COVID digest: UK minister backs shorter self-isolation

A senior British government minister has backed reducing the period of self-isolation following a positive COVID-19 test.

Those who test positive for the virus are currently required to self-isolate for at least seven days.

British Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has told local media that shortening the period to five days could help ease pressure on critical workers.

"I would obviously always defer to the scientific advice on this. It would certainly help mitigate some of the pressures on schools, on critical workforce and others," Zahawi told British broadcaster Sky News after a question on whether he backed shortening self-isolation to five days.

According to Zahawi, who had previously been the country's vaccine minister, the period of isolation is being reviewed by the UK Health Security Agency.

In the United Kingdom, absenteeism among teachers stands at 8.5% and according to Zahawi, that figure could rise. The Department for Education was drafting plans to deal with absenteeism of up to 25%. Retired teachers could even be called in to assist, said Zahawi.

In December, US health authorities decided to shorten the recommended isolation period for those no longer experiencing symptoms of the virus from 10 days to five days.

There had been similar concerns over the impact the periods of isolation were having on various sectors, including health care.

The news comes as the UK's death toll moved above 150,000 deaths since the start of the global pandemic.

Here are the latest coronavirus-related developments from other parts of the world:

Asia

The port city of Tianjin in China on Sunday began mass testing after a group of children and adults tested positive for COVID-19. There have also been at least two positive results of the omicron variant.

The citywide testing of 14 million residents is expected to be completed over the course of two days.

China has ramped up measures to tackle COVID-19 ahead of the Winter Olympics which are set to take place in Beijing next month.

In Japan, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said there has been a "basic agreement" with the US to stop American military personnel from leaving their bases. The country is battling to curb a spike in COVID-19 infections.

Japanese health authorities have said the country is experiencing a sixth wave of the pandemic, and new cases on Saturday rose above 8,000, the most in four months.

Kishida said the American soldiers would remain on their bases unless movement was absolutely necessary.

A lavish birthday celebration for a dog in India has fallen foul of local COVID-19 laws.

Police swooped on the party in the western city of Ahmedabad on Friday for breaking social distancing regulations.

"We got information about a big party going on, so we raided the venue," police inspector V.D. Zala told AFP news agency.

Police said the second birthday celebration for the Indian Spitz came with a $10,000 (€8,801) price tag.

Three men are understood to have been arrested but later released on bail.

India has recorded nearly 160,000 cases overnight, which is almost six times more than the previous week.

The Philippines reported a record number of new COVID-19 infections on Sunday. According to the country's Health Ministry there had been a total of 28,707 new cases.

Another 15 people were reported to have died, bringing the death toll up to 52,150.

Africa

The public health watchdog of the African Union (AU) has recorded more than 10 million COVID-19 cases on the continent, according to AFP news agency.

Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) released new data showing that from Saturday 10,028,508 cases had been reported to the AU by its 55 member states since the start of the pandemic.

Africa CDC said a total of 231,157 deaths had been recorded on the continent.

COVID-19 infections have hit the national football team in Senegal ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off on Sunday. Positive tests have sidelined goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, striker Famara Diedhiou and captain Kalidou Koulibaly.

The team already had six positive cases before setting off for the tournament, and will have a weakened team ahead of their first game against Zimbabwe on Monday.

Europe

The parties in Germany's ruling coalition said Sunday it may take months for legislators in the German parliament, called the Bundestag, to approve a vaccine mandate.

Tagesspiegel reported the Bundestag aims to debate the issue in the first quarter of this year and possibly as soon as later this month. However, with only a few legislative sessions scheduled for February, the likelihood of any vaccine mandate passing before March is unlikely. Implementation is unlikely before summer.

Germany also plans to study the reliability of rapid antigen tests in light of the surge of cases triggered by the omicron variant.

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach told public broadcaster ARD, " We do not know exactly how well these tests work for Omicron."

Lauterbach said results of the German government's probe should come in a few weeks time.

Police in the Netherlands shut down an illegal party on a ship in Spaarndam, near Amsterdam on Saturday.

Officers found a reference to a party on the vessel in a social media post and proceeded to the pier in Spaarndam to investigate.

They found a small boat ferrying guests to the party boat situated in a canal. Kegs of beer and 82 liters of laughing gas were discovered.

Police said initial proceedings had been opened against 19 people for violations of COVID-19 regulations.

The country has been under a strict lockdown, with events other than funerals not permitted.

Greece has set a February deadline for people to receive booster shots. Those who do not have an additional dose will not be allowed to enter most indoor venues.

"From February 1, anyone who has not taken the booster dose after a seven month period [from the second dose] will be considered unvaccinated," Greek Health Minister Thanos Plevris told broadcaster Ant1 in an interview.

Greece is battling a surge of omicron variant infections. To date, there have been 1,489,024 COVID-19 infections and 21,328 deaths as a result of the virus.

Middle East

In Israel, around 254,000 people have received a fourth dose of vaccine in the first week since the booster was made available, the Health Ministry said Sunday.

The fourth shot is only available to people over the age of 60, health care workers and those with compromised immune systems.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was pleased with the turnout, saying it was "an exceptional response that will prevent much severe morbidity and suffering."

Israel has seen a surge in daily infections, with over 17,500 recorded on Sunday.

kb/wd (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)