An internationally renowned Queensland air-quality expert has warned we have not learned a key lesson from the pandemic.
The official suggested that 80 per cent of China’s population had been infected since virus controls were abruptly dismantled late last year.
Omicron’s more than 650 sub-lineages have acquired new names from mythical creatures but WHO is so far resisting the push to make the virus names catchy.
The official number may still underestimate the death toll.
The deadly outbreak had spread to nine districts,including the capital,Kampala,raising fears of its snowballing across the East African region.
Epidemiologists say the Chinese holidays will ensure the virus soon reaches every last corner of the country.
Flight MF801 from Xiamen arrived in Sydney just before 11.15am on Thursday,marking one of the first flights from mainland China under the new COVID-19 restrictions.
From Thursday,anyone flying from China,Hong Kong and Macau to Australia will need to provide a negative rapid test.
Should China be singled out for Australia’s “abundance of caution” on COVID? Given the sheer scale of the potential threat,yes.
The absence of credible and real-time data on China’s outbreak is making it near impossible for scientists to understand the severity of the latest wave.
“Too many patients who indeed need treatment have flooded in,” one nurse said in Beijing. “We feel helpless.”