By Neelam Rahim

Radio Islam International is joined by Senusha Naidoo, Senior Research Associate fellow at Institute for Global Dialogue.

Omicron wave swamps Australia’s hospitals, and Micronesia is no longer Covid-free.

According to Senusha, the Omicron variant has now hit during the Australian winter. It seems to be delayed for Australia as South Africa has already been through the Omicron phase.

She says part of the increase in the infection rate is that there seems to be a low uptake on that relation. I also think it’s part of the winter as the winter has raised questions around mitigations strategies being developed, implemented and practised.

Senusha tells Radio Islam that some of the issues which emerged around this were the question of mask-wearing.

“It seems to be that in Australia mask wearing is not compulsory and in terms of the medical fraternity, the senior medical personnel in charge of the entire virology in Australia seem to suggest that wearing a mask is not a necessity.”

Micronesia is a small set of Islands towards the Pacific of Australia.

Senusha said they had never had any Coronavirus cases until a few days when two Micronesian inhabitants flew back to the area and contracted the virus.

She also says that it is a considerable concern for the Micronesian islands raising questions on how to contain the spread as it is a small set of Islands, including whether or not they find the antibody and will affect rising numbers.

A new Leader has been appointed in Sri Lanka, and the Sri Lankan people have been piling pressure on the current Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to quit as the protest enters its 100^th day.

Senusha tells Radio Islam that he has been sworn as the new President until 2024 and one of the issues he needs to deal with is stability within the country.

She also says there are questions around the security cluster regarding intervening and surpassing the attempt to disperse protestors due to the economic crisis.