Herald section
The latest health reporting from The Belfast Herald.
Russia reduces mandatory isolation for close contacts of COVID-19 patients to seven days as omicron-driven infections hit record levels, with 67,809 new cases reported on 25 January 2022.
South Korea reports a record 8,571 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 749,979.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has granted final approval for the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine for individuals aged 18 and over, with rollout scheduled to begin on 21 February.
China lifts its lockdown for 13 million people in Xi'an as the number of COVID-19 infections decreases in the city.
A COVID-19 vaccine pass that requires people over the age of 16 years to be fully vaccinated or show proof of recovery in order to enter bars, restaurants, and other public spaces, and to use inter-regional transport takes effect in France.
Russia reports a record for the fourth consecutive day of 65,109 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 11,173,300.
Japan recorded 54,576 new daily COVID-19 cases, marking the fifth straight day of record infections, with Tokyo reporting 11,227 and Osaka Prefecture 7,675 new cases.
The Pacific island nation of Kiribati imposed its first lockdown on 22 January 2022 after 36 of 54 passengers from a 14 January charter flight from Fiji tested positive for COVID-19. The move followed a prior history of strict border controls and only three previous confirmed cases.