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Morning news brief: Omicron cases in the US, COVID-19 reinfection and more

WION Web Team
NEW DELHIUpdated: Dec 03, 2021, 09:28 AM IST
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While South Africa saw a rapid increase in cases followed by a sharp decline, it’s unclear whether cases will crest in the United States in a similar fashion Photograph:(AFP)

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Good morning! Start your day with WION's daily news brief.

A team of WHO officials has been dispatched to South Africa's Gauteng province, which is the epicentre of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, to increase surveillance and contact tracing efforts as the country grapples with rising infections.According to the World Health Organization, Omicron has now been detected in at least 24 countries around the world.Recent research has revealed that over the past 150 years, hurricanes in the North Atlantic have drastically increased in frequency. 

Omicron scare: New York records 5 cases, bringing the number of new variant cases in US to eight


Other US states where Omicron has been found are California, Colorado, and Minnesota, each with one case. In all three cases, the patients were fully vaccinated and displayed only mild symptoms.

Daily reports of Coronavirus infections have suddenly risen in South Africa, with the government reporting 11,535 new infections on Thursday, up from 312 ten days ago.

Germany's authorities endorsed plans for mandatory vaccinations in the coming months, announcing a statewide lockdown for the unvaccinated on Thursday.

Recent research has revealed that over the past 150 years, hurricanes in the North Atlantic have drastically increased in frequency. Also, the amount of destruction caused by a hurricane has seen a surge.

EU special envoy on Afghanistan lauds India's humanitarian support offer to Kabul  

European Union's special envoy on Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson, who is in Delhi, has welcomed the Indian government's offer to send humanitarian support of 50,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan.

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