In the U.S., Omicron has been detected in at least 36 states as it spreads quickly across the country. Top doctors, including Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Jacob Lemieux, have warned that “hospitals are already filling up” and that already fatigued staff may be unable to cope with a double wave. The White House yesterday, however, insisted there was no need for more restrictions and said it had faith in the vaccines to offer the protection needed.

Last week, Syracuse University announced that all eligible students and employees must get COVID-19 booster shots before the spring term. Students will also undergo many COVID tests when they return to the school campus, and officials are also deciding whether to extend an existing mask mandate.

The health ministry said a 30-year-old woman is in isolation after she visited Poland for the U.N. Digital Summit in the city of Katowice last week. She tested positive for COVID-19 as she was preparing to leave.

The country has experienced a surge in cases in recent weeks, as new infections average around 20,000 to 25,000 daily.

The country will prohibit private social gatherings of five or more people and will force restaurants to close at 9 p.m. Schools in densely populated metropolitan areas will also return to remote learning. The measures will take effect on Saturday and will be enforced for at least 16 days.

This comes after the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 7,622 new cases Thursday.

“During this period of standstill, the government will reinforce the stability of our medical response capabilities,” Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said during a virus meeting. “We ask our people to respond to these efforts by actively getting vaccinated.”

The strictest rules in the country were announced in New York last month, with all private sector workers and young customers required to show proof of vaccination before entering public places.

The caller, who gave only his first name only as John, told the station that his sister was informed by doctors that his stepdad was the first person to die with the variant.

A graphic from Newsweek and Statista shows that every continent has at least half their populations vaccinated except Africa, which sits at just 8 percent.

Plans are still on for Christmas lunch, however, with the Queen expected to invite her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to join her at Sandringham.

He urged people to stick to current advice and get vaccinated as soon as possible, despite the situation being “close to normal” for the country for a while.

Indonesia - the fourth most populous country in the world - has recorded over four million cases and 143,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

It comes after a press conference yesterday where he told people to only go to social occasions which “matter” the most - seemingly contradicting Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s refusal to announce any further restrictions.

The numbers would mean a hike of about 34 percent compared to travel numbers last year - a “dramatic bounce-back” according to the federation.

That dramatic bounce-back — 27.7 million more people traveling — will bring this year’s numbers to 92% of 2019 levels.

FULL STORY: ‘Dramatic Bounce-Back’ of U.S. Holiday Travel Expected Despite Omicron Spread

The agency is also predicting a significant rise in the number of hospitalizations in the new year - up to 18,400 in the week to January 7 - followed by a spike in deaths.

The person, who is double jabbed with Pzifer, arrived in Auckland from Germany via Dubai on December 10 and flew to Christchurch on an aircraft chartered for international arrivals, according to the government.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said officials “knew it would be a case of when, not if, Omicron arrived on New Zealand’s shores” and that the country was prepared for its spread.

Entry will only be allowed for people with “compelling reasons” - which will not include business trips.

There will be an “obligation for all travelers from the U.K. to register, prior to their trip, on a digital platform allowing them to enter the address of their stay in France”, according to the French government this morning.

Follow Newsweek’s liveblog throughout Thursday for all the latest.