Global Covid-19 cases top 1 million for third day in a row as Omicron spreads, forcing nations to rethink quarantine rules
- More than 1.63 million people worldwide were reported to have Covid-19 on Wednesday
- Fearful of the economic impact of keeping so many people at home, some governments are looking at shortening the isolation period for those with the virus
More than 1.63 million people worldwide were reported to have Covid-19 on Wednesday, the third day in a row with more than a million infections, as the Omicron variant continues to spread.
The number will smash the global record set on Monday, with 1.49 million cases reported, when Johns Hopkins University posts the final daily tally on its virus tracker at midnight in Baltimore.
The higher transmissibility of the omicron variant, plus its shorter incubation period, ability to evade existing immunity and higher reproduction number, is expected to drive records in the days to come.
Almost 900,000 cases were detected on average each day around the world between December 22 and 28, with myriad countries posting new all-time highs in the previous 24 hours, including the United States, Australia, many in Europe and Bolivia.
Although studies have suggested Omicron is less deadly than some previous variants, the huge numbers of people testing positive mean that hospitals in some countries might soon be overwhelmed, while businesses might struggle to carry on because of workers having to quarantine.
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