Covid news live: infections hit record highs across Europe; South Africa reinstates contact tracing and isolation

South Korea has just released its daily Covid report.

The Asian nation recorded another 5,409 confirmed coronavirus cases and 36 deaths, according to data released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

California became the first state to record more than 5 million known coronavirus infections, according to the state department of public health and data from Johns Hopkins University.

The state with 40 million residents was poised for a surge in new infections amid holiday parties and family gatherings forced indoors by a series of winter storms.

California’s caseload is ahead of other large states but can attributed to its larger population. In the last week the state averaged 16.4 new cases per 100,000 people, less than a third of the national rate.

Coronavirus related hospitalisations have been rising slowly in California, up about 12% in the last 7 days to 4,401. That’s less than half as many as during the late summer peak and one-fifth of a year ago, before vaccines were widely available.

California has recorded more than 75,500 deaths related to Covid-19 with 27,555 in Los Angeles alone.

The World Health Organization has warned that the Omicron coronavirus variant could lead to overwhelmed healthcare systems even though early studies suggest it sparks milder disease.

The WHO warned against complacency even though preliminary findings suggest that Omicron could lead to milder disease.

WHO Europe’s Covid incident manager, Catherine Smallwood, warned:

A rapid growth of Omicron … even if combined with a slightly milder disease, will still result in large numbers of hospitalisations, particularly amongst unvaccinated groups, and cause widespread disruption to health systems and other critical services.”

However, the WHO highlighted the 29% decrease in the incidence of cases observed in South Africa – the country which first reported the variant to the WHO on 24 November.

It said early data from Britain, South Africa and Denmark – which currently has the world’s highest rate of infection per person – suggested there was a reduced risk of hospitalisation for Omicron compared to Delta.

However, further data was needed to understand Omicron’s severity in terms of clinical markers, including the use of oxygen, mechanical ventilation and death. More data was also required on how the severity might be being impacted by previous Covid infection, or vaccination.

Read the full story here.

US airlines Delta Air Lines and Alaska Air Group cancelled hundreds of flights on Tuesday due to adverse weather conditions and rising cases of the Omicron variant.

Delta said it expected to cancel more than 250 of 4,133 scheduled flights on Tuesday, while Alaska Air cancelled 150 flights to and from Seattle and warned of more cancellations and delays throughout the day, Reuters reports.

Total cancellations as of 2pm 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.

Delta said it was working to reroute and substitute some planes.

Thousands of flights were grounded over the Christmas holiday weekend as airlines struggled with staff shortages from Covid-19 infections and bad weather in parts of the country.

Hello and welcome back to our live Covid blog. I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be bringing you all the latest coronavirus developments as they happen.

In two days time, on 31 December, it will be two years to the day since health authorities in Wuhan reported an unknown pneumonia outbreak to World Health Organization (WHO) colleagues in Beijing.

It is also just over one month since the first case of Omicron was announced by South Africa.

Countries across Europe have reported a record high number of infections as authorities scramble to stem the surge. On Tuesday, the UK saw a record 129,471 new Covid cases, up from 98,515 reported yesterday. France reported 179,807 new cases, by far the highest number since the start of the pandemic. Greece also reported a new daily record of 21,657 Covid cases, more than double the number the day before. Denmark and Iceland similarly broke pandemic records with Denmark recording the world’s highest infection rate at 1,612 cases per 100,000 people.

Meanwhile South Africa, officially the most affected country in Africa, has recalled rules that no longer required people without symptoms of Covid-19 to isolate or test if they have been in contact with a positive case, the government announced on Tuesday.

If you have any stories, tips or feedback please get in touch via email at samantha.lock@theguardian.com or Twitter @Samantha__Lock. I would love to hear from you.

Here is a quick snapshot of how Covid is unfolding across the world:

Europe:

• Omicron “appears to be less severe and many people spend a relatively short time in hospital,” Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford University and leading immunologist has said.
• UK prime minister Boris Johnson said he will not introduce further Covid restrictions in England before 2022 giving mass events the go-ahead and leaving nightclubs open for New Year’s Eve. Scientists say it is “the greatest divergence between scientific advice and legislation” seen since the start of the pandemic.
• The UK recorded 129,471 new Covid cases on Tuesday, the highest recorded total ever, and up from 98,515 reported yesterday.
• More than 500 children admitted to hospital with Covid in England in week up to Boxing Day.
• France has reduced the waiting time for a third booster shot to three months from four. From Monday, all indoor gatherings will be limited to 2,000 people, and to 5,000 people for outdoor events. Consumption of drinks and food will be banned in long-distance transport and home working will become mandatory for at least three days per week where possible.
• France reported 179,807 new confirmed cases on Tuesday, by far the highest number since the start of the pandemic.
• Denmark and Iceland reported record daily Covid cases on Monday. Denmark now has the world’s highest infection rate, with 1,612 cases per 100,000 people.
• Greece will impose further restrictions from January 3 including the closure of bars and restaurants at midnight, no standing customers at entertainment venues and a maximum limit of six people per table.
• Greece reported a new daily record of 21,657 Covid cases on Tuesday, more than double the number the day before.
• Germany toughens Covid restrictions with indoor and outdoor gatherings restricted in size and leisure facilities closing in several states.

Asia:

• Daily cases in Australia exceeded 10,000 for the second consecutive day, with a total of 11,264 new Covid cases across the country – the highest figure since the beginning of the pandemic.
• In Yan’an, China, hundreds of thousands more people were ordered to stay at home, joining millions under strict lockdown in Xi’an. China’s coronavirus cases rose for a fourth consecutive day on Monday.
• Delhi, India, announces new Covid restrictions. Schools, colleges and educational institutions will close as well as sports complexes, cinemas, conference halls, stadiums and swimming pools. Offices will operate at 50% capacity, as will restaurants with a 10pm curfew.
• Japanese officials have detected a five-person cluster of Omicron cases in the city of Osaka.
• Hong Kong will tighten quarantine rules for air cargo crew.
• Malaysia will cut the booster vaccine waiting time to three months and has banned mass celebrations for New Year’s Eve with negative Covid tests required for private gatherings.
• India has approved Merck’s Covid-19 pill and two more vaccines for emergency use.

United States: