PARIS, France – The total number of COVID-19 cases registered worldwide passed 300 million on Friday, with the Omicron variant’s rapid spread setting new infection records in dozens of countries over the last week. Even as it spurred the world to record 13.5 million cases in the last week alone — 64 percent higher than the previous seven days — the global average of deaths dropped three percent. However with a global average of two million new cases being detected daily, experts warn the sheer numbers threaten to overwhelm health systems. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that Omicron should not be categorised as mild, as it “is hospitalising people and it is killing people”. Men’s tennis world number one Novak Djokovic has been at the centre of his own controversy after being dramatically refused entry to play in Australia due to his vaccine status.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer January 08, 2022 03:34 UTC