Omicron is spreading throughout the United States, as 15 states confirm they have the new variant.
Here's the latest on the pandemic from around the world.
Europe
Germany
The tighter restrictions Germany has introduced to try to limit the spread of COVID-19 are putting people off shopping in the usually busy run-up to Christmas, the country's association of retailers (HDE) said on Sunday.
"The introduction of stricter coronavirus measures in shops is a dramatic disruption to the Christmas business," HDE Chief Executive Stefan Genth said in a statement.
UK
The latest travel rule changes are "a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted," a scientist advising the government has said according to the BBC.
Professor Mark Woolhouse said the new rules had come "too late" to make a "material difference" to a potential wave of the Omicron variant in the UK.
Eighty-six additional confirmed cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been reported across the UK with 68 in England on Sunday taking the toal to 246.
Italy
Italy reported 43 coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday compared to 75 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new reported infections fell to 15,021 from 16,632.
Belgium
Protests over government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions have turned violent in Brussels on Sunday with police firing teargas and using water cannons to disperse protesters pelting officers with cobblestones and fireworks at a demonstration.
France
France recorded 51,624 new COVID-19 cases and 49 new deaths linked to the virus on Sunday.
Spain
A Spanish newspaper and its cartoonist has apologised after coming under fire for printing a cartoon with racist undertones and a factually incorrect depiction of the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus according to local media.
Asia-Pacific
Israel
At least 11 people in Israel have been infected with the COVID Omicron variant, the Israel Health Ministry confirmed. This is up from seven that was confirmed on Friday.
India
India's tally of reported cases of the heavily mutated Omicron variant rose to 12 on Sunday after the state of Maharashtra said it had detected seven new cases. Local media also said a new case had been reported in New Delhi.
Australia
Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has provisionally approved the Pfizer vaccine for children between five and 11 years of age.
The rollout of the vaccine to the age group is expected to begin on 10 January, once it was approved by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).
Americas
US
The Omicron variant has now been found in 15 US states so far. At least 15 states have reported Omicron cases: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin, according to a Reuters tally.
A cruise ship set to dock in New Orleans with over 3,000 passengers has detected 10 cases of COVID-19 among its crew and guests, the Louisiana Department of Health said.
Canada
Canada's tight labor market is forcing many companies to offer regular COVID-19 testing over vaccine mandates and has seen more than 1,000 workers on unpaid leave, with thousands more at risk.
Chile
Chilean health authorities reported on Saturday that they detected the first case of the Omicron in a person who had arrived in the country from Africa.
Africa
Senegal
Senegal has recorded its first case of the Omicron variant in a tourist who attended a demonstration in the capital Dakar last month.
The 58-year-old man was visiting from another West African country and tested positive when leaving Senegal on Friday. He is under quarantine and has no symptoms, the lab said in a statement.
Reuters/Newshub
