Here's the COVID-19 summary for Thursday.
Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Thursday
Travellers to the US will now need a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding, and will need to quarantine upon arrival. This was one of the orders signed by the new president.
International travellers entering the U.S. will need to quarantine on arrival, according to Biden's plan. Travellers will also need a negative COVID-19 test in order to board a plane for the U.S.
Also in the US, the federal government will now reimburse states for the full cost of using their National Guard to set up vaccination clinics. That includes vaccines, supplies, and PPE as well as personnel.
There's also support for states. Biden is ordering FEMA to reimburse states for the full cost of using their National Guards to set up vaccination centres. That includes the use of supplies and protective gear as well as personnel.
India have sent one million doses of the Oxford vaccine to Nepal, apparently free of charge. This vaccine will be given to health care workers. India are producing the Oxford vaccine under license.
In the Asia-Pacific region, India has sent one million doses of a coronavirus vaccine to Nepal, a gift that is likely to help repair strained ties between the two neighbours. Nepal's health minister says the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine, manufactured under license by Serum Institute of India, will be given to health workers and other front-line personnel. He says Nepal would like to purchase four million more doses, and asked for the Indian government's help.
More news about increasing pandemic restrictions in northern China. The Chinese Lunar New Year is due next month and it is a big time of the year for travel and family gatherings. However, there are now requirements for negative tests prior to travelling, and quarantines are being imposed in many areas. The official government line is not to travel and to not hold gatherings.
China is imposing some of its toughest travel restrictions yet as coronavirus cases surge in several northern provinces ahead of the Lunar New Year. Next month's festival is the most important time of the year for family gatherings in China, and for many migrant workers it is often the only time they are able to return to their rural homes.
This year, however, travellers must have a negative virus test within seven days of departure, and many local governments are ordering quarantines and other strict measures on travellers.
A national health official had this message Wednesday for Chinese citizens: "Do not travel or have gatherings unless it's necessary."
Things are looking increasingly dire in Africa, and there seem to be shortages of medical oxygen as well.
The director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says access to medical oxygen is a "huge, huge critical need" across the continent as Africa's case fatality rate from COVID-19 is now above the global average and health centres are overwhelmed.
John Nkengasong said the case fatality rate across the African continent is 2.5 per cent while the global average is 2.2 per cent. And while confirmed coronavirus cases in the past week across Africa dropped by seven per cent, deaths rose by 10 per cent.
"It's beginning to be very worrying," Nkengasong told reporters Thursday. He noted that a Nigerian colleague has said struggling health workers are having to decide which cases to manage and which not to manage in Africa's most populous country.
Mexico recorded another record number of deaths, with 1,803 on Thursday. They have the world's fourth highest death total.
In the Americas, Mexico's Health Ministry confirmed 1,803 new coronavirus deaths on Thursday, marking a record high since the pandemic began last year, as fatalities continue to tick up in the country with the world's fourth-highest death toll.
In Lebanon, lockdown has been extended to the 8th of February. They are seeing a steep rise in infections and deaths and the health care system is overwhelmed.
In the Middle East, authorities in Lebanon on Thursday extended a nationwide lockdown by a week to Feb. 8 amid a steep rise in coronavirus deaths and infections that has overwhelmed the health-care system.
The EU say that the three virus variants first reported in the UK, South Africa, and Brazil present a high risk to Europe. The EU Commission are proposing that high risk "dark red" areas of the EU be defined and that travel out of these areas which was not essential would be "discouraged". It's not clear whether this "discouragement" would be in the form of suggestions to residents, or whether it would be enforced by road blocks.
In Europe, three mutant variants of the coronavirus that were first reported in Britain, South Africa and Brazil pose a high risk in Europe and will lead to more COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths, Europe's disease surveillance agency said on Thursday.
The variants, which contain mutations or changes to parts of the COVID-19-causing coronavirus that scientists say make them more transmissible, have already been detected in many countries in Europe and will likely continue to do so, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in a risk assessment.
The European Commission proposed to EU leaders on Thursday identifying "dark red" coronavirus hot spots from which all but essential travel would be discouraged after a meeting to discuss the mounting challenge from more infectious virus variants.
France now recommend the use of medical masks in public because fabric masks are not considered to be good enough.
The French government will recommend that people wear surgical masks in public because fabric masks do not provide enough protection from COVID-19 transmission, Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Thursday.
France already requires masks to be worn in public places, but until now has not made recommendations about the type of masks that should be worn in that setting.
Portugal have ordered schools closed for two weeks. They have a rise in infection rates which the government have blamed on more infectious virus variants.
Portugal's government on Thursday ordered the closure of schools for two weeks amid a surge in COVID-19 infections that the prime minister blamed on the rise of a more contagious variant.
The Swedish government have further tightened pandemic restrictions, including requirements to work from home and a ban on selling alcohol after 8 p.m. The requirement to wear masks on public transportation has been extended through the spring.
Meanwhile, Sweden's government extended on Thursday several national COVID-19 restrictions, including requirements to work from home and a ban on selling alcohol after 8 p.m. Both were extended to Feb. 7.
A requirement that face masks be worn on public transportation was also extended through the spring.
