Some nations look to shorten isolation rules as Omicron races around the world

ROME/WASHINGTON, Dec 29 (Reuters) – Global COVID-19 infections hit a record high over the past seven-day period, Reuters data showed on Wednesday, as the Omicron variant raced out of control, forcing some governments to rethink their quarantine and test rules.

Almost 900,000 cases were detected on average each day around the world between Dec. 22 and 28, with myriad countries posting new all-time highs in the previous 24 hours, including the United States, Australia, many in Europe and Bolivia.

Although studies have suggested Omicron is less deadly than some previous variants, the huge numbers of people testing positive mean that hospitals in some countries might soon be overwhelmed, while businesses might struggle to carry on because of workers having to quarantine.

Fearful of the economic impact of keeping so many people at home, some governments are looking at shortening the period that people have to isolate if they are COVID positive or have been exposed to someone who is positive.

Spain said on Wednesday it was reducing the quarantine period for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to seven days from 10, while Italy said it was planning to relax isolation rules for those who came into close contact with sufferers of the virus. read more

Earlier this week U.S. health authorities released new guidance shortening the isolation period for people with a confirmed infection to five days from 10, so long as they are asymptomatic.

“Delta and Omicron are now twin threats driving up cases to record numbers, leading to spikes in hospitalisation and deaths,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing.

“I am highly concerned that Omicron, being highly transmissible and spreading at the same time as Delta, is leading to a tsunami of cases.”

French Health Minister Olivier Veran told lawmakers France was seeing a “dizzying” rise in cases, with 208,000 reported in the space of 24 hours – a national and European record.

The U.S. government expects a contract for 500 million antigen tests promised by President Joe Biden to help address the surge in cases to be complete late next week and deliveries for manufacturers to start in January, White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said in a briefing.

CRUISE SHIPS MONITORED

Britain, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Malta all registered record numbers of new cases on Tuesday, while the seven-day average number of new daily cases in the United States hit a record 258,312, according to a Reuters tally on Wednesday. The previous peak was 250,141, registered last January. read more

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled across the United States each day since Christmas as airline staff test positive for the coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was monitoring 86 cruise ships that have reported COVID-19 cases. read…