Virus cases on rise again in England

Waning immunity, increased socializing and a new, more spreadable version of the COVID-19 Omicron variant are all being linked to a resurgence of the novel coronavirus in England, particularly among people aged 55 and older.

On Feb 24, the government relaxed all remaining pandemic restrictions in England, as part of the policy it calls living with COVID.

"Because of the efforts we have made as a country over the past two years, we can now deal with it in a very different way, moving from government restrictions to personal responsibility, so we protect ourselves without losing our abilities and maintaining our contingent capabilities so we can respond rapidly to any new variant," said Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

However, although infection rates are no longer at the January peak, latest government figures have shown a 46 percent rise in newly-recorded cases across the whole of the United Kingdom, week-on-week, with a 12 percent increase in hospitalizations.

"These data confirm that cases have declined substantially following the peak of the Omicron wave," said Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency.

"However, the increasing presence of the BA.2 sub-lineage of Omicron and the recent slight increase in infections in those over 55 show that the pandemic is not over and that we can expect to see COVID circulating at high levels."

The next round of vaccinations is due at the start of next month, with priority for people aged 75 and older, and the clinically vulnerable.

"Additional doses of vaccine are almost certainly going to be necessary," Peter Openshaw, from the government's New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, told The Guardian.

The news comes as the Johns Hopkins University in the United States, one of the world's most authoritative sources of coronavirus data, said more than 6 million people worldwide have now died since the pandemic began.

Tikki Pang, a visiting professor at the National University of Singapore's medical school and co-chair of the Asia Pacific Immunisation Coalition, said the highest mortality rate was still among those who are unvaccinated.

In Austria, one of the few countries in the world to introduce a mandatory vaccination with fines for those who did not comply, the law has changed with the requirement being dropped after only a few weeks, as the government says the pandemic is no longer as big a threat as it was earlier.

Austria was the first European Union country to make vaccination compulsory, with fines of up to 3,600 euros ($3,940) for those who refused.

Since the start of the pandemic two years ago, Austria has recorded almost 3 million novel coronavirus cases and more than 15,000 deaths, and ever since the idea was first suggested, rallies opposing the move have drawn large crowds, and many politicians have joined in the criticism.

Government minister Karoline Edtstadler said because of the changing situation, the law's "encroachment of fundamental rights" would be scrapped.

"After consultations with the health minister, we have decided that we will of course follow what the (expert) commission has said," she told reporters.