Ecuadorean health authorities have reported that the new FLiRT (KP.2) variant of Covid-19 had reached the country after two individuals -a 24-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman- tested positive in the Cotopaxi province. Both patients were vaccinated, the Health Ministry also noted. Local experts recalled that although not lethal, FLiRT was highly contagious, and therefore insisted on the importance of personal hygiene.
Given the fast spread of the newest Omicron variant of Covid 19, countries should require air passengers to wear masks on long-haul flights, the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially requested.
Institut Pasteur team detected a new omicron sublineage in Uruguay and warns of increased risk of covid-19 reinfection. However, the specialists clarified that a major impact on protection against severe disease is not expected.
Argentine health authorities have reported over the weekend a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases nationwide last week (52,745 ), a 26% increase over the previous week.
Argentina's Health Ministry Sunday reported 43,487 new cases of COVID-19 in the last seven days, a 27.94% increase over the previous report, in addition to 49 deaths due to the pandemic in the same period. The number of weekly cases has grown by more than 284% in one month.
Peru's Health Ministry officials reported this week the finding of a new lineage of the SARS.CoV-2 Omicron variant called BA.1.22.
A 39-year-old patient in the Brazilian city of São Paulo has been determined to arguably be the first in the region with the Omicron XE variant of coronavirus.
While China is back to harsh lockdowns due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and world leaders keep reminding people of the importance of getting vaccinated, western powers such as the United Kingdon and The Netherlands are lifting all restrictions in the coming days.
Tourists keep pouring into the Wonderful City (Cidade Maravilhosa) where not even Omicron is to kill the joy of its people, even if the streets will be less colorful for the second year in a row.
The Government of Uruguay has decided to scrap the Value Added Tax (VAT) from hotel bills paid by local nationals between March 1 and April 17 in a move to boost domestic tourism. The measure, which was already in force for foreign travelers, seeks to help the leisure industry, heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.