OBS OBS EMERGENCY ORDER OBS OBS

Banglamung/Pattaya enters highly controlled status, shutdowns of non essential business, bars, malls, etc

Wednesday, 30 December 2020, 11:36

Pattaya-

The Chonburi Governor released an emergency order this morning effective immediately for the Banglamung/Pattaya area to help control the Covid-19 coronavirus situation.

(The order specifically says Banglamung/Pattaya, and not all of Chonburi. More information is coming in on this, the majority of recent cases have been linked to Banglamung. It is UNCLEAR if it will affect all of Chonburi, but is very clear that it affects all of Banglamung and Pattaya City.)

This is due to an increasing cluster of infections stemming from an original cluster in Samut Sakhon at a seafood market that then spread through an illegal gambling establishment in Rayong, where some of the gamblers also went to Chonburi.

The brief and important details are as follows:

  -Service venues closed, including bars, nightclubs, karaokes, massage parlors, etc

  –Restaurants take away only. No dine in service.

  -Malls, retail, etc closed except for supermarkets, drug stores, banks, mobile phone shops. All non essential closed, like clothes, etc.

  -All educational places closed, schools, learning centers, vocational schools, etc.

  -Leisure locations, like bowling, movie theaters, water parks, tourist attractions, etc. closed

  -24 hour convenience stores must be closed from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM. There is NOT a total curfew.

  -Restaurants in hotels can stay open, however can only serve hotel guests.

  -Public swimming pools closed (As for condos, it will depend on if your condo juristic division considers the pool public.)

  -Amulet stores, religious artifact stores, temple stores closed

  -Pool, snooker, etc. closed

   -Gyms, fitness closed and similar establishments

   –Internet and game cafes closed

  -Close massage shop, spas, beauty clinics. (It did not specifically say hair salon/barber shop, waiting for more information on this)

   -Public parks, exercise areas, playgrounds and any place where people gather closed.

   -No parties or gatherings

  -Beaches were not specifically covered in the order. However, as the previous section on parks said any place where people may gather is closed it is likely they will be affected.

  The order is until further notice with no expiration date. There is not an alcohol sales ban. There is not a curfew or stay indoors order, although people are encouraged to stay at home.

  The mask mandate from the previous emergency decree is still in effect and one "could" be charged if found outside without a mask, The Pattaya News notes.

Governor Phakarathorn Tienchai approved the order. He is also asking residents to stay put, although there is not a strict order/checkpoints, domestic travel restrictions.

This is a developing story, we may add more to this document as information comes in.

Källa: Richard Barrows in Thailand

 Headline this morning said "stay home" but really that is too little too late. Unlike the Songkran holiday, the government didn't cancel this one. Such a big gamble. How many millions will leave #Bangkok this week? What will the #COVID19 situation be like in two weeks?

😷 Bangkok Post: "As the holidays will soon start, it is up to each and every one of us to do our best to protect ourselves and loved ones from the disease. In doing so, we will be protecting ourselves from yet another damaging lockdown."

♦️Lockdown, or not? https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2043239/lockdown-or-not-

💥 In related news, it looks like some schools will NOT re-open after the new year holiday as they want their students/teachers to do quarantine at home for two weeks. 

😷 The Bangkok Christian College has announced that they won't re-open until 18 January "due to the seriousness of the COVID19 epidemic situation". They are worried about people travelling over the new year holiday and so decided to stay closed for an extra 14 days.

Public Health Ministry names 3 Bangkok restaurants where 22 were infected - The Nation

Public Health Ministry names 3 Bangkok restaurants where 22 were infected

National

Dec 30. 2020

By THE NATION

The Public Health Ministry said three restaurants in Bangkok – Saeb E-san Karaoke in Thewet and E-san Krong Kaew and Nongmai Plaza, both in Pinklao – could have spread Covid-19 after several newly infected patients were traced back to the eateries.

"Twenty-two patients in Bangkok were found to have visited one of these three restaurants: Saeb E-san Karaoke in the Thewet area and E-san Krong Kaew and Nongmai Plaza, both in the Pinklao area," said Dr Wichan Pawan, director of the Institute for Urban Disease Control and Prevention under the ministry's Department of Disease Control during a press conference on Tuesday evening.

"People who have visited any of these three restaurants from December 15-20 should go into self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor their symptoms closely," he advised.

"If you feel sick, wear a face mask and go immediately to the nearest medical facility in a private vehicle. Don't forget to inform the doctor about your recent travel history," he said.

Wichan said that besides the 22 cases related to the three restaurants, the other new cases in Bangkok can be grouped in two clusters – the first is from the communities that share the border with Samut Sakhon, such as Bang Khun Tian, Nong Khaem and Bang Khae. This group contains more than 70 patients.

"The other cluster group – one Thai patient and six Myanmar nationals – has been traced to a shoe factory in Rama II area," he added. "The first patient from this cluster is a Myanmar man who showed symptoms on December 17. The other patients had used the same restroom he used at the factory."

Future Park Rangsit will undertake a big clean-up at its premises and nearby public vehicle stops after Pathum Thani's 11th Covid-19 patient was reported to have used a public van that runs from the shopping mall to Phreuksa B Village, according to an announcement on its Futureparksociety Facebook page on Tuesday.

"Future Park has asked the company that operates public vans on that route to clean and disinfect all its vehicles thoroughly and suspend operations on the route for three days from December 30 to January 1. Its drivers have been instructed to self-quarantine at home for 14 days." the shopping mall said.

"Meanwhile, Future Park will undergo a big clean-up and disinfection on all its floors and contact surfaces both inside and outside the premises, as well as at the Future Park Station and public vehicle stops near the mall," the Facebook post said.

The province's 11th patient was confirmed on December 29 as being a female aged 48. She is a resident of Khlong Luang district. She travelled to Future Park Rangsit on December 23 to catch a van to her house in Phreuksa B Village.



Thailand warns of stricter measures if virus not contained - Reuters

Thailand warns of stricter measures if virus not contained

By Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

FILE PHOTO: A healthcare worker takes a nasal swab sample of a migrant worker for a COVID-19 test at a migrant community, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Samut Sakhon province, in Thailand, December 20, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand warned on Tuesday that more intensive measures might be necessary to halt its worst coronavirus outbreak yet and urged the public to cooperate to contain a spread that has seen cases in most regions of the country.

 

Thailand has imposed tighter control measures in some areas, including on entertainment businesses, which will be reassessed in seven days, said COVID-19 taskforce spokesman Taweesin Wisanuyothin.

 

Health authorities confirmed 155 new cases on Tuesday as new clusters emerged in the wake of a big outbreak discovered 12 days ago at a seafood market near Bangkok, among mainly migrant workers from Myanmar.

 

Though low in comparison to many countries, Thailand's average of 142 new daily cases is a setback for its efforts to keep the virus at bay, having recorded just 6,440 infections and 61 deaths since its first case in January.

 

"If the situation is under control, we will continue the current measures. If not, we will review them all. So we need to help each other more," Taweesin said, urging people to stay home.

 

The latest curbs announced on Monday include a ban in Bangkok on betting businesses and midnight closures for its bars, nightclubs and music venues until Jan. 4.

 

Keeping new cases under 1,000 a day may need more aggressive restrictions as imposed earlier in the year to fight the first outbreak, Taweesin said.

 

Those measures, which included closures of malls, restaurants and entertainment areas and restrictions on international travel, caused the tourism-reliant economy to contract the most in 22 years in the second quarter.

 

On Tuesday, the cabinet agreed to allow illegal migrants from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar to register to work in Thailand for two years and also approved a budget of about 11 billion baht ($366.30 million) for combating the new outbreak.

 

Stay home, urges Prayut - Bangkok Post

Stay home, urges Prayut

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha sends his message on Covid control after a cabinet meeting at Government House in Bangkok on Tuesday. (Screenshot from Government House's Facebook account)

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday urged people to stay at home over the New Year holidays in light of the recent Covid-19 upsurge.

With the number of new cases continuing to rise in several provinces, including Bangkok, the PM said people should only travel if absolutely necessary.

"We may have to celebrate New Year at home this year and with a limited number of people," he said on his official Facebook page "Prayut Chan-o-cha".

After Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Gen Prayut did not directly respond to media questions as he usually does but instead posted a video clip he had recorded at Government House. It's now available on its website.

The PM urged people to neither panic nor be too complacent but said unnecessary travel and visiting crowded places should be avoided.

He also stressed that people should heed the health authorities' advice on Covid-19 preventative measures and monitor updates posted by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

While acknowledging that interprovincial travel has not been prohibited the PM pointed out that each province has its own specific Covid-19 control protocols, which may include strict screening measures which could be frustrating for visitors.

He also urged everyone to scan the Thai Chana QR Code to check in every time they visit a public place, a measure developed by the government to track those suspected of having come into contact with confirmed Covid-19 cases.

On the topic uppermost in people's minds, Gen Prayut would neither confirm nor dismiss the possibility of the entire country needing a new nationwide Covid-19 lockdown after the upcoming holidays.

He said that decision would depend largely on how the situation develops but said he personally thought it unlikely that it would become so severe that a national lockdown would be needed again.

CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin spoke of the different Covid-19 control measures around the country and said they depended upon the severity of the situation in each area.

In Samut Sakhon, for instance, a curfew has already been imposed, he said, adding that as of Tuesday 45 provinces had recorded new Covid-19 cases.

New Year festivities have been banned in the highest at-risk provinces of Samut Sakhon and Rayong.

A committee overseeing medical emergency operations on Tuesday warned people not to travel this weekend and instead celebrate at home.

Kiatiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health who chaired the meeting, said the four-hour meeting had decided that no New Year gatherings could be held in Samut Sakhon and Rayong.

Events could be organised in lower-risk areas but only on a small scale. Events with more than 100 participants must get prior approval from their local authority.

Dr Taweesilp said a further assessment of people's compliance with containment measures would be carried out. The rules could be relaxed if compliance is high or tightened if advice was not heeded.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the next assessment was likely be conducted on Jan 3-4.

The number of new confirmed Covid-19 cases, meanwhile, continued rising on Tuesday, with Bangkok becoming another province where the cumulative number of infections had passed 100.

In Rayong, the number of new infections rose to 148, with 56 new cases recorded in one day, prompting maximum control measures to be imposed on five out of all seven districts: Muang, Ban Chang, Klaeng, Ban Khai and Nikhom Phatthana.

Most entertainment venues in those districts have been shut and alcohol sales prohibited, with only supermarkets and takeaway food stalls allowed to stay open, said an informed source.

Matthayom Taksin School in Muang district is now shut indefinitely after a female student caught Covid-19 from her parents -- 150 people, including 30 teachers, must now be tested to see if they have the virus. 

Govt boosts Covid war chest - Bangkok Post

Govt boosts Covid war chest

The cabinet yesterday approved an 11.3-billion-baht budget to deal with the re-emerging of Covid-19.

The amount will be spent on 10 projects, grouped into preventive measures (4.3 billion baht), treatment (7 billion) and support (27 million), according to deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek.

For preventive measures, 1.8 billion baht will go to accelerating access to vaccines; 1.6 billion baht to compensate 1 million village health volunteers for monitoring the situation in communities for a further three months; and 504 million for medical supplies, equipment and laboratories.

To treat patients, 3 billion baht was allocated to health services under the universal healthcare programme; 1.9 billion to buy medical supplies and equipment; and 2 billion to increase the capacity of health services in the provinces.

The 27.2-million-baht support budget will buy equipment and screening devices, and develop the new normal medical emergency project.

The deputy government spokeswoman said the government had set aside enough budgets to deal with the outbreak and revive the economy.

Moreover, the cabinet agreed to adjust the terms and conditions for the co-payment programme for employment which the government aims to promote employment for the new graduates.

Ms Rachada said 19.4 billion baht had been approved to subsidise the employment of young job seekers. However, an evaluation of the current scheme, which started in October, found many students who graduated last year and had begun jobs had subsequently been laid off due to the pandemic and left ineligible for inclusion.

The new conditions now stipulate that anyone under 25, but also older students with diplomas awarded in 2019 or later, is eligible, with the government subsidising 50% or up to 7,500 baht a month of their salaries according to their education level, from Mathayom 6 (Grade 12), Diploma/High Vocational Certificate or university degree.

The programme will run until Dec 2021, she said. 

OBS. OBS. Foreigners who have been vaccinated still need to quarantine OBS. OBS - The Nation

Foreigners who have been vaccinated still need to quarantine

National

Dec 29. 2020

Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Disease Control Department

By The Nation

The Public Health Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday saying all arrivals to Thailand will have to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine even if they have been vaccinated.

Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Disease Control Department, said the Covid-19 vaccines are still new and their effectiveness have still not been determined. He added that it still too early to say whether an inoculated person can be considered safe enough to travel.

Hence, he said, before there are clear answers on the vaccine, it will still be necessary for people arriving from overseas to observe quarantine measures.

Rayong records 56 new cases as schools, malls closed - The Nation

Rayong records 56 new cases as schools, malls closed

National

Dec 29. 2020

By The Nation

Rayong recorded 56 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, as schools and pubs in the eastern province were ordered to shut.

Rayong's outbreak now totals 148 and has spread to six districts – Muang district (116 cases), Klaeng (3), Ban Khai (4), Ban Chang (1), Khao Chamao (2), and Nikhom Phatthana (2), said Rayong governor Channa Iamsaeng.

Meanwhile, test results for 20 suspected cases are pending.

The Muang district city centre has been placed in the red zone (highly controlled status) while the four districts of Ban Chang, Nikhom Phatthana, Ban Khai, and Klaeng are under strict controls.

The list of venues ordered closed in the province includes schools, pubs, bars, entertainment venues, child development centre, day-care for both children and the elderly, massage shops, internet cafes, beauty clinics, parks, libraries, tattoo shops, cinemas, water parks, playgrounds, and shopping malls (except market zones).

The sale of alcohol has been banned in restaurants, which are closed except for take-outs/delivery.

Banks, government offices, and mobile phone shops can open as normal.

Restrictions also include a ban on transporting migrant workers, while Thai workers have been urged to refrain from returning to their hometowns. New workers entering the province face 14 days in quarantine.

SAS vd: Tuffare konkurrens efter pandemin - Travel News

SAS vd: Tuffare konkurrens efter pandemin

2020 är ett förlorat år för SAS. Vd:n Rickard Gustafson tror att efterfrågan blir bättre nästa år, men ser också framför sig en hårdare konkurrens om semesterresenärerna. – Prispressen kommer nog att vara tuff, säger han

Travel News Maila reporter

2020-12-29 10:33 av

Fem lönsamma år i ryggen. Leveranser av nya flygplan och intåg på nya marknader. SAS hade stora planer för 2020. Men coronapandemin kom emellan.

– På mindre än en vecka gick vi från framtidstro till att inse att, nu finns ingen efterfrågan kvar, säger Rickard Gustafson.

För SAS del har pandemin inneburit att 5 000 anställda har fått lämna bolaget. 90 procent av arbetsstyrkan har korttidspermitterats och majoriteten av flygplanen har fått stå på marken. Förutom att navigera i en oförutsägbar framtid, där reserekommendationer ändras med kort varsel, har mycket av arbetet handlat om att säkra bolagets finansiering tills dess att efterfrågan börjar komma tillbaka.

I december har SAS mellan 35 och 40 av sina 160 plan i luften, men antalet flighter och flyglinjer som de 40 planen nyttjas till är mycket färre än normalt.

SAS bokslut för det brutna räkenskapsåret 2019/2020 som avslutades i oktober blev ett resultat före skatt på minus 10,2 miljarder kronor, vilket kan jämföras med vinsten på 794 miljoner året före. Omsättningen mer än halverades, till drygt 20 miljarder kronor, från 46 miljarder föregående år. Den så kallade rekapitaliseringsplanen som sjösattes under hösten ger SAS 14 miljarder kronor och ett litet andrum.

Lönsamheten dröjer

Vaccinet ger hopp, även om det dröjer innan efterfrågan liknar den före krisen.

– Jag tror att januari, februari och mars kommer att vara jättetuffa månader för oss. Men i takt med att ett skydd för de svagaste och vårdpersonalen rullas ut så tror jag att det kommer att finnas förutsättningar för att öppna upp mer framåt våren. Jag tror att det blir möjligt att göra sin sommarresa nästa år, i alla fall i någon form, säger Rickard Gustafson.

När en större del av befolkningen är vaccinerad tror han att utvecklingen går mer mot en normalisering under andra halvåret. Men lönsamheten dröjer.

– 2020, det vet vi redan, är ett förlorat år lönsamhetsmässigt och i och med att vi ser ett så pass svagt första halvår 2021 tror vi att det i princip är omöjligt att nå lönsamhet.

Under 2022 tror han att SAS kommer att vara tillbaka på en nivå på 80–85 procent av före-kris-nivån.

Men Rickard Gustafson ser också att coronapandemin och den kris den har inneburit kommer att leda till permanenta förändringar för flygbranschen. Det för SAS så viktiga affärsresandet, som före krisen stod för omkring hälften av bolagets passagerarantal, har i år till väldigt stor del bytts mot digitala lösningar, vilket är något Rickard Gustafson ser framför sig kommer att hålla i sig, i viss mån. Dock tror han att SAS kan kompensera det bortfallet genom att flyga fler fritidsresenärer.

– Jag tror att vi går in i en framtid där affärsresandet kommer att minska något och fritidsresandet fortsätta att öka. I vår passagerarmix kommer andelen fritidsresenärer öka vilket innebär att vi måste tänka om kring vilka destinationer som är intressanta och ha mer flexibilitet och anpassa oss efter säsonger. Säsongsanpassning tror jag kommer att bli viktigare för flyget och även för SAS, säger Rickard Gustafson.

Hårdare konkurrens

Han tror också att konkurrensen kommer att hårdna. Den största konkurrenten på den skandinaviska marknaden, Norwegian, kämpar just nu för sin överlevnad och genomgår en rekonstruktionsprocess. Gustafson tror inte att det är orimligt att de återuppstår som ett något mindre bolag med ett tydligare fokus på den skandinaviska marknaden. Samtidigt har det ungerska lågprisbolaget Wizzair slagit sig in på den norska marknaden, som också är viktig för SAS.

– Det är väl inte uteslutet att de kanske vill vara med på fler marknader än bara den norska inrikesmarknaden. Dessutom ser vi att fler konkurrenter kommer in. Alla sitter på mycket kapacitet och det är frestande att få upp planen i luften med resonemanget att det är bättre att sälja en billig biljett än ingen. Prispressen kommer nog att vara tuff.

Därför kommer SAS fortsatt behöva hålla hårt i pengarna, spara och effektivisera. Men Rickard Gustafson tycker redan att bolaget visat att man är konkurrenskraftig i en sådan miljö och påpekar att det var Norwegian och inte SAS som hade problem före krisen.

– Före krisen var vi ett bolag som tjänat pengar fem år i rad, vi tog marknadsandelar och det var inte så att lågkostnadsbolag inte fanns. Vi har lärt oss leva med dem och de är duktiga konkurrenter som vi måste förhålla oss till. Men vi kan inte vara naiva och ta våra kunder för givet.

Trots besparingar i verksamheten och att man fortsätter att vända och vrida på kronorna lovar Rickard Gustafson att SAS lojalitetsprogram inte kommer att försämras.

– Jag ser inga sådana saker. Vårt lojalitetsprogram är en extremt viktig och integrerad del av vårt kunderbjudande. Sen vill vi alltid utveckla det och bli bättre.

Svenska och danska staten största ägare i SAS

I och med den rekapitaliseringsplan som SAS har sjösatt på grund av coronapandemin har ägarbilden förändrats i och med nyemissioner och konverteringar. Bland annat har svenska och danska staten ökat sina ägarandelar.

Här är de tio största ägarna i SAS (andel av kapitalet):

Svenska staten (21,8 procent)

Danska staten (21,8 procent)

Knut och Alice Wallenbergs stiftelse (3,4 procent)

Gerald Engström (1,14 procent)

Avanza Pension (1,09 procent)

Vanguard (0,77 procent)

Norges Bank (0,61 procent)

SEB Fonder (0,57 procent)

Handelsbanken Fonder (0,55 procent)

Blackrock (0,36 procent)

Källa: SAS

VIGGOS KRÖNIKA



Outbreak spreads to 45 provinces, could grow to ‘thousands of cases per day’ - The Nation

Outbreak spreads to 45 provinces, could grow to 'thousands of cases per day'

National

Dec 29. 2020

Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin

By The Nation

Thailand recorded 155 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday – 134 domestic infections, 10 in state quarantine, and 11 migrant workers – taking the total since January to 6,440.

The death toll increased by one to 61.

Infection zoning map shows the spread of Covid-19 over the past 11 days – Dec 18-20, Dec 21-23, Dec 24-26, and Dec 27-29 – in red zones (more than 51 cases), orange zones (11-50 cases), yellow zones (1-10 cases).

The latest outbreak has now spread to 45 provinces, said Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesperson of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

The Disease Control Department warned that cases could rise to 18,000 per day in the next two weeks if the outbreak went unchecked.

The department's epidemiology working group calculated three possible scenarios.

Case prediction chart with red representing an uncontrolled situation where people do not follow rules, yellow representing moderate measures, and green strict measures with strong public cooperation.

First scenario (red line): If nothing is done, new cases will rise steadily until January 14 when infections reach 18,000 per day. The trend would start at 1,000-2,000 infections per day at New Year then grow steeply.

Second scenario (yellow line): If moderate measures are imposed, new cases will rise to reach 10,000 per day by mid-January.

Third scenario (green line): If strict measures are imposed and people maintain mask-wearing, hygiene and social distancing practices, cases will rise less than 1,000 per day.

"We are currently in an 'orange line' scenario," said Taweesin. "I admit that I am worried because if the orange line goes up at 45 degrees, there will be thousands and thousands of infections.

"During the New Year holidays, people can travel anywhere except Samut Sakhon, which is under lockdown, but the 45 provinces with cases should have strong measures to monitor the virus. This New Year will be unusual. The threat of two- or three-digit daily infection rate has forced us to adapt to a new situation. Provinces don't have to impose strict lockdowns, but all must adjust by tightening disease control measures," he added.

Thailand announce new LOCKDOWN for New Year - Bangkok Jack

Thailand announce new LOCKDOWN for New Year

December 29, 2020

Bangkok betting businesses will be shut, while bars and nightclubs will be forced to close at midnight until 4 January.

Thailand has brought in a range of new restrictions after the country's first coronavirus death in nearly two months.

Bangkok betting businesses will be shut, while bars, nightclubs and music venues in the capital will be forced to close at midnight until 4 January.

It comes as the government tries to contain an outbreak that has reached more than half of the country's provinces, with 144 new infections being confirmed on Monday.

Public health minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he was undergoing two weeks of quarantine after exposure to an infected provincial governor, while house speaker Chuan Leekpai asked 29 parliamentary staffers to seek tests after meeting a person who contracted the virus.

Thailand, the first country outside China to report a coronavirus infection, has recorded just 6,285 cases and 61 COVID-19 deaths, having brought earlier outbreaks under control.

Its success has been attributed to tight restrictions on inbound travel and swift testing and contact tracing.

Bangkok's tighter measures follow similar regulations in some of the 43 provinces that have reported cases since a big outbreak was discovered among migrant workers at a seafood market in Samut Sakhon 11 days ago.

A cluster has been found in the eastern province of Rayong linked to a gambling den, with 92 infections in three days and one death.

Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, a spokesman for the Bangkok authorities, said a field hospital would also be set up in the capital and the restrictions reviewed next week.

The outbreak could hamper efforts to revive a crucial tourist industry devastated by the pandemic, as authorities ease some restrictions on foreigners and offer incentives to boost domestic travel.

And Thailand is not alone in its efforts to combat a concerning new outbreak as 2020 draws to a close.

South Africa has banned all alcohol sales to help the country battle spike in COVID-19 cases amid the spread of a new coronavirus variant.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says new infections are "climbing at an alarming and unprecedented rate", and new restrictions are to be imposed from Tuesday until at least 15 January:

• All indoor and outdoor events will be prohibited
• Masks are compulsory in public spaces, with arrests, prosecutions, fines and jail terms possible for those who refuse to wear one
• Nationwide curfew from 9pm to 6am, with nobody allowed outside their place of residence and non-essential establishments must close at 8pm
• Sale of alcohol will not be permitted and it cannot be consumed in parks and beaches

The head of the World Health Organisation has said it is vital to step up genomic sequencing worldwide to ensure that new variants are detected as the pandemic enters its second year.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that "only if countries are looking and testing effectively will you be able to pick up variants and adjust strategies to cope". 

29/12