Weekly news at a glance

(Worldwide) US has world’s highest Covid death toll

The US has suffered 900,000 deaths from Covid-19, the highest figure of any nation. The death toll would be equivalent to the 15th most populous city in the country, more than San Francisco, Washington DC or Boston – a city of ghosts with its population swelling each day.

It’s not just the total numbers. America also has the highest death rate of any wealthy country, with half of the deaths occurring after vaccines became available.

Vaccinations, in particular, have lagged, especially compared with other wealthy countries. The health system was already precarious when it began to be battered by wave after wave of Covid.

(Worldwide) PNG PM gets COVID-19 in Beijing

Papua New Guinea’s prime minister, James Marape, tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Beijing on Thursday for the opening of the Winter Games and will not travelling to France for an Indo-Pacific summit, his office says.

“Prime Minister Marape will now abort the French leg of this trip due to COVID-19 restrictions, having returned a positive test result upon arrival in Beijing last Thursday evening,” the prime minister’s office said in statement on its Facebook page.

The office said Mr Marape was due to return to PNG on Sunday but would not disclose any further details about his condition.

(Worldwide) UK booster campaign stalls 

Only 26,875 people in England had a third dose or booster on 1 February, the latest complete figures available, and 6 million people are at least six weeks overdue for their shot. Behavioural scientists, including government advisers, and public health leaders say the huge drop in take-up in just one month is fuelled by the widespread belief that Boris Johnson flouted his own Covid rules.

Although Omicron is less deadly than previous variants, it remains a significant health risk to the estimated 5.1 million unvaccinated people aged over 12 in the UK, and the rolling seven-day average of deaths in Britain is above 240.

(AUS) Staff shortages multicultural aged care

Industry experts say there is a serious staff shortage in aged care facilities which serve multicultural communities. CEO of Australian Multicultural Community Services Elizabeth Drozd, says the current workforce shortage is the worst she has seen in 30 years of working in the sector.

Ms Drozd says that while many of their residents speak English, those who have dementia often revert to their first language. To provide proper support to these clients, AMCS relies on migrant workers who speak multiple languages, but COVID-19 has seen a significant drop in the number of migrant workers. Ms Drozd is calling for a special visa to be created to help incentivise migrants currently living overseas, to work in the industry.

(AUS) Soon reopening to international tourists

International tourists could return to Australia in just weeks, with federal Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews saying the decision is imminent. The national security committee will meet on Monday to discuss the issue, but preliminary advice says some international arrival restrictions are no longer necessary, due to high national vaccination levels.

Ms Andrews said they are very close to making a decision, pending final health advice.

(AUS) Calls for a plan to combat variants

Public health experts are calling for a plan that would help Australia handle any new COVID-19 variants. Epidemiologist Tony Blakely said that federal and state governments should store large stockpiles of rapid antigen tests and N95 masks, which could be distributed to the public if a new variant emerges.

A spokesman from the Prime Minister’s office said that governments at all levels were continuing to assess steps and possible measures to respond to any new variants.