Overview: Louisiana ,other states facing Covid problems; international developments

Live updates: COVID cases rise in Louisiana amid omicron | AP News BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana is starting to see growing numbers of COVID-19 cases months after emerging from a fourth surge of the coronavirus outbreak, with the state at risk of another spike as the omicron variant spreads. AP NEWS

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Data released Monday by the Louisiana Department of Health shows the number of new coronavirus cases reached more than 2,300 since Friday — and more than 4,800 over the last week. That’s more than double the amount of new cases from the prior week.

And the health department warned those numbers are expected to balloon as dozens of cases of the fast-spreading omicron variant have been confirmed in Louisiana.

Other Developments include:

British nurses warn the health care system at a breaking point as omicron cases soar

— German military gives hospital an edge in treating COVID-19 patients

— Omicron prompts World Economic Forum to delay Davos meeting until summer 2022

— Austria ends 20-day lockdown, considers move a success as virus cases plummet

-- Washington D.C. Mayor declares state of emergency, reinstates mask mandate 

MISSION, Kan. — Rural Kansas hospitals are struggling to transfer patients as COVID-19 numbers surge, with some patients left stranded in emergency rooms for a week while they wait for a bed. ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Additional Ohio hospitals are announcing the postponement of elective surgeries as COVID-19 cases continue to fill up hospital beds in the state. ...

MISSION, Kansas — A Missouri health official says the delta variant still accounts for 98% to 99% of the roughly 600 samples that are sequenced each week....

HOUSTON, Texas — One Houston hospital system has reported that the omicron variant accounts for 82% of new symptomatic COVID-19 cases it is treating. ...

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Kuwait has mandated that everyone who has been vaccinated against the coronavirus at least nine months ago receive a booster shot...