“Omicron” marches across Russia. Current about coronavirus on January 18

The last bill on QR codes was withdrawn from consideration in the Duma, “omicron” was detected in 10 more regions, a tweendemia was predicted in Europe, and a mutation of the omicron strain was detected in Sweden. The most relevant about the pandemic – in the review of RBC

In the country, 30,726 new cases of COVID-19 were detected per day, which is 14.1% more than the day before. Of those previously ill, 670 people died per day. The total number of infected is 10.8 million, 9.8 million people have recovered. Died, according to the operational headquarters, more than 321 thousand people.

• The Council of the Duma withdrew from consideration the draft law on QR codes. This was the latest of two government bills for QR codes.
• On January 17, cases of infection with the omicron strain of coronavirus were detected in another ten regions of Russia.
• The omicron strain of coronavirus can cause bronchitis in children, infectious disease doctors interviewed by RBC said. “In young children, croup began to be registered, obstructive bronchitis and bronchiolitis. Conditions that require emergency care, ”the head of the children’s infectious diseases department of the MONIKI named after RBC told RBC. Vladimirsky Elena Meskina.

• The Russians spent more than 64 billion rubles. for medicines for COVID-19. Citizens spent the most on the antiviral drug umifenovir — 16.8 billion rubles. Muscovites and residents of the Moscow region suffered the most expenses – 5 billion rubles each, as well as the Krasnodar Territory – 3 billion rubles.

• Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after N. F. Gamalei has developed a test system for detecting virus-neutralizing antibodies to the omicron strain, said Alexander Gintsburg, director of the center.

• The Ministry of Health has updated the contraindications for vaccination against COVID-19. Acute allergic reactions have become common contraindications for all vaccines – with them, the medical withdrawal is valid indefinitely. In other cases, it will be temporary or will affect only some vaccines.

By data WHO, the number of people infected with coronavirus in the world exceeded 326 million people, of which more than 5.5 million died.

• The United States remains the leader in the number of confirmed cases, with more than 64.7 million infected. India is in second place (over 37.3 million), Brazil is in third (22.9 million), the UK is in fourth (over 15.2 million), and France is in fifth (over 13.8 million).
• Experts have predicted Europe tvindemia due to the return of influenza. Due to the easing of quarantine measures, influenza, which almost disappeared last year, is returning at a rapid pace, according to EU medical authorities. There have already been deaths.
• In Sweden, a mutation of the omicron strain was discovered. It is not yet known whether this subspecies of the omicron strain can compete with the previous one. The subspecies “omicron” was named BA.2.
• Beijing authorities do not exclude that the first case of infection with the omicron strain of COVID-19 detected in the capital is associated with a package from Canada, which was delivered to the territory of China through the United States and Hong Kong.