Japan records first locally transmitted Omicron cases
From CNN’s Junko Ogura in Tokyo
Japan recorded its first locally transmitted cases of the Omicron variant on Wednesday, according to officials in Osaka prefecture.
Of the four people who tested positive for Omicron in Osaka, three did not have any travel history or any close contact with people who had traveled abroad, authorities said.
Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura said at a news conference, “it is seen to be the first community spread in the country.”
The three people with no travel history are members of the same family — a man and a women in their 30s, and a girl under age 10. They developed mild symptoms on Saturday and Sunday and have been hospitalized.
1:20 a.m. ET, December 23, 2021
South Korea reports record high critically ill Covid-19 patients for second straight day
From CNN’s Gawon Bae in Seoul, South Korea
South Korea reported a record number of critically ill Covid-19 patients for the second day in a row, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Some 1,083 patients are in intensive care units as of Wednesday, the KDCA said.
The country also reported its highest single-day rise in coronavirus deaths since the start of the pandemic with 109 fatalities from Wednesday, according to the KDCA.
Here's a quick rundown of South Korea's Covid outbreak:
ICU bed occupancy is at 79.2%
That leaves 278 beds available
There were 6,919 new Covid-19 cases reported from Wednesday
Among the new cases, 6,856 cases were locally transmitted, with the capital Seoul reporting 2,695 infections
As of 12 a.m. local time Thursday, 85.3% of the population have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine
82.2% of the population have received a second dose
And 26.7% have received a booster shot
4:19 a.m. ET, December 23, 2021
Australia's New South Wales reports record Covid-19 cases for third consecutive day
From CNN’s Sophie Jeong
A health worker is tested at the Histopath pre-departure COVID testing clinic at Sydney International airport on December 23, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. Demand at COVID-19 testing centres across Sydney has increased in the lead up to Christmas as NSW coronavirus case numbers rise. People travelling to Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia are required to show a negative PCR test to enter those states while Western Australia's borders are closed to NSW travellers. (Jenny Evans/Getty Images)
Australia’s state of New South Wales (NSW) reported record new Covid-19 cases for the third straight day on Thursday, with 5,715 infections.
The daily total is almost 2,000 cases higher than the previous day. And it was only on Tuesday that NSW reported more than 3,000 daily cases for the first time during the pandemic.
Covid cases are rising rapidly in Australia, with the Omicron variant posing a new threat just as states and cities were beginning to loosen restrictions.
One death nationwide was reported from Wednesday: a man in his 40s who was not vaccinated and had underlying health conditions, NSW Health said in a release.
NSW — Australia's most populous state — currently has 347 Covid-19 patients in hospital with 45 in intensive care, 13 of whom require ventilation.
The state has recorded 112,307 total Covid-19 cases, NSW Health said.
Victoria cases rise: The neighboring southern state of Victoria reported 2,005 new cases on Thursday — an increase of more than 500 infections from the previous day, according to a media release from the Health Department.
There are 398 Covid-19 patients in hospital in Victoria, with 72 in intensive care, and 39 of those on a ventilator.
1:02 a.m. ET, December 23, 2021
The FDA authorized the first pill to treat Covid-19. Here are key things to know
This is the first antiviral Covid-19 pill authorized for ill people to take at home, before they get sick enough to be hospitalized.
High-risk individuals age 12 and older who weigh at least 88 pounds and have a positive SARS-CoV-2 test are eligible for this treatment and will need to have it prescribed by a doctor.
The pill "should be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis of Covid-19 and within five days of symptom onset," according to an FDA statement.
Paxlovid combines a new antiviral drug named nirmatrelvir and an older one called ritonavir and is administered as three pills given twice a day for five days.
Last week, Pfizer released updated results that showed the treatment cut the risk of hospitalization or death by 89% if given to high-risk adults within a few days of their first symptoms. If given within the first five days of symptoms, the efficacy was similar: 88%.
"This breakthrough therapy, which has been shown to significantly reduce hospitalizations and deaths and can be taken at home, will change the way we treat COVID-19, and hopefully help reduce some of the significant pressures facing our healthcare and hospital systems," Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement.
In November, the Biden administration said it would purchase 10 million treatment courses for $5.3 billion. President Joe Biden said he was encouraged by the "promising data" from Pfizer and added the drug would "mark a significant step forward in our path out of the pandemic."
The FDA emphasized in a statement that Paxlovid is not for pre- or post-exposure prevention of Covid-19 and "is not a substitute for vaccination in individuals for whom COVID-19 vaccination and a booster dose are recommended."
8:18 a.m. ET, December 23, 2021
Why it's so hard to find a Covid-19 test right now in the US
From CNN's Aya Elamroussi
People wait in long lines in Manhattan to get tested for COVID-19 on December 22, 2021 in New York City. CityMD, which is one of the most popular testing businesses, temporarily closed 13 locations in the city due to staffing issues amid a surge in demand. New York City has once again seen COVID-19 case numbers rise as the new omicron variant has become the dominant version of the coronavirus in the U.S., accounting for 73 percent of new cases. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
With coronavirus cases surging once again, frustrated Americans are struggling to get tested days before Christmas as long lines and increased demand overwhelm some facilities across the country.
The catalyst has been the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, which has become the dominant strain in the US in a matter of weeks and has led to a slew of new measures to combat the spread.
With millions traveling or planning to join large family gatherings, there is a rush to get tested — and many people are running out of luck, either with getting tests at clinics or with buying at-home test kits.
Long lines were seen this week in New York City, Boston and Miami, as well as Ohio and Minnesota.
At the same time, CVS Health and Walgreens — the two largest pharmaceutical chain stores in the US — are limiting the number of at-home Covid kits customers can buy due to significant demand, they announced.
The demand is only going to grow, said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
"We do have some testing. But what we're going to need, I think, over the course of the next two to eight weeks is going to be remarkable. We are going to see this big surge nationwide," he predicted.
A former assistant secretary of the US Health and Human Services Department is concerned the co pledge on tests will not meet the demand, he said.
"Unless we have a billion or 2 billion a month, I think we're still going to have to be selective to make sure that we keep people who can die from the disease from dying from the disease," Adm. Dr. Brett Giroir told CNN.
