The Health Ministry reported 822 new covid-19 infections yesterday, up from 799 the day before. Egypt has now disclosed a total of 370,819 confirmed cases of covid-19. The ministry also reported 51 new deaths, bringing the country’s total death toll to 370,819.

WHO warns of “high global risk” from Omicron: Evidence suggests that Omicron is able to override vaccine protection, meaning the new variant poses a very high global risk, the World Health Organization said in a technical briefing (pdf). There are still many uncertainties about how virulent the variant is compared to Delta and just how much it affects vaccine efficacy, the WHO said.

More updates on Pfizer jab efficacy: The two-dose Pfizer shot provides just 33% protection against contracting the Omicron variant, compared to 80% efficacy with previous waves of covid-19, according to South Africa's largest private health ins. administrator, Discovery Health. The data also found that those who have previously been infected with covid are at a higher risk of contracting Omicron and preliminary data showed that children have a 20% higher risk of hospitalization.

But there is a chance that the company’s oral pill works: Preliminary data in trials conducted by Pfizer suggests that its experimental oral pill showed “potential to maintain robust antiviral activity against Omicron,” the company said yesterday.