World / Europe

Lower risk of hospital admission from Omicron, UK says 23 Dec 2021 - 08:11 pm

LONDON- There is a lower risk of hospitalisation for people with the Omicron coronavirus variant compared to Delta, but the higher transmissibility of...

Omicron spreading in Italy, set to be dominant, health body says 23 Dec 2021 - 03:31 pm

MILAN: The highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly in Italy, the National Health Institute (ISS) said on Thursday, releasing preliminary data...

UK government rules out new restrictions before Christmas 23 Dec 2021 - 03:17 pm

LONDON:The British government said Thursday it won’t introduce any new coronavirus restrictions until after Christmas, and called early studies on the severity of...

Muted Christmas joy in La Palma evacuees' caravan as volcano falls silent 23 Dec 2021 - 02:36 pm

LA PALMA, Spain: Dacil Batista felt little Christmas cheer while trimming a plastic fir tree by the caravan where she, her family and...

Greece tightens measures in a bid to control spread of Covid-19 23 Dec 2021 - 01:48 pm

Greece is expanding the use of masks and rapid tests to control the spread of Covid-19 in anticipation that the omicron variant will...

Putin: we don't want conflict over Ukraine 23 Dec 2021 - 01:42 pm

MOSCOW:Russia wants to avoid conflict with Ukraine and the West, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. "This is not our (preferred) choice, we...

Omicron less likely to put you in the hospital, studies say 23 Dec 2021 - 11:45 am

Two new British studies provide some early hints that the omicron variant of the coronavirus may be milder than the delta version. Scientists...

Carmat completes probe into heart implant issues 23 Dec 2021 - 11:25 am

PARIS: French artificial heartmaker Carmat said on Thursday it had completed an internal investigation into quality issues that affected some of its prostheses,...

AstraZeneca vaccine booster shot effective against Omicron: Oxford lab study 23 Dec 2021 - 10:44 am

A three-dose course of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine is effective against the Omicron coronavirus variant, the pharmaceutical company said on Thursday, citing data from...

Britain exceeds 100,000 daily COVID-19 cases for the first time 22 Dec 2021 - 11:39 pm

LONDON- Britain reported more than 100,000 new daily COVID-19 cases for the first time since widespread testing was introduced, with 106,122 on Wednesday...

Spain brings back outdoor mask-wearing to stem Omicron spread 22 Dec 2021 - 08:52 pm

MADRID- Spain will make it compulsory to wear a face mask outdoors again as part of a package aimed at containing the fast...

Too soon to decide if Omicron more severe than Delta, WHO says 22 Dec 2021 - 08:11 pm

The World Health Organization does not yet have enough data on the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus to say if it is...

Omicron severity question answered in 3-4 weeks, WHO official says 22 Dec 2021 - 07:38 pm

BRUSSELS- Omicron will become the dominant coronavirus variant in Europe by the start of 2022 and three to four weeks is needed to...

UK allows Pfizer Covid shot for at-risk children aged 5 to 11 22 Dec 2021 - 05:56 pm

The U.K. vaccines panel cleared the Pfizer Inc. Covid-19 shot for use in vulnerable young children in a bid to widen vaccination coverage...

Fourth COVID-19 shot needed, says German health minister 22 Dec 2021 - 04:27 pm

BERLIN: German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Wednesday that aFourthvaccination will be necessary in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic due to...

Omicron has 80% lower risk of hospitalization, new study shows 22 Dec 2021 - 03:27 pm

South Africans contracting Covid-19 in the current fourth wave of infections are 80% less likely to be hospitalized if they catch theOmicronvariant, compared...

France makes vaccination push as omicron's domination looms 22 Dec 2021 - 03:06 pm

PARIS: French Health Minister Olivier Veran said Wednesday that omicron infections are spreading fast and that the coronavirus variant will become the dominant...