Coronavirus

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China allows some Covid-19 cases to quarantine at home

Reuters reports most cases are asymptomatic infections and mild cases, with no special treatment required, the National Health Commission said in a statement.

"Asymptomatic persons and mild cases can be isolated at home while strengthening health monitoring, and they can transfer to designated hospitals for treatment in a timely manner if their condition worsens," the NHC said.

Niue covid cases continues to rise

That takes the active case tally to 66, with three recovered cases.

180 cases have been recorded in total since Covid-19 arrived at the border 'via air from New Zealand' in March this year.

     

Covid number increasing in French Polynesia

There are now 400 active cases.

RNZ Pacific reports four people with Covid-19 are in hospital - one of them in intensive care.

Local television says one Covid-9 patient died in hospital last week, but the death has not been included in the pandemic's tally.

There have been repeated calls for people to update their vaccination status as only 23 percent of those over 60 have had a booster.

Last year when the territory was hit by an outbreak of the Delta variant, more than 600 people died, of whom more than 94 percent had not been vaccinated.

     

New Zealand reports 34,528 new Covid cases, 418 hospitalised over past week

As of Sunday midnight, 418 cases were hospitalised and 10 were in intensive care.

Of the 40 people with the virus who died, two were from Northland, 14 were from Auckland region, four were from Waikato, one was from Bay of Plenty, four were from Lakes, one was from Hawke's Bay, three were from MidCentral, three were from Whanganui, one was from Wellington region, one was from Nelson Marlborough, three were from Canterbury, two were from Southern.

Covid in China: Fish tested amid Xiamen outbreak

But they're not the only ones who have been ordered to get tested: an official notice states that some forms of sealife are also expected to join the latest mass-testing drive.

In recent weeks, Xiamen's Jimei Maritime Pandemic Control district committee issued a notice saying that when fishermen return to their ports "both fishermen and their seafood must be tested".

WHO expert group recommends second Covid-19 booster for vulnerable groups

Experts appointed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) made the statement on Thursday. 

The recommendation comes in a statement issued by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunisation, following a meeting held last week.  

Most Covid-19 vaccines consist of a primary series of two doses, with a first booster administered some four to six months after completion to improve immune response. 

WHO declares public health emergency for Marshall Islands

A total of 571 new cases of the virus were recorded in the latest 24-hour reporting period.

Three people have died and over 10 percent of the population in the capital Majuro have tested positive according to the Marshall Islands Ministry of Health and Human Services.

The WHO has declared the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

All schools will be closed for the next two months, just one of the measures under the government's disaster management plan.

One-month-old baby dies from Covid-19 in Fiji

The Ministry of Health confirmed that the one-month-old baby passed away at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva last week, 12 days after admission.

According to the ministry, the newborn was admitted three weeks after birth with severe Covid-19.

Of the 174 deaths since December 2021, nine deaths were below the age of 19.

The ministry said hospitalization for severe diseases remains within manageable limits.

Members of the public have been urged to get booster vaccine doses.

North Korea leader Kim Jong-un 'suffered fever' during Covid outbreak

Kim Yo-jong also blamed South Korea for her country's outbreak - saying it sent leaflets contaminated with Covid across the border.

South Korea rejected the claims as "groundless".

Ms Kim was speaking as her brother declared victory in the country's battle against Covid.

The secretive country announced its first Covid outbreak in May and has reported fever infections and deaths since. But there is widespread doubt over the data, especially the low number of deaths.

Covid scuppers news coverage in Wallis & Futuna

Too many staff have been affected by the resurgence of the pandemic which since June has caused almost 1800 infections.

The station will instead carry French news.

In Wallis, the outbreak peaked last week, and health authorities expect it to climax in Futuna at the end of the month.

Six people with covid-19 are in hospital.

Most people decided against getting vaccinated.