- Omicron: level of risk still very high, warns WHO -

The level of risk linked to the Omicron variant remains very high, estimated the World Health Organization (WHO) in its weekly bulletin, the number of Covid-19 contaminations having reached a new record last week.

“Based on currently available data, the overall risk associated with Omicron remains very high,” the organization warned.

“More than 21 million new cases have been recorded (in the past seven days), which is the highest number of weekly cases recorded since the start of the pandemic,” she said.

'Partygate': Investigating Downing Street parties

British police announced on Tuesday that they were investigating several parties organized in Downing Street and within the senior administration during the confinements, at the origin of a serious crisis threatening Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

France: an expert expects a lull in the spring

For the president of the French Scientific Council, Jean-François Delfraissy, the current phase of the epidemic, marked by the Omicron variant, should "land" around mid-March and allow a less tense spring on the health front.

Beyond that, if he expects the arrival of a new variant in the fall, everything will depend on its "type": "If it is transmissible and severe again, we would again be in a situation very boring".

The economy begins 2022 in slow motion (IMF)

Omicron "has led to new mobility restrictions in many countries and an increase in labor shortages", underlined during a press conference Gita Gopinath, new number 2 of the institution.

Netherlands: reopening of restaurants and cultural venues

The Dutch government, under pressure, announced on Tuesday the reopening under conditions from Wednesday of bars, restaurants and cultural venues in the Netherlands, where health restrictions against Covid-19 were among the strictest in Europe.

Elton John, suffering from Covid, cancels two concerts

Pop icon Elton John announced on Tuesday that he had tested positive for Covid-19 and canceled two concerts scheduled in Dallas, in the southern United States, as part of his farewell world tour.

Neil Young asks Spotify to remove his music

Singer Neil Young has asked Spotify, in an open letter eventually removed from his website, to remove his music from the streaming platform, accusing him of misinformation about Covid-19 and vaccines via the popular and controversial podcast Joe Rogan.

In this photo combination created on January 25, 2022, singer Neil Young (left) performing in Quebec City on July 7, 2018, and podcast host Joe Rogan, speaking at a UFC gala in Las Vegas December 10, 2021 Alice Chiche, Carmen Mandato AFP/Archives

South Africa: prosecution in corruption cases

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday promised legal proceedings and sanctions after numerous financial misappropriations, within the framework of public contracts to fight against the Covid of the order of 830 million euros.

To date, investigators have forwarded 940 cases to the authorities concerned.

Royal Mail cuts 700 jobs

The British logistics group Royal Mail plans to cut around 700 management positions to lower its costs, after the Omicron variant caused 15,000 absences and costs of hundreds of millions of pounds.

British logistics group Royal Mail to cut 700 jobs Justin TALLIS AFP/Archives

More than 5.6 million dead

The Covid-19 pandemic has killed at least 5,602,767 people worldwide since the end of December 2019, according to a report compiled by AFP from official sources on Tuesday at 11:00 GMT.

In absolute terms, the countries that have recorded the most deaths are the United States with 871,920, Brazil (623,843), India (490,462) and Russia (327,448).

The world facing the coronavirus Simon MALFATTO AFP

The World Health Organization estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the toll of the pandemic could be two to three times higher than that officially recorded.

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© 2022 AFP