COVID: 4500 flights canceled over the Christmas weekend – Live | News about coronavirus pandemic
New Zealanders celebrated Christmas on Saturday in the hot southern midsummer with few restrictions, in one of the rare countries in the world largely untouched by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, commercial airlines around the world canceled more than 4,500 flights over the Christmas weekend, as a growing wave of COVID-19 infections driven by the Omicron variant created greater insecurity and misery for holidaymakers.
Here are the latest updates for Saturday:
The United States was hit by further cancellations of flights
According to Flightaware.com, at least 2,000 flights were canceled worldwide on Christmas Day.
On Friday, there were around 2,400 cancellations and almost 1[ads1]1,000 delays. The site also reported over 600 cancellations for Sunday.
Pilots, flight attendants and other employees have reported sick or had to be quarantined after exposure to covid, which has forced Lufthansa, Delta, United Airlines and many other airlines to cancel flights during one of the year’s high travel periods.
China’s covid-affected Xian city is reporting an increase in infections
China’s Xian city has reported an increase in daily COVID-19 infections and local companies restricted activity as the country’s latest COVID-19 hotspot entered its third day of shutdown.
Xian, a northwestern Chinese city of 13 million, discovered 75 domestically transmitted cases with confirmed symptoms for December 24, its highest daily count of the year and reversal of the previous day’s decline, official data showed on Saturday.
Residents are prohibited from leaving the city without the approval of employers or local authorities, and households can send only one person to shop for necessities every other day.
COVID deaths in India rise by 387
The Indian Ministry of Health reported on Saturday that the daily COVID-19 deaths in the country have increased by 387, bringing the total number of deaths since the start of the pandemic to at least 479,520.
COVID cases have also increased by 7,189 to at least 34.8 million.
In Omicron-free New Zealand, Christmas without restrictions
New Zealanders celebrated Christmas on Saturday in the hot southern midsummer with few restrictions, in one of the rare countries in the world largely untouched by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
Ninety-five percent of adults in New Zealand have had at least one dose of a vaccine, making it one of the world’s most vaccinated populations. The only Omicron cases found in New Zealand have been safely confined to the border.
As COVID-19 spread across the globe over the past two years, New Zealand used its isolation to its advantage. Border controls kept the worst of the virus at bay, and by Christmas this year New Zealand had registered only 50 deaths in a population of 5.5 million.
Daily COVID cases in Australia’s New South Wales top 6000
Australia’s most populous state registered more than 6,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time on Saturday, adding a grim comment to the Christmas celebrations.
Victoria, Australia’s second most populous state, reported 2,108 new cases and six deaths on Saturday.
Health expert emphasizes the importance of using a mask to combat COVID
? Just went to a big store – almost no one wore masks, and even then – only flimsy masks under the nose. I asked two mask wearers why not use KN95 – their answer … ➡️ “I do not know what it is” & “I can not afford the fancy things”. We have failed in a horrible place.? pic.twitter.com/vUh8jaQejt
– Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) December 24, 2021
US Navy warships sat on the sidelines with COVID-19 eruptions
A U.S. Navy warship has stopped deploying to South America due to a coronavirus outbreak, the Navy said Friday.
The USS Milwaukee, a coastal battleship, is docked at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where it had stopped for a scheduled port visit. It began deploying from Mayport, Florida, on December 14, and was on its way into the southern command area of the United States.
The Navy said in a statement that the ship’s crew is “100% immunized” and that all those who tested positive for COVID-19 have been isolated on the ship away from other crew members. The number of crews that tested positive was not announced. The ship has a crew of just over 100.
The navy said that “some” of the infected have mild symptoms and that the specific variant is not yet known. COVID-19 cases have increased across the country due to the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant.
Antetokounmpo deletes NBA’s COVID protocols
The Milwaukee Bucks received an early Christmas present in the form of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo who cleared the National Basketball Association’s health and safety protocols on Friday.
However, Antetokounmpo’s status remains in the air for Milwaukee’s Christmas Day showdown against the visiting Boston Celtics on Saturday afternoon.
For its part, the Celtics officially placed five more players in the COVID protocols on Friday, bringing the team’s total to 12.
Blinken thanks South Africa in a conversation with the other party Naledi Pandor
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by telephone with his South African counterpart Naledi Pandor about an earlier announcement that the US plans to lift travel restrictions for several South African nations, which was introduced last month due to fears of the Omicron variant.
“The Secretary of State again thanked South Africa’s researchers and the Government for their openness and expertise,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Ned Price said in a statement describing the conversation.
“He emphasized the importance of the long-standing partnership between the United States and South Africa in combating the effects of COVID-19.”
More than 4,000 Christmas flights canceled worldwide
Airlines around the world canceled more than 4,000 flights over the Christmas weekend, due to the increase in COVID-19 cases from the Omicron variant.
The website FlightAware showed that 2,314 flights were canceled worldwide on Christmas Eve, a typically robust day in passenger transport. About a quarter of the suspended itineraries were in the United States.
A further 1404 flights scheduled for Christmas Day were canceled globally, the website said, along with 340 more who had been scheduled for Sunday, Christmas Day 2.