▶ S. KOREA SEES RECORD COVID-19 DEATHS
Deaths from COVID-19 have hit a daily high in South Korea as infections continue to surge amid concerns over what more contagious variants and the cold winter months might bring.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 5,567 new coronavirus cases from the previous 24 hours, pushing the total caseload past 528,000.
Critically ill patients in ICUs rose to a record high 906, while 94 virus-related fatalities were confirmed, the highest since the start of the pandemic, raising the death toll to 4,387
Five more Omicron coronavirus cases were also detected for a total of 119 in just under two weeks.
While the full extent of the threat posed by the new Omicron variant remains unclear, the highly-contagious Delta continues to spread rapidly.
In an effort to slow down transmission and rising breakthrough cases, all adults can now receive a COVID vaccine booster shot three months after they are fully vaccinated.
▶ FOCUS ON TIGHTER SOCIAL DISTANCING TO CURB VIRUS
The head of the KDCA has said the government is seriously considering stricter antivirus measures such as curfews on multiuse facilities and further caps on private gatherings amid the worsening COVID-19 situation in the country.
Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong said in a TV interview that various options are being explored to curb the spread of the disease and its more transmissible variants.
She said the toughened social distancing measures would need to be in place for at least the month of December.
The KDCA chief added that efforts are being made to speed up the vaccine booster shot program and to procure more hospital beds, especially ones for critically ill patients.
▶ UK CONFIRMS FIRST KNOWN OMICRON DEATH
Omicron has killed at least one person in Britain.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the death as he spoke to reporters Monday, a day after warning the country faces a "tidal wave" of infection.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control told AFP that because many cases of the new variant around the world were not genome-sequenced yet, it was impossible to know whether this is the first Omicron death.
Britain -- one of the worst-hit countries with 146,000 COVID deaths since last year -- on Sunday sounded the alarm because of high levels of hospitalization and rising rates of transmission.
▶ KENTUCKY TORNADO TOLL RISES TO 88 VICTIMS
In the U.S. state of Kentucky, officials have
voiced relief that dozens of workers at a candle factory appear to have survived tornadoes that killed at least 88 people and left a trail of devastation across six states.
Governor Andy Beshear said 74 deaths have been confirmed in the southeastern state.
The fatalities ranged in age from five months old to 86.
President Joe Biden said he will visit Kentucky on Wednesday and survey damage in the hard-hit city of Mayfield.
Fourteen deaths were also reported in four other states hit by the twisters -- Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. There was also damage, though no deaths, in Mississippi.
▶ SCIENTISTS WARN OF RAPIDLY MELTING GLACIER
Scientists are warning of dramatic changes at one of the biggest glaciers in Antarctica potentially within the next five to 10 years.
They say a floating section of the front of Thwaites Glacier could, as they put it, shatter like a car windscreen.
The BBC's Jonathan Amos reports.
[Reporter]
They call Thwaites the "Doomsday" glacier because of the speed at which it is melting and the potential contribution this could make to global sea level rise.
If the entire glacier collapsed, it would raise the height of the ocean, worldwide, by 65 centimeters.
This worst case scenario is centuries away.
But significant change is already evident and U.S. and U.K. scientists say that the development of multiple cracks at the front of the glacier will soon lead to a dramatic, albeit localized breakup.