Omicron variant has peaked in South Africa, doctors say

As the head of the World Health Organization sounded an optimistic note about beating the pandemic in 2022, South African authorities say they believe the country has passed the peak of its fourth coronavirus wave driven by the Omicron variant. Data from South Africa’s health department showed a 29.7% weekly decrease in new cases detected in the week ending the 25th of December. Hospital admissions have also declined in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces. Also in the programme: At least four people have been shot dead in Sudan during the last crackdown on nationwide protests against military rule; and Germany shut downs today three of its nuclear power plants in a bid to curb climate change. (Photo: A student at the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa. Credit: Reuters).