Covid news - live: New ‘highly infectious’ XBB.1.5 subvariant ‘a wake-up’ call for UK

No signs yet new strain is more ‘virulent or causes more serious illness’

Ben Wallace says Covid screening on travelers from China is 'under review'

The “highly infectious” XBB.1.5 Covid subvariant will drive the next wave of the virus in the UK and its rapid spread in other countries should be a “wake-up call”, experts have warned.

Professor Christina Pagel, a member of Independent Sage, a group of scientists working together to give advice to the government, told The Independent that the rapidly spreading variant was both immunosuppressive and highly transmissible – a combination that means it is prime to become dominant in the next wave this winter.

However, “there are no signs it’s [XBB.1.5] more virulent or that it causes more severe illness but it’s the most immunoevasive one so far and its also very transmissible,” Prof Pagel said.

Key Points

• ‘Highly infectious’ XBB.1.5 subvariant ‘a wake-up’ call for UK
• Restrictions on travellers from China kick in today
• 70% of Chinese megacity infected with Covid, doctor says
• Is Omicron variant XBB.1.5 fuel spreading rapidly in the UK?

[4 January 2023 13:45 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Covid-positive China arrivals won’t need to isolate, says minister

Arrivals from China who test positive for Covid will not be forced to quarantine, the transport secretary Mark Harper has confirmed.

The senior Tory MP’s comments confirmed details – first revealed by The Independent – that testing will be voluntary for those arriving at Heathrow - the only UK airport with direct flights from China offering tests.

Mr Harper, asked if those who test positive after arriving in the UK will be required to quarantine, told LBC: “No, because what we are doing is we are collecting that information for surveillance purposes.”

Adam Forrest reports.

[4 January 2023 13:25 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Editorial | The government should declare a national emergency in the NHS

One of the many galling statistics about the NHS crisis is that the number of people who die because of delays in ambulance and emergency care – between 300 and 500 a week – is around the same as current deaths from Covid-19 or cerebrovascular disease (stroke), and 10 times the number who perish in road traffic.

If it weren’t for the danger of hyperbole, it would be right to call the current crisis an epidemic.

Behind the statistics lie heart-rending stories of extremely ill, vulnerable people, often elderly, dying at home or in the back of an ambulance for lack of resolve to deal with the crisis. Although now widespread and taken for granted, this is not normal, even though it is becoming normalised.

Read the editorial here.

[4 January 2023 12:45 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

How news of ‘mystery illness’ in Wuhan first broke three years ago

Three years ago on New Year’s Eve, The Independent broke a story about a “mystery illness” that had struck 30 people in Wuhan, China.

There was limited information about the illness, except that most of those who were sick had visited a seafood market in the city.

Early reports speculated the sickness was similar to the respiratory disease Sars which killed nearly 800 people.

Little did they know, it would be so much worse, resulting in more than 6.6m deaths worldwide.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain writes.

[4 January 2023 12:25 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Is UK on the brink of a new Covid wave?

Scientists in the US believe XBB.1.5 is at least in part to blame for the rise in hospital admissions in New York.

Whether the subvariant will trigger a new Covid surge in the UK is uncertain, but reports suggest a rise in cases is likely.

There is potential for some respite, however, with medical officials suggesting that the winter outbreaks of influenza and other respiratory viruses could temper the threat of a new, rampant Covid wave.

Read more here.

[4 January 2023 11:45 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

South Korea makes mandatory Coivid test on arrival for China passengers

South Korea yesterday made coronavirus tests on Chinese arrivals mandatory, joining a growing list of countries imposing restrictions amid concerns over a wave of infections.

Travellers from China are required to undergo a PCR test upon arrival. From 5 January, arrivals can submit a negative result from a PCR test taken no more than 48 hours before departure, or a negative rapid antigen test no more than 24 hours before departure.

A total of 2,189 people have arrived from China since 2 January. The 590 test results so far showed that 136 people, or 22.7 per cent, were infected with Covid-19, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

[4 January 2023 11:25 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

What is XBB Covid? The new Omicron variant that has led to surge in cases

New Covid variants are sparking fresh health concerns as Omicron relatives XBB and XBB.1.5 have seen a surge in cases in countries worldwide.

It comes as UK-based health experts have suggested that up to 9,000 people are dying from Covid a day in China, where infections have dramatically risen following the country’s end to strict isolation rules.

The surge has prompted the UK and US governments to require all passengers arriving in the respective countries from China from 5 January to return a negative Covid result before travelling.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain has more.

[4 January 2023 10:45 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

China arrivals banned from England without negative Covid test

All travellers coming from China into England will be required to show a negative Covid-19 test before departing from 5 January, Downing Street has confirmed.

No 10 said Rishi Sunak’s government will shortly set out the full details regarding new rules for travellers entering the UK from China and from Hong Kong.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “We’re working on the final details of the implementation of the policy, and that includes on Hong Kong, and we will update in due course.”

Adam Forrest reports.

[4 January 2023 10:25 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Airline group slams China Covid travel restrictions

The head of the world's biggest airline trade body IATA has criticised travel restrictions against travellers from China, arguing that such measures had proven to be ineffective in preventing the spread of Covid-19.

"It is extremely disappointing to see this knee-jerk reinstatement of measures that have proven ineffective over the last three years," said director general Willie Walsh.

[4 January 2023 09:45 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

New Zealand says Covid test not required for Chinese arrivals

The New Zealand government today announced that it would not require travellers from China to produce a negative Covid-19 test.

The Pacific nation’s Covid-19 minister Ayesha Verrall, said in a statement that a public health risk assessment had concluded visitors from China would not contribute significantly to the number of cases in the country.

“There is minimal public health risk to New Zealand,” she said.

[4 January 2023 08:45 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

China says Covid entry restrictions by countries unreasonable

China on Tuesday hit back at governments who have imposed travelling restrictions on the country by arguing that Covid-19 measures should be "science-based" and warned of possible “countermeasures”.

More than a dozen countries, including the UK and the US, have made it mandatory for travellers from China to show a negative Covid test before arrival.

“Some countries have taken entry restrictions targeting only Chinese travellers,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

“This lacks scientific basis and some practices are unacceptable," the spokesperson added.

She reportedly warned that Beijing could take "countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity”.

Read more here.