BRUSSELS: Just days before New Year's Eve, certain European countries were required to adopt more stringent steps to deal with an increase in Covid-19 Omicron variant cases. According to sources, the daily number of Covid-19 cases in France reached 208,099 on Wednesday, breaking the previous peak set on Tuesday and setting a new high since the pandemic began in the country.

"This implies that every second, two French people are confirmed positive," said the country's Health Minister, Olivier Veran, when presenting a draught bill of the vaccination pass to the National Assembly. The French government approved the sale of antigenic testing in supermarkets until the end of January on Tuesday, as well as a monthly bonus of USD 113 for all urgent care medical personnel.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization, also issued a warning on Wednesday "Concerns have been raised that Omicron, which is more transmissible and circulates at the same time as Delta, would result in a tsunami of cases. " "This is putting great pressure on fatigued health professionals and health systems on the verge of collapsing, disrupting lives and livelihoods once more," he warned.

Spain's health officials decided on Wednesday to lower the quarantine period for patients with asymptomatic Covid-19 infections from ten to seven days in order to relieve burden on medical staff.

WHO: Tedros warns Omicron, Delta forming 'tsunami' of COVID

South Korean govt agree on need to extend Covid restrictions

'Germany's power supply secure despite nuclear phase-out'