Health News Roundup: Australia reports fewer COVID-19 deaths, infections as students return to schools; Britain reports 62,399 COVID cases, 85 deaths and more

Most states will go through a staggered school reopening exercise this week as Australia battles the worst outbreak of the pandemic, with the fast-moving Omicron coronavirus variant spiralling cases to record levels. Britain reports 62,399 COVID cases, 85 deaths Britain reported a further 62,399 cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and 85 more deaths within 28 days of a positive test, government statistics showed.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Australia reports fewer COVID-19 deaths, infections as students return to schools

Australia reported its lowest daily COVID-19 deaths in two weeks on Monday while cases continued to trend lower as authorities braced for staff shortages in schools due to likely outbreaks as thousands of students return after their summer break. Most states will go through a staggered school reopening exercise this week as Australia battles the worst outbreak of the pandemic, with the fast-moving Omicron coronavirus variant spiraling cases to record levels.

Britain reports 62,399 COVID cases, 85 deaths

Britain reported a further 62,399 cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and 85 more deaths within 28 days of a positive test, government statistics showed. Those figures do not include cases and deaths from Northern Ireland, which did not provide its numbers in time for inclusion in the daily update, the government said.

Thai pig farmers angered by havoc from suspected African swine fever

The business began unraveling for Thai pig farmer Jintana Jamjumrus two years ago after dozens of her animals got feverish and died within days of a mysterious illness she suspected of being a viral disease with no known vaccine, African swine fever (ASF). This month, officials identified the first case of ASF in Jintana's province of Nakhon Pathom, after years of saying it was not in Thailand, unleashing a political firestorm as pork prices hit an all-time high near which they may stay for months.

New Zealand PM Ardern's COVID test returns negative result

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern returned a negative COVID-19 test result on Monday, but she will remain in self-isolation until the end of Tuesday as per health guidelines, a government spokesman said. Ardern took a coronavirus test on Sunday after being exposed to an infected person on a flight to Auckland from the town of Kerikeri.

Britain to offer COVID vaccinations to vulnerable children aged 5-11

Britain will this week begin offering vaccinations to children aged between five and 11 who are most at risk from coronavirus, the state-run National Health Service said on Sunday. Britain has been slower than some other countries in offering the shots to 5-11-year-olds and is not planning to vaccinate the age group more broadly unlike countries such as the United States and Israel.

Hong Kong allows hamster pet stores to resume business after COVID cull

Dozens of pet stores that sold hamsters in Hong Kong may resume business from Sunday, Hong Kong's government said, after being shuttered last week and thousands culled over coronavirus fears. Authorities enraged pet lovers with an order to cull more than 2,200 hamsters after tracing an outbreak to a worker in a shop where 11 hamsters tested positive. Imported hamsters from Holland into the Chinese territory had been cited as the source. All hamster imports remain banned.

Explainer-Scientists on alert over rising cases caused by Omicron cousin BA.2

The highly transmissible Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus - the most common form of which is known as BA.1 - now accounts for nearly all of the coronavirus infections globally, although dramatic surges in COVID cases have already peaked in some countries. Scientists are now tracking a rise in cases caused by a close cousin known as BA.2, which is starting to outcompete BA.1 in parts of Europe and Asia. The following is what we know so far about the new subvariant:

China to strengthen anti-monopoly efforts in pharma industry

China will toughen law enforcement to curb monopoly practices and unfair competition in the pharmaceutical industry as the government seeks to foster a good business environment, the industry ministry said on Sunday. The action follows November's regulatory guidelines to stamp out monopolies in active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). China leads the world in making and exporting these products.

China reports 37 new COVID-19 cases among Olympic personnel

China detected 37 new cases of COVID-19 among people linked to the Olympic Games on Sunday, up from 34 a day earlier, the organising committee of the Beijing 2022 Winter Games said. Twenty-eight of the new cases were people who tested positive after arriving at the airport, including eight athletes or team officials due to take part in the Feb. 4-21 Games, organisers said on Monday in a notice on the Games' website.

China punishes cold-chain managers for 'obstructing' COVID prevention

Investigations into China's cold-chain sector have led to several managers, officials and business owners being punished for failing to meet COVID-19 prevention standards, the country's corruption watchdog said in a notice. The Beijing branch of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) accused several people involved in the cold storage business of management and supervisory failures when it came to controlling COVID-19.