Australia reports first omicron death

Canberra: Australia’s most populous state of New South Wales has confirmed its first death from the omicron variant of coronavirus on Monday.

After first Omicron death reported in Australia, thousands of flights cancelled globally over weekend.

The death was of a man in his 80s who contracted the virus at a care home in western Sydney. He was fully inoculated but had other health issues besides the coronavirus.

Moreover, today the country saw 6,324 new cases of COVID-19 infection, a dip from the record number of cases a day before. 

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the state government is considering lifting the requirement for health workers to isolate after being exposed to COVID-19 because of staff shortages.

Meanwhile across Europe, authorities are introducing restrictions to combat the surge of cases, largely driven by the Omicron variant.