HERE'S what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:
China's Xian marks first week of lockdown
A lockdown of 13 million people in the Chinese city of Xian entered its seventh day on Wednesday, with many unable to leave their homes and virtually dependent on deliveries of necessities as new COVID-19 infections persisted.
Xian reported 151 domestically transmitted infections with confirmed symptoms for Tuesday, or nearly all of the 152 cases nationwide, bringing the total number of local Xian cases to nearly 1,000 during the Dec. 9-28 period. No cases of the Omicron variant have been announced in the city.
Australia's Omicron outbreak strains testing clinics
Australia's COVID-19 infections surged to a record on Wednesday due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, overwhelming testing facilities in its most populous state. The crush at testing facilities in New South Wales, home to Australia's largest city of Sydney, has been partly blamed on neighbouring Queensland state requiring interstate tourists to return a negative PCR test result before arriving.
Queensland's so-called tourism tests came under severe criticism from New South Wales after holiday travellers crowded its testing hubs, causing delays in results of several days. Queensland authorities will relax requirements for interstate travellers with domestic arrivals needing only a negative rapid antigen test result to gain entry from Jan. 1 rather than the PCR test, state Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Wednesday.
Delta, Alaska cancel hundreds of flights
U.S carriers Delta Air Lines and Alaska Air Group cancelled hundreds of flights on Tuesday due to bad weather and rising cases of the Omicron variant. Total cancellations as of 2 p.m. ET within, into, or out of the United States stood at 1,034, with 2,694 flights delayed, marking a fifth day of flight cancellations.
Despite the disruption, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday it was not considering recommending a vaccine mandate for domestic flights, responding to a suggestion the previous day by Dr Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert.
NYC to limit classroom closures, prioritize ramped-up testing
New York City will stop quarantining entire classrooms exposed to the coronavirus and will instead prioritize a ramped-up testing program so that asymptomatic students testing negative for COVID-19 can remain in school, officials said on Tuesday. Mayor Bill de Blasio described New York's new policy as "Stay Safe, and Stay Open" and said it will take effect on Jan. 3. About a million New York City public school students are scheduled to return from holiday break on Monday.
A day earlier, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shortened the recommended isolation time for Americans with asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 to five days from the previous guidance of 10 days.
France reports record daily high of new coronavirus cases
France reported a record high of 179,807 new confirmed coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period on Tuesday, one of the highest one-day tallies worldwide since the start of the pandemic.
It is the highest number of new daily infections in Europe, according to data on Covidtracker.fr. Since the start of the pandemic, only the United States and India have reported average daily new cases above 200,000. On Monday, the United States reported more than 505,000 new COVID-19 cases.
Reuters
Wed Dec 29 2021
![What you need to know about the coronavirus right now What you need to know about the coronavirus right now](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-12/71640756542_COVID.jpg)
U.S carriers Delta Air Lines and Alaska Air Group cancelled hundreds of flights on Tuesday due to bad weather and rising cases of the Omicron variant. - REUTERS
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MINDEF kaji semula SOP penugasan anggota tentera - Adly
Kementerian Pertahanan akan mengkaji semula prosedur operasi standard (SOP) dan menambah baik aspek keselamatan serta komunikasi anggota tentera semasa melaksanakan penugasan di lapangan.
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MAD terima RM50,000 menerusi peruntukan menteri - Hannah
MAD menerima RM50,000 menerusi peruntukan menteri bagi terus memupuk minat dan penglibatan sukan berkenaan di peringkat akar umbi.
![Kehadiran ATM di Timur Sabah tingkat keyakinan, rancak ekonomi Kehadiran ATM di Timur Sabah tingkat keyakinan, rancak ekonomi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61720354218_ATMSandakan.jpg)
Kehadiran ATM di Timur Sabah tingkat keyakinan, rancak ekonomi
Kehadiran pasukan Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) di Timur Sabah meningkatkan keyakinan masyarakat setempat serta merancakkan lagi pembangunan sektor pelancongan, ekonomi dan sosial di kawasan itu.
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Teater Hikayat Hang Tuah antara tarikan Melaka Heritage Festival
Persembahan Teater Hikayat Hang Tuah di Encore Melaka antara tarikan Melaka Heritage Festival 2024 yang dijadual diadakan di sekitar Banda Hilir pada 12 hingga 14 Julai ini.
Tumpuan Isnin – 08 Julai 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
'Jeff' dinobat siput terpantas dunia, menang Kejohanan Dunia Lumba Siput
Tahun ini, siput bernama Jeff dinobatkan sebagai pemenang, menang saingan akhir dengan masa 4 minit dan 3 saat. Begitupun, kepantasan Jeff tidak dapat memadam rekod yang dibuat pada tahun 1995 oleh seekor siput bernama Archie.
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Pentadbiran Prabowo-Gibran dijangka perkukuh industri sawit Indonesia
Kerajaan baharu yang akan dipimpin oleh Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka dijangka memperkukuh daya saing produk minyak sawit sebagai komoditi strategik untuk pasaran domestik dan antarabangsa.
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Kanak-kanak lelaki maut selepas terjatuh ke dalam tasik
Seorang kanak-kanak lelaki berusia sembilan tahun maut selepas terjatuh ke dalam tasik dipercayai ketika sedang mencari lokan di Taman Tasik Teratai Fasa 2 Serendah, Hulu Selangor.
Ribuan umat Islam zahir solidariti kepada Palestin di Shah Alam
Bertemakan Gaza Bangkit, program pada Ahad malam itu turut mengundang pendakwah dari Indonesia, Ustaz Abdul Somad Batubara untuk menyampaikan ceramah.
NGO, belia perlu ambil iktibar peristiwa hijrah - PM
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menyeru pertubuhan bukan kerajaan dan gerakan belia mengambil iktibar daripada peristiwa Hijrah Nabi Muhammad SAW untuk mengembalikan kegemilangan negara.
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Anthony Fauci bersara Disember ini
Fauci akan bersara selepas lima dekad berkhidmat dalam perkhidmatan awam Amerika Syarikat.
![Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-03/61648036783_TBBERITAx.jpg)
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
![Dr Anthony Fauci disahkan positif COVID-19 Dr Anthony Fauci disahkan positif COVID-19](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-08/71628207343_DrAnthonyFauci.jpg)
Dr Anthony Fauci disahkan positif COVID-19
Dr Anthony Fauci, wajah di sebalik usaha kerajaan Amerika Syarikat untuk menangani pandemik COVID-19, akhirnya kecundang selepas disahkan positif COVID-19.
![COVID-19: Wabak koronavirus masih belum berakhir - Fauci COVID-19: Wabak koronavirus masih belum berakhir - Fauci](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-12/71638745750_AnthonyFaucim.jpg)
COVID-19: Wabak koronavirus masih belum berakhir - Fauci
Sekiranya virus terus mereplikasi di merata dunia, sentiasa ada ancaman varian baharu yang akan muncul.
![COVID-19: AS terus gesa rakyat ambil dos penggalak COVID-19: AS terus gesa rakyat ambil dos penggalak](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-08/71628207343_DrAnthonyFauci.jpg)
COVID-19: AS terus gesa rakyat ambil dos penggalak
Ketika ini dos penggalak adalah pertahanan terbaik terhadap peningkatan kes varian Omicron.
![COVID-19: Rakyat AS digesa ambil dos penggalak kekang penularan Omicron COVID-19: Rakyat AS digesa ambil dos penggalak kekang penularan Omicron](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-08/71628207343_DrAnthonyFauci.jpg)
COVID-19: Rakyat AS digesa ambil dos penggalak kekang penularan Omicron
Dr Anthony Fauci berkata ketika ini dos penggalak adalah pertahanan terbaik dalam menangani peningkatan kes varian Omicron.
![COVID-19: Dos penggalak berkesan terhadap varian baharu COVID-19: Dos penggalak berkesan terhadap varian baharu](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-02/61612216850_AnthonyFauci.jpg)
COVID-19: Dos penggalak berkesan terhadap varian baharu
Data menunjukkan dos penggalak meningkatkan dengan ketara tahap antibodi terhadap varian-varian baharu virus itu.
![COVID-19: AS sahkan kesan kes pertama varian Omicron COVID-19: AS sahkan kesan kes pertama varian Omicron](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-08/71628207343_DrAnthonyFauci.jpg)
COVID-19: AS sahkan kesan kes pertama varian Omicron
Kes berkenaan ditemukan pada pesakit yang telah lengkap vaksin serta mengunjungi Afrika Selatan pada 22 November lalu.
![COVID-19: AS tiada kes jangkitan melibatkan varian Omicron COVID-19: AS tiada kes jangkitan melibatkan varian Omicron](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-12/81638316725_RochelleWalensky.jpg)
COVID-19: AS tiada kes jangkitan melibatkan varian Omicron
Varian Delta kekal mendominasi jangkitan COVID-19 di negara itu.
![Mansuh mandat vaksinasi: Fauci kesal keputusan Gabenor Texas Mansuh mandat vaksinasi: Fauci kesal keputusan Gabenor Texas](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-02/61612216850_AnthonyFauci.jpg)
Mansuh mandat vaksinasi: Fauci kesal keputusan Gabenor Texas
Keputusan tersebut akan melumpuhkan sistem kesihatan awam memandangkan vaksinasi adalah perkara utama ketika ini.