COVID 19

Christmas has been marked around the world amid a surge in COVID-19 infections that kept many families apart, overwhelmed hospitals and curbed religious observances as the

Dozens of domestic flights have been cancelled due to COVID-19, as Victoria records 2095 new cases and eight deaths. The flights, axed on Christmas Eve, will

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath has asked residents to "get ready for COVID" and prepare a care plan, after the state reported 589 new virus cases.

EUROPE * France had its worst-ever day in terms of new cases, with more than 91,000 being recorded while the number of deaths also climbed.[subscribe]

Greece has banned public Christmas and New Year's Eve festivities and mandated mask-wearing in open spaces to help to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant,

Victorians young and old must don masks inside this holiday season under a reinstated mandate to curtail the spread of the Omicron variant. Two days out from

New daily COVID-19 infections have again skyrocketed across Australia's two most populous states as calls grow for booster shots to be sped up. Additional

The United States has authorised Pfizer Inc's antiviral COVID-19 pill for at-risk people aged 12 and above, making it the first oral treatment and which can be taken at

South Australia is set to approve the widespread rollout of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests as daily case numbers continue at record levels. The tests are currently

The World Health Organization's European head has warned countries to brace for a "significant surge" in COVID-19 cases as Omicron spreads, and advised the widespread

Masks will again be mandatory indoors in the ACT as it tightens COVID-19 restrictions due to an increase in Omicron infections. From Wednesday, masks will be

Moderna says a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine appears to protect against the fast-spreading Omicron variant in laboratory tests and the current version of the vaccine

NSW residents are rushing to get their booster shots as COVID-19 infections continue their surge. Premier Dominic Perrottet says there's no need to reimpose

The number of Victorian COVID-19 patients in intensive care remains stable despite the state adding 1240 new infections to its caseload. As a result of the

The World Health Organisation has given emergency approval to a coronavirus vaccine made by US-based Novavax and the Serum Institute of India, paving the way for its inclusion

Preliminary evidence indicates COVID-19 vaccines may be less effective against infection and transmission linked to the Omicron coronavirus variant, which also carries a higher

EUROPE * England's chief medical officer warned people not to mix with others unless they have to in the run-up to Christmas after Britain recorded its

The Delta variant of the coronavirus is still predominant in Italy, the National Health Institute or ISS says, releasing data of a flash-survey showing it accounted for more

IS IT MORE CONTAGIOUS? The fast-spreading Delta variant remains dominant worldwide, and it is unclear whether Omicron is inherently more contagious than its

NSW could see 25,000 COVID-19 cases a day by the end of next month, Health Minister Brad Hazzard has warned, after a dramatic escalation in the number of new infections.