The number of Omicron Covid-19 cases in Demark has tripled in just two days as governments across Europe rush to contain the spread of the new variant.
At least 42 new cases were identified in the country on Sunday, up from 18 cases recorded on Friday, according to data from the country's SSI public health institute.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) had previously tallied just 182 cases across all of the European Union, plus Norway and Iceland.
The SSI's chief described the rise as “concerning” and said there was now evidence of “chains” of Omicron infection which are not linked to foreign travel.
Denmark is one of Europe's most advanced countries in sequencing of coronavirus variants and often detects cases more quickly than its neighbours. The sharp rise in Omicron cases does not necessarily indicate higher rates of infection.
The Omicron variant was first identified in southern Africa, resulting in a number of travel restrictions being placed on countries such as South Africa and Botswana.
Also on Sunday, the ECDC said Omicron had been reported in 17 countries in its region.
“The majority of confirmed cases have a history of travel to countries in Africa, with some having taken connecting flights at other locations between Africa and Europe,” the ECDC said on its website before the Danish announcement.
Nevertheless, “several EU/EEA countries (Belgium, Germany, Spain) detected cases without an epidemiological link to areas where community transmission of the Omicron variant is documented or presumed,” it added.
“This indicates that undetected community transmission could be ongoing in these countries.”
The rise of the Omicron strain has led to a renewed push for vaccine booster shots by European governments to limit its spread.
Italy tightened curbs on Monday on people still not vaccinated against Covid-19, limiting their access to an array of places and services.
Under the new rules, only people who have been vaccinated or have recently recovered from Covid-19 can access indoor seating at bars and restaurants, visit museums, go to cinemas and clubs and attend sporting events. The measures are expected to be in place until January 15.
Elsewhere, the incoming German government wants to make vaccinations mandatory from March 16 for people working in hospitals, nursing homes and other medical practices, reports say.
The Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats, which are set to form the new German government on Wednesday, will present the legislation to parliament in the coming week.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Company%20profile
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The%20specs
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Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
