[Epoch Times December 21, 2021](Epoch Times reporters Dai Furuo, Li Yan, Yan Shu comprehensive report) According to statistics from Johns Hopkins University, as of Tuesday (December 21) 6 pm Eastern Time : 34. The total number of CCP virus (Wuhan virus, New Coronavirus, COVID-19) cases worldwide exceeds 276 million (276,133,348) cases, and the death toll exceeds 5.36 million (5,367,670) people.
The following are statistics on the number of newly confirmed cases and deaths in a single day in some countries on December 20 (Monday) (some data are adjusted according to worldometers):
143,530 confirmed cases and 623 deaths in the United States;
10,450 cases were confirmed in Canada and 13 people died;
4,492 cases were confirmed in Australia and 8 people died;
91,743 cases were confirmed in the UK and 44 people died;
15,075 confirmed cases in France and 224 deaths;
21,710 confirmed cases and 280 deaths in Germany;
5,326 confirmed cases and 453 deaths in India;
Brazil has 2,094 confirmed cases and 67 deaths;
27,022 confirmed cases in Russia and 1,019 deaths;
14,977 confirmed cases and 225 deaths in Vietnam;
Japan has 187 confirmed cases and 0 deaths;
South Korea has 5,319 confirmed cases and 54 deaths;
11 cases were confirmed in Taiwan and 0 people died.
The following is a real-time update on the CCP virus epidemic:
New York State’s single-day diagnosis hit a record high for 4 consecutive days
New York State is struggling to deal with the rapidly spreading variant of Omicron. By Sunday (20th), the number of new COVID cases in a single day in the state had set the highest record for the fourth consecutive day.
On December 19, New York State reported more than 23,000 new cases, breaking the highest record, with more than 15,000 cases in New York City alone. In the past week, the city has reported nearly 10,000 cases every day.
More than 4,000 COVID-19 patients were reported to be hospitalized across the state, of which 769 were in the intensive care unit.
Before this news was released, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Monday that Omicron accounted for 73% of all new infections in the United States last week. It is believed that Omicron is more spread than the Delta variant.
In New York State, where the death toll from Covid has exceeded 58,000, Omicro cases may be on the rise.
Governor Kathy Hochul urged New York residents to get vaccinated because the state is facing an uncertain winter.
82% of the adult population in New York has been fully vaccinated. Both Moderna and Pfizer stated that their vaccines are effective against the omicron variants, especially in the case of booster or third shots.
Fighting omicron Biden announces the provision of 500 million home test kits
To curb the surge in Omicron variant cases across the United States, President Biden announced on Tuesday (21st) that the government will provide 500 million free rapid home testing kits, increase support for hospitals under pressure, and redouble its efforts to administer vaccines.
In response to Omicron, Israel will be the first to administer the fourth dose of vaccine
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali. Naftali Bennett announced on Tuesday (21st) that medical staff and Israelis over 60 will be eligible for the fourth dose of Covid vaccine to prevent infection with the rapidly spreading variant of omicron.
Bennett said: “Israeli citizens have been the first in the world to receive the third dose of Covid-19 vaccine, and we will continue to be the first to receive the fourth dose.” He called on those who meet the criteria to “go for the vaccine”.
Worries about holiday infections intensify, Portugal tightens restrictions
To curb the spread of Covid-19 during the Christmas holidays, the Portuguese government ordered nightclubs and bars to close on Tuesday (21st) and asked people to work from home from December 26 to at least January 9.
Prime Minister Antonio. Antonio Costa also announced that staying in a Portuguese hotel will require a certificate of negative Covid test, and said that on New Year’s Eve, the authorities will limit outdoor gatherings to less than 10 people.
The number of infections recorded in Portugal is still lower than the EU average, with 433 new Covid cases per 1 million inhabitants every day. In the previous week, the number was 386 cases.
Ying Xiang: New restrictions will not be implemented before Christmas, but it may be possible afterwards
British Prime Minister Boris. Johnson (Boris Johnson) said on Tuesday (21st) that he will not implement new epidemic prevention measures before Christmas, but emphasized that the situation is still extremely serious and the government may need to take action afterwards.
In a video posted on social media, Johnson said: “We believe today that there is not enough evidence to show that it is reasonable to take any harsher measures before Christmas.”
“We cannot rule out the possibility of further measures after Christmas.”
“We continue to follow Omicron very closely. If the situation worsens, we will be prepared to take action if necessary.”
Johnson said that although people can continue their Christmas plans, he would urge them to be cautious and follow some recommendations, such as keeping windows open, getting tested for Covid before visiting elderly or vulnerable relatives, and if possible Vaccine booster.
Certificate of vaccination will be required to enter Chicago restaurants and bars
Lori, Mayor of Chicago, USA Lori Lightfoot (Lori Lightfoot) said on Tuesday (21st) that due to the rapid spread of Omicron variants that have contributed to the surge in COVID-19 infections, people will need to provide vaccination certificates when entering restaurants, bars, gyms and other indoor venues.
The Mayor of New York: No longer closing schools and businesses
Amid the surge in Covid cases in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio still stated that he is committed to keeping the city open.
He said on Tuesday that New York City will not close schools and businesses again as it did when COVID-19 first hit the city in 2020.
To curb the surge in infections, Germany will tighten restrictions after Christmas
In order to curb the surge of new infections, Germany announced a series of new restrictions on Tuesday (21st), which will take effect “at the latest” from December 28th.
Prime Minister Olaf. Olaf Scholz, Governor of North Rhine-Westphalia Hendrick. Worcester (Hendrik Wüst) and the mayor of Berlin Franziska. Franziska Giffey held a press conference on the new measures.
Schultz said that the Omicron variant will soon lead to an explosion in the number of infections. “Covid-19 will not stop at Christmas,” he said.
He said that the fourth wave of infections is now under control, but warned that the fifth wave is coming.
Even for people who have recovered from the virus or have been vaccinated, private gatherings will be limited to less than 10 people. Children under the age of 14 are not included in this figure. Clubs and discos will remain closed.
The “2G rule” (which stipulates that vaccination or recovery from Covid-19 must be required) will apply to cinemas and theaters.
In addition, the sale of fireworks will be banned on New Year’s Eve, and gatherings will be banned on December 31.
Strict restrictions on those who have not been vaccinated will continue to be in effect-the 3G rules (that is, the need to be vaccinated, recover or test negative) apply to work and travel on public transport, and strict contact restrictions also apply during the Christmas period.
Schultz said that all measures decided on Tuesday should be implemented after Christmas, adding that the past few years have shown that Easter and Christmas are not the main drivers of infection.
The number of confirmed cases in Italy increased sharply in a single day, breaking 30,000 for the first time since November last year
The Italian Ministry of Health said that Italy reported 153 coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday (21st), compared with 137 the day before and 120 a week ago. The number of new infections in a single day rose from 16,213 to 30,798. This is It exceeded 30,000 for the first time since November last year.
Since February last year, Italy has recorded 135,931 Covid-19-related deaths, the second highest in Europe after the United Kingdom.
To date, Italy has reported 5.4 million Covid cases.
132 people infected with Covid outbreak at SpaceX California headquarters
The US Space Exploration Technology Corporation (SpaceX) is located in the headquarters of Hawthorne, Los Angeles County. A new round of Covid has broken out. At least 132 employees have tested positive.
This is the largest workplace outbreak that local health officials have recently tracked across the county.
Israel’s first Omicron death case
According to Israeli media reports, the country recorded its first Omicron death on Tuesday (21st).
The media reported that day that a man in his 70s with a previous medical history died in Beersheva on Monday after receiving two doses of the vaccine.
The Ministry of Health said on Tuesday that it had confirmed 170 new cases of the Omicron variant, bringing a total of 341 cases.
According to Haaretz (Haaretz), the Ministry of Health stated that it is investigating 807 confirmed Covid cases. These cases may be Omicron cases, but have not yet been confirmed.
The government’s coronavirus cabinet is scheduled to meet later on Tuesday to discuss how to respond to the spread of Omicron.
France will turn a health pass into a vaccination pass
French government spokesperson Gabriel. Attal (Gabriel Attal) told reporters on Tuesday (21st) that France will pass a law in the first half of January to turn a health pass into a “vaccination” pass.
France recorded 72,832 new confirmed cases on Tuesday, up from 63,405 a week ago.
The U.S. government sends medical staff to help Arizona respond to the epidemic
The US federal government is sending medical staff to Arizona to help deal with the surge in COVID-19 infections.
The White House announced on Tuesday (21st) that Arizona is one of the few states expected to receive additional resources this week.
White House staff confirmed that they had been in close contact with Biden
The White House stated that a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 and developed symptoms. President Joe Biden had close contact with the staff member.
Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on Monday night (December 20) that the staff member tested positive earlier in the day. Psaki said that on Friday, during the journey from Orange, South Carolina to Philadelphia, the staff member spent about 30 minutes with the president on Air Force One.
Psaki said that before boarding Air Force One, the staff member had been fully vaccinated and given a booster shot, and the test result was negative. She said the staff member began to show symptoms on Sunday night (December 19).
Psaki said that the 79-year-old Biden is regularly tested for the virus and has tested negative twice since Sunday (December 19). She said Biden will be tested again on Wednesday.
Psaki added that the White House is contacting other people on Air Force One who are in close contact with the staff member, and they will be advised to conduct testing in accordance with CDC’s guidance.
Governor of Minnesota and family test positive for Covid-19
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, his wife and son Covid-19 (a disease caused by the Chinese Communist virus) all tested positive.
According to a statement from his office, his son tested positive on Monday (December 20), and he and his wife Gwen initially tested negative. After the second round of testing, they all tested positive.
“Fortunately, my son’s symptoms are very mild, and Gwen and I have no symptoms.” Waltz said in the statement, “My son was vaccinated, and Gwen and I were also vaccinated and booster shots. I believe these vaccines. It can protect me and my family from serious illnesses.”
Currently, Waltz and his family are quarantined at home. The governor said he continued to work from home until he felt better and the test came back negative.
Collins: Never thought so many people refused to get the Covid-19 vaccine
Dr. Francis Collins, former dean of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said that NIH has done more to understand what people will do during the Covid-19 (disease caused by the Chinese Communist virus) pandemic. Wrong and false information has caused huge losses.
“Maybe we are not investing enough in human behavior research.” Collins told the television media PBS Newshour on Tuesday (December 21).
“A year ago, these vaccines proved to be very safe and effective. I never thought that we still had 60 million people who did not use these vaccines.” He continued, “because wrong and false information somehow dominate people to get answers. All the ways.”
“In fact, many of these answers are wrong.” He said, “We have lost a lot for this reason.”
Biden is about to build a dedicated website and deliver free home testing tools to us
A senior official in the Biden administration said that the government’s purchase of 500 million rapid testing tools and delivering them to Americans next month is an “unprecedented” “large-scale” purchase. However, it is unable to provide any further details on when the website applying for testing will be launched and how quickly the testing tools will arrive.
Biden will speak later on Tuesday (December 21) on home testing and the government’s Covid-19 (disease caused by the Chinese Communist virus) response.
“We are dealing with all the details. We will get this information in the next few weeks.” A senior government official said in an interview with CNN.
Omicron becomes the leading Danish variant
Danish Minister of Health Magnus Heunicke (Magnus Heunicke) on Tuesday (December 21) cited data from the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) under the Danish Ministry of Health that Omicron is already the dominant variant in Denmark.
“We are seeing a growing epidemic. Today’s infection rate is at a new high. There are 13,558 confirmed cases, including re-infections.” Hernick said in a tweet. “SSI estimates that omicron is now the dominant variant. And continue to grow. Take care of yourself and others, (again) get vaccinated!”
The forecast issued by the Danish Ministry of Health earlier this week predicts that in view of the Omicron variant, the country will have 9,000 to 45,000 new Covid-19 (disease caused by the Chinese Communist virus) infections every day before Christmas, and the number of hospital admissions per day. Up to 250 people.
To curb the soaring infection rate, a new round of restrictions in Denmark took effect on Sunday. Social distancing measures and nightlife restrictions are also in place again, and some public transportation systems require passes.
CDC: The daily number of Omicron cases in the United States may exceed the previous peak
The new model from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that Omicron cases may exceed the rate of cases previously seen in the country at the peak of the epidemic.
The agency published the news on its website this week.
The CDC said: “The current increase in Omicron cases is likely to lead to a nationwide surge in the next few weeks, and the daily peak of new infections may exceed the previous peak.”
Previously, the surge in cases reached its highest level in January 2021, with an average of more than 250,000 new cases per day in seven days.
Last week, Dr. Francis Collins, former dean of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), told CNN “We may see hundreds of thousands of (new) cases every day, maybe even 1 million in a day Omicron (new) cases.”
Urgent Care Officer: Increased testing demand in New York puts pressure on health system
New York, like many other places in the United States, is seeing a “surging demand for testing.” Dr. Neal Shipley, medical director of the Northwell-GoHealth Urgent Care Center, said that although they do not lack testing, they really need “A little room to breathe.”
“Unfortunately, this feels a lot like last year. The demand for testing and the surge really put pressure on the health system.” He told CNN, “We don’t have a shortage of testing right now…. What we really need is a little respite. space.”
He added that if possible, people with no symptoms should consider testing at home.
“What we really want to do in emergency care is to test patients and patients, and to help distinguish those who have Covid (the Chinese Communist virus) from those who don’t… So what we need is a little bit of space to breathe.” He said.
European Medicines Agency: Whether it is necessary to adjust the vaccine for Omicron has not yet been answered
Emer Cooke, the executive director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), said at a media conference on Tuesday (December 21) about whether vaccines with different components are needed to deal with Omicron or other potential coronaviruses. (The Chinese Communist virus) variant, there is currently “there is no answer.”
“Let me emphasize that there is no answer as to whether we need an adaptive vaccine with different components to deal with this or any other variant. We need to see more data.” Cook said.
“From a regulatory perspective, we are ready in case there is a need to change existing vaccines or treatments,” she added.
At the last regular media conference in 2021, EMA emphasized that Europe is “in a stronger position than this time last year” because there are “five vaccines and six treatments” to fight the virus.
Omicron epidemic spreads Australian Prime Minister Morrison: no longer lockdown the city
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on December 21 that the government’s “hard-line measures” must end, and the authorities can no longer restrict people’s normal life through strict lockdown measures. Morrison said that curbing the spread of the virus is an individual, not a government responsibility.
According to the Central News Agency, Morrison told reporters that “we must end the government’s tough methods and treat citizens as adults.” In terms of wearing masks and maintaining social distancing regulations, he also urged the authorities to change the “compulsory culture”.
Morrison emphasized, “We will not reseal the city. We will continue to move forward and coexist with this virus with common sense and a sense of responsibility.”
The goal of the authorities now is to speed up the immunization of the COVID-19 vaccine supplement. Previously, after the two-dose vaccination rate for people over 16 years old in Australia exceeded 80%, hundreds of domestic vaccination centers have been closed due to declining demand. Now Morrison has also called for states to reopen these vaccination centers.
Despite the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, Health Minister Greg Hunt stated that “only a portion” of the infected cases must be hospitalized. At present, the number of hospitalizations is gradually increasing, but it is still far below the number during the spread of the Delta variant.
10 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Taiwan
Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center announced today (21) that 10 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been imported into Taiwan; there were no new deaths among the confirmed cases.
The command center explained that today there are 10 new cases of overseas immigration, 5 males and 5 females, aged in their twenties to fifties, from Colombia (1 case), the United States (2 cases), and Cambodia. (1 case), Vietnam (1 case), the United Kingdom (3 cases), Indonesia (2 cases), the entry date is between November 22nd to December 19th today (2021).
According to statistics from the command center, a total of 16,826 confirmed cases have been confirmed so far, including 2,173 overseas immigration, 14,599 local cases, 36 Dunmu fleet, and 3 aircraft infections.
Since 2020, a total of 850 COVID-19 deaths have been reported, of which 838 were local and 12 were imported from abroad.
Symphony of the Seas cruise ship docked in Miami, USA, 48 people tested positive
Royal Caribbean Cruises Group said on Monday (December 20) that 48 people on the company’s “Symphony of the Seas” had tested positive for COVID-19, which deepened concerns that the Omicron mutant virus strain may be detrimental to the recovery of the cruise industry.
The Central News Agency reported that the Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company of the Symphony of the Seas, said there were 6,091 guests and crew on board. Symphony of the Seas set sail on December 11 and ended a week-long journey on the 18th, landing in Miami, the United States.
The Royal Caribbean Cruise Group stated in a statement that some of the passengers who tested positive were asymptomatic and some had only mild symptoms, adding that six passengers had already landed ashore earlier and were sent home.
Caribe Wang said that 95% of the passengers boarding the ship have been fully vaccinated; 98% of those who tested positive have also been fully vaccinated.
CNN reported that it is still unclear whether the confirmed person has been infected with the highly contagious Omicron variant.
The company added that the future itinerary of Symphony of the Seas is temporarily unaffected.
Omicron spreads more than 4,000 cases in 28 EU countries
The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Monday (December 20) that there have been 4,691 cases of Omicron variants in 28 countries in the European Union and the European Economic Area. It is worth noting that the United Kingdom has notified 7 Omicron-related deaths.
The Central News Agency reported that the European Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) announced the information on the Omicron variants infected with COVID-19 in the 27 member states of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA) including Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. From December 16 to 19, there were 1,533 new cases, and the total number of infections increased to 4,691.
A total of 28 countries have notified Omicron confirmed cases, with 2,060 in Norway, 726 in Denmark, 347 in France, and 249 in Germany.
Because Omicron is highly infectious, the number of cases in Europe doubles every 2 to 3 days. With this trend going on, the European Union recently stated that Omicron will become the mainstream virus strain in Europe in January next year.
To combat Omicron, the European Union announced on the 19th that it has reached an agreement with Pfizer/BNT to accelerate the provision of vaccines to member states. In the first quarter of 2022, Pfizer/BNT will provide an additional 20 million doses, plus the original purchase agreement of 195 million doses. , Will bring the vaccine supply in the first quarter of next year to 215 million doses.
In addition, it is worth noting that the United Kingdom, which has left the European Union (EU), has reported a total of 12 Omicron-related deaths as of December 20, and a total of 45,145 Omicron cases have been confirmed.
Omicron spread to 45 states, accounting for 73% of new infections
US health officials said on Monday (December 20) that Omicron has now surpassed other variants to become the main COVID-19 variant virus in the United States. Of the new cases last week, 73% were infected with Omicron.
According to the Associated Press, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that in just one week, the proportion of Omicron infections increased nearly six times.
In many parts of the United States, this value is even higher. It is estimated that more than 90% of new infections are caused by Omicron in the New York area, Southeastern, Midwestern industrial areas and the Pacific Northwest. National infection rates indicate that more than 650,000 Omicron infections occurred in the United States last week.
Since the end of June, the Delta variant has been the main variant responsible for COVID-19 infection in the United States. According to CDC data, at the end of November, more than 99.5% of infections in the United States were caused by Delta.
According to state officials, as of Sunday (December 19), Omicron has been found in at least 45 U.S. states, as well as Puerto Rico and Washington, DC. And because Delta is still there, cases in some areas are on the rise.
Less than a month ago, South African scientists sounded the alarm for Omicron for the first time. On November 26, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed it as a “variant of concern”. The virus has now appeared in about 90 countries and has become the fastest-spreading variant of COVID-19.
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Editor in charge: Li Huanyu#
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