Daily roundupWednesday's key coronavirus developments from Luxembourg and abroad

Starting with Luxembourg

• The latest figures from Luxembourg show that 2,131 new cases of Coronavirus were discovered over the last 24 hours.

• The Ministry of Health has confirmed that the current Covid-19 law will be adapted on several points.

• According to RTL sources, around 15% of Luxembourg’s teachers are said to be positive or in isolation.

• According to RTL information, the government will be shortening the isolation time for those who have tested positive for coronavirus, provided they are vaccinated and boosted and can show a negative test on day 5 and day 6.

• Fake Covid certificates are a problem in many countries, but Luxembourg has so far avoided the problem.

• The political opposition has mixed opinions on the announced adaptations of the Covid-19 regulations.

• The Covid-19 helpline in Luxembourg currently has 29 full-time positions.

• The rise in infections and increased demand for vaccine boosters are causing long wait times at test centres in Luxembourg.

• Opinion: Perhaps like no other item, face masks have come to be the universal symbol of this global pandemic we are somehow still in. Many are looking forward to the day when they will finally be able to rip them off for good – but what if we just kept them?

And Abroad

• A Hong Kong cruise ship carrying 3,700 people was ordered back to port on Wednesday for virus testing after nine people were found to be close contacts in an Omicron variant outbreak.

• Hiring in the United States surged in December, with private companies adding 807,000 workers, particularly in the service sector, payroll services firm ADP reported Wednesday.

• Novak Djokovic sparked anger after getting a medical exemption that will allow him to defend his Australian Open title without being vaccinated against Covid-19.

• The US, Britain, France and Australia have all announced record numbers of daily Covid-19 cases as the WHO warned Tuesday that Omicron’s dizzying spread increased the risk of newer, more dangerous variants emerging.

• World number one Novak Djokovic said Tuesday that he was heading to the Australian Open to defend his title

  after being granted a medical exemption to play.

• The Consumer Electronics Show threw open its doors to thousands Wednesday in Las Vegas despite surging Covid-19 cases in the United States, as one of the world’s largest trade fairs tries to get back to business.

• Juventus begin a crucial month for the season with the visit of old rivals Napoli as Serie A returns to action on Thursday, with a Covid-19 resurgence looming large over fixtures.

• More than one in 20 people in Britain had Covid-19 in the last week of 2021, the highest infection rate recorded during the pandemic, official data showed Wednesday.

• Authorities in Rio de Janeiro announced on Tuesday the cancelation of next month’s carnival street celebrations due to an increase in Covid-19 cases brought on by the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.

• As the Philippines launched its Covid-19 booster shot campaign, a screenshot of a misleading news report circulated in social media posts that claimed the health department warned the vaccines were dangerous. Read our Fact Check here.

• A false claim circulated online in South Korea in late December 2021 that neighbouring Japan had “declared the end of Covid”. Read our Fact Check here.

• Polish police on Tuesday said they arrested a man long sought for murder after he was stopped for not wearing a mask at a store in breach of covid rules.

• Australians reacted with fury on Wednesday after world number one Novak Djokovic received a medical exemption from having a Covid vaccine in order to play at this month’s Australian Open.

• President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday faced anger from opponents and chaos in parliament after issuing a provocative warning to people in France not yet vaccinated against Covid-19 that he would pressure them as much as possible by limiting access to key aspects of life.

• The city of Zhengzhou ordered its nearly 13 million residents to take Covid-19 tests Wednesday after a handful of cases were detected, as China fights to stamp out virus clusters ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

• World number one Novak Djokovic may have encountered a late snag on his trip to play in the Australian Open, after state government officials refused to support his visa application.

• Liverpool’s League Cup semi-final first-leg match against Arsenal on Thursday has been postponed due to a “severe outbreak” of coronavirus cases at the Anfield club.

• Asian financial hub Hong Kong banned flights from eight nations on Wednesday as part of strict new virus curbs, with Omicron outbreaks spiralling out of control from Europe to the United States.

• Bayern Munich confirmed Wednesday that Canadian international Alphonso Davies had become their ninth player to test positive for Covid, two days ahead of their first Bundesliga match of 2022.