COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina Argentina imposes a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination certificate for people over the age of 13 years to participate in many types of activities, both indoors and outdoors. (Buenos Aires Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Asia COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain, COVID-19 drug development Bahrain authorizes the emergency use of Pfizer's anti-viral oral drug Paxlovid for adults over the age of 18 years. (Arab News) COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates, Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic The United Arab Emirates announces that unvaccinated citizens will be banned from travel and that vaccinated citizens will need to receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine beginning on January 10. (Gulf News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Australia reports a record for the twelfth consecutive day of 35,326 new cases of COVID-19. New South Wales, Victoria and other states report record numbers of new cases. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain, COVID-19 drug development Bahrain authorizes the emergency use of Pfizer's anti-viral oral drug Paxlovid for adults over the age of 18 years. (Arab News)
COVID-19 pandemic in England England reports a record 162,572 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (The Independent)
COVID-19 pandemic in Europe COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom COVID-19 pandemic in England England reports a record 162,572 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (The Independent) COVID-19 pandemic in France France surpasses 10 million cases of COVID-19, becoming the sixth country to reach the milestone. (Reuters) COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland The Republic of Ireland reports a record 23,281 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Irish Independent) Europe surpasses 100 million cases of COVID-19. (Voice of America)
COVID-19 pandemic in France France surpasses 10 million cases of COVID-19, becoming the sixth country to reach the milestone. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland The Republic of Ireland reports a record 23,281 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Irish Independent)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates, Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic The United Arab Emirates announces that unvaccinated citizens will be banned from travel and that vaccinated citizens will need to receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine beginning on January 10. (Gulf News)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom COVID-19 pandemic in England England reports a record 162,572 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (The Independent)
COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria Bulgaria reports its first 12 cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in five vaccinated people and seven unvaccinated people, most of whom had not travelled abroad. (Metro)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announces that he has tested positive for COVID-19. (Politico)
COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships AIDAnova, a cruise ship operated by German cruise line AIDA Cruises and carrying 4,197 people, has docked in Lisbon, Portugal, after 52 crew members tested positive for COVID-19 and isolated at various hotels. (The New York Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in France France begins to require children over the age of 6 years to wear masks while indoors and also reduces the self-isolation period for fully vaccinated people to seven days and five days if a person has received a negative PCR or antigen test due to a record number of COVID-19 cases driven by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (The Hill) (Politico.eu)
COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland Scotland reports a record 20,217 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (The Independent)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea South Korea reports its first confirmed deaths related to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in two people in their 90s who died last week at a senior care hospital in Gwangju. (Yonhap News Agency)
COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan Taiwan reports its first two locally transmitted cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Taiwan News)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 vaccination in the Philippines The Metro Manila Council passes a resolution imposing a lockdown on all unvaccinated and partially vaccinated residents and minors due to an increase in the number of cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Rappler)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland Scotland reports a record 20,217 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (The Independent)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 vaccination in the United States The Food and Drug Administration authorizes the use of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose for children between the ages of 12 and 15 years, becoming the world's first vaccine to be authorized as a booster shot for this age group. (ABC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina Argentina reports a record 81,210 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 5.82 million. (Buenos Aires Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Asia COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China China orders 1.1 million people in Yuzhou, Henan to stay at home after three asymptomatic COVID-19 cases were reported. (BBC News) COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announces that the "vaccine bubble" will be expanded to restaurants, leisure venues and schools beginning on February 24, which will require people over the age of 12 years to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination of at least one dose in order to enter those venues. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Australia reports a record for the second consecutive day of 47,738 new cases of COVID-19 and surpasses 500,000 cases of COVID-19. (Nine News) (SBS World News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the arts and cultural heritage Rio de Janeiro cancels the 2022 edition of its world-famous carnival street parade, which was scheduled to be held from February 25 to March 1, amid the surging COVID-19 cases and the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Radio France Internationale)
COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus Cyprus reports a record 5,457 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 183,178. (Cyprus Mail)
COVID-19 pandemic in France France reports a record 271,686 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC News) France reports the first discovery of a new variant called the Lineage B.1.640.2 IHU variant in 12 patients near Marseille which contains 46 mutations. (Firstpost)
COVID-19 pandemic in Greece Greece reports a record 50,126 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,344,923. (Kathimerini)
COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announces that the "vaccine bubble" will be expanded to restaurants, leisure venues and schools beginning on February 24, which will require people over the age of 12 years to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination of at least one dose in order to enter those venues. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Italy Italy reports a record 170,844 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 6.57 million. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China China orders 1.1 million people in Yuzhou, Henan to stay at home after three asymptomatic COVID-19 cases were reported. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico Mexico surpasses four million cases of COVID-19. (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco Morocco reports its first confirmed death related to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in an elderly woman who had not received the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (Morocco World News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden test positive for COVID-19. (The Hill) Sweden reports a record 11,507 new cases of COVID-19 on December 30 due to delayed records of additional cases that were added in the previous days. (The Local Sweden)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom reports a record 218,724 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which includes backlog data from Northern Ireland for the past four days and from Wales for the past two days. (The Independent)
Eight people are killed, 14 more are injured and two are missing during flash floods in southern Iran, primarily in Fars Province. (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Australia announces rapid antigen tests will be made free to concession card holders amid a nationwide shortage, but resists calls for universal free access. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in France France reports a record for the second consecutive day of 332,252 new cases of COVID-19, which is also the highest daily total recorded in any European nation since the beginning of the pandemic. (France 24)
COVID-19 pandemic in Italy Italy reports a record for the second consecutive day of 189,109 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 6,566,947. (Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata) The Draghi Cabinet signs a decree that makes COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for people over the age of 50 years and also mandates that public and private sector workers of this age group need to show proof of vaccination or recovery or face fines of between €600 and €1,500 beginning on February 15. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Rajasthan India reports its first confirmed death related to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a 73-year-old man who died last week at a hospital in Udaipur, Rajasthan. (The Economic Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, COVID-19 drug development South Korea signs an agreement to buy an additional 400,000 doses of Pfizer's Paxlovid COVID-19 drug. (CNA)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands The Netherlands reports a record 24,590 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (NL Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines Iloilo City reports its first case of the Omicron variant in a 46-year-old man who traveled from Kenya. (Rappler)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States COVID-19 vaccination in the United States The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorses the use of booster shots of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as 12. (CNN)
France reports a record for the second consecutive day of 332,252 new cases of COVID-19, which is also the highest daily total recorded in any European nation since the beginning of the pandemic. (France 24)
2020–2022 H5N8 outbreak A 79-year-old man in Buckfastleigh, Devon, becomes the first person in the United Kingdom to test positive for bird flu. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina Argentina surpasses 6 million cases of COVID-19 after reporting a record for the third consecutive day of 109,608 new cases of COVID-19. (NHK World-Japan)
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia COVID-19 pandemic in the Northern Territory The Northern Territory imposes a lockdown until Monday for people over the age of 16 years who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 after the territory reported a record 256 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC News) COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria Density limits are reintroduced to hospitality and entertainment venues and non-urgent elective surgeries are paused as cases and hospitalisations rise in the state. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam announces a travel ban from eight countries with high SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant cases from January 8 to January 21. (Al Jazeera) High-risk establishments such as bars and gyms will be closed from January 7, while dining in restaurants will be banned after 6 p.m. (South China Morning Post)
COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq Iraq reports its first five cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in the northern city of Duhok, in Iraqi Kurdistan. (Al Arabiya)
COVID-19 pandemic in Israel Israel reports a record for the second consecutive day of 16,115 new cases of COVID-19. (The Jerusalem Post)
COVID-19 pandemic in Italy Italy reports a record for the third consecutive day of 219,441 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 6.97 million. (Anadolu Agency)
COVID-19 pandemic in Japan The United States Armed Forces order all personnel stationed in Japan to wear masks when traveling off-base amid criticism of their handling of the increase in COVID-19 cases in areas where they are based in large numbers, such as Okinawa and Iwakuni. (ABC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, COVID-19 vaccination in Malaysia Malaysia grants conditional approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be used in children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. (New Straits Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand Thailand raises its COVID-19 Alert level to level four following a rapid increase in cases caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Bangkok Post)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Northern Territory The Northern Territory imposes a lockdown until Monday for people over the age of 16 years who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 after the territory reported a record 256 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey Turkey reports a record for the second consecutive day of 68,413 new cases of COVID-19. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria Density limits are reintroduced to hospitality and entertainment venues and non-urgent elective surgeries are paused as cases and hospitalisations rise in the state. (The Guardian)
Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam announces a travel ban from eight countries with high SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant cases from January 8 to January 21. (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina Argentina reports a record for the fourth consecutive day of 110,553 new cases of COVID-19. (Infobae)
COVID-19 pandemic in Austria Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer tests positive for COVID-19 and begins a period of self-isolation. (Politico.eu)
COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria, Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic Bulgaria imposes a rule that requires almost all travellers aged above 12 years from the European Union and the United Kingdom to have a negative PCR test in the previous 72 hours along with a valid COVID-19 certificate prior to arrival, in order to limit the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Euronews)
COVID-19 pandemic in Germany German chancellor Olaf Scholz and the leaders of 16 states agree to reduce the isolation period for people who have received a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and also toughen the requirement to enter bars and restaurants to include a booster shot or a negative test result in addition to proof of vaccination or recovery as the Omicron variant continues to spread across the country. (ABC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico, COVID-19 drug development Mexican health regulator COFEPRIS grants emergency use authorization for Merck & Co.'s anti-COVID-19 drug Molnupiravir for the treatment of severe disease. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet announces that the state will suspend elective surgeries as well as ban singing and dancing in hospitality venues, entertainment facilities and major recreation facilities due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. These restrictions will be in effect until January 27. (News.com.au)
COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, COVID-19 vaccination in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka begins its COVID-19 vaccination rollout for children between the ages of 12 and 15 years using the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. (MedicalXpress)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Northern Territory The Northern Territory reports a record for the third consecutive day of 412 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the territory-wide total of confirmed cases to 1,686. (ABC News Australia)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines COVID-19 testing The Food and Drug Administration begins accepting requests for certification of COVID-19 antigen test kits for home use. Previously, antigen test kits were only available for professional use. (CNN Philippines) The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases places 14 more provinces and cities under Alert Level 3 from January 9 to January 15. Five areas including Metro Manila were already placed into Alert Level 3 due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Mexican health regulator COFEPRIS grants emergency use authorization for Merck & Co.'s anti-COVID-19 drug Molnupiravir for the treatment of severe disease. (Reuters)
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases places 14 more provinces and cities under Alert Level 3 from January 9 to January 15. Five areas including Metro Manila were already placed into Alert Level 3 due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
2022 Murree snowstorm At least 21 people are killed by a snowstorm on a highway in Murree, Rawalpindi District, Punjab, Pakistan. (BBC News)
At least 21 people are killed by a snowstorm on a highway in Murree, Rawalpindi District, Punjab, Pakistan. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Australia surpasses 100,000 for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, with Victoria reporting a record 51,356 new cases in the past 24 hours after including rapid antigen tests as part of the total number of cases. (RNZ)
COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus A Cypriot scientist reportedly detects a variant of the SARS-CoV-2 called "Deltacron", which combines genomes found in the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant and genetic signatures found in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (CNBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico Mexico reports a record 30,671 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 4.1 million. The country also surpasses 300,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Bloomberg)
COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden tests positive for COVID-19 for a second time. (U.S. News & World Report)
