covid-19 while in a border quarantine facility.

Health Secretary James Fong said last night their samples were sent to a reference laboratory in Australia for urgent genomic sequencing.

Dr Fong said both travellers' results were confirmed positive for the Omicron variant.

WHO public health expert on the risk of Omicron

As more countries around the world report cases of Omicron, much remains unknown about the new Covid-19 variant.

It is less than two weeks since Omicron was designated a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organisation, after it was first reported by scientists in South Africa.

First data points to Omicron re-infection risk

Scientists have detected a surge in the number of people catching Covid-19 multiple times.

It is a rapid analysis and not definitive, but fits with concern about the mutations the variant possesses.

It is also unclear what this means for the protection given by vaccines.

A week after the variant was named Omicron, the world is still scrambling to understand the true threat posed by the variant. But now the first of pieces of a large and complex puzzle are starting to be assembled.

Omicron: WHO warns of 'high infection risk' around globe

The variant could lead to severe consequences in some regions, the WHO said on Monday.

The head of the organisation, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, renewed a call for a global push to get vaccines to poorer nations.

Covid-19 is "not done with us" yet he warned.

The variant was detected in South Africa earlier this month with initial evidence suggesting it has a higher re-infection risk. South Africa has been praised for its prompt reporting of the variant.

Fiji steps up entry conditions amid Ormicron threat

The Government says this move is in response to the threat of the Covid-19 variant of Omicron

The World Health Organisation has declared the new coronavirus variant to be "of concern".

The WHO said the variant had a large number of mutations, and early evidence suggested a possible increased risk of reinfection.

It was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on 24 November, and has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.

They are all on Fiji's red list countries. Several countries have now banned travel from southern Africa.

WHO reaches draft consensus on future pandemic treaty

The draft resolution, hammered out in negotiations over the weekend, will be presented for adoption to health ministers at the WHO's three-day special assembly that opens on November 29, they said.

The diplomatic breakthrough came amid growing international concern over the new coronavirus variant Omicron, first detected in South Africa this month, which has spread further around the world.

Cardiff and Munster isolating in South Africa due to Covid cases

The club confirmed one of the cases is suspected to be the Omicron variant that sparked travel restrictions on flights from South Africa to the UK.

A Cardiff statement said: "PCR tests undertaken last night have returned two positive results."

However, Welsh rivals Scarlets are on the flight both teams were due to take.

Irish side Munster also have a positive Covid case and, like Cardiff, must remain in isolation in South Africa.

Cardiff's playing and coaching staff have "returned to their hotel to isolate".

WHO labels new Covid strain, named omicron

The U.N. health agency recognized the strain, first referred to as lineage B.1.1.529, as a variant of concern.

Health experts are deeply concerned about the transmissibility of the omicron variant given that it has an unusual constellation of mutations and a profile that is different from other variants of concern.