Nations enter 2022 with scaled-down celebrations as Omicron raises fear of abrupt infection surge

New Delhi: Nations across the world are welcoming 2022 with low-scale celebrations due to the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 which is rallying infections and raising hospitalizations in a large number of countries.

A large number of people gathered at Dubai’s Burj Khalifa and witnessed the impressive fireworks display, welcoming the new year 2022.

A special laser show took place at the Burj Khalifa, which is said to be the world’s tallest building.

The crowd witnessed the special laser show performed at the Burj Khalifa. The world’s tallest skyscraper was dazzled in the night sky, beaming “Happy New Year”, reported Al Jazeera.

بدأ عام 2022 باحتفال رائع لا يُنسى!
كانت فعلاً أمسية الروائع مع احتفالات ليلة رأس السنة. من إعمار، نتمنّى لكم عاماً سعيداً!

2022 began with an unforgettable and spectacular celebration! It was truly an eve of wonders. Happy New Year from Emaar! #EmaarNYE22 pic.twitter.com/4R40xYRaku

— Burj Khalifa (@BurjKhalifa) December 31, 2021

Many countries ended 2021 with a record number of COVID-19 cases on the last day of the year as France logged over 2 lakh COVID cases.

Welcoming the new year, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the next few weeks would be difficult as the country headed into subdued New Year celebrations after registering 2,32,200 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, its highest-ever recorded total, reported France 24.

“The weeks to come will be difficult, we all know that,” Macron said in a broadcasted New Year’s Eve address.

From midnight, France will take over the Presidency of the European Union. You can count on my total commitment to making this moment a time of progress. 2022 must be the year of a European turning point, Macron said in a tweet.

Stressing that the UK’s condition is incomparably better than last year, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that 2022 is almost upon us. “Whatever the challenges that lie ahead in the coming weeks and months, our position today is incomparably better than last year,” he said in a tweet on Friday.

2022 is almost upon us. Whatever the challenges that lie ahead in the coming weeks and months, our position today is incomparably better than last year.

Make it your New Year’s resolution to get your jabs and do something that will make 2022 a happy New Year for us all. pic.twitter.com/G5Y97OfI9U

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 31, 2021

Urging people to get vaccinated, Johnson said that make it your New Year’s resolution to get your jabs and do something that will make 2022 a happy New Year for us all.

His remarks came as the UK is battling a massive surge in infections and a jump in hospitalizations. The UK on Friday reported 1,89,846 COVID-19 cases and 203 fatalities in the past 24 hours.

Countries across Europe are facing massive surges in COVID infections with the nations implementing new measures and urging people to get booster shots.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed hopes that the new year will bring health, peace and prosperity to the nation.

Underlining that in 2021, Turkey has accomplished countless works and actions that will provide uninterrupted service to the nation.

“Breath, my Lord, as long as our nation supports us, we will continue to serve our country in 2022. With the prayer that the new year will bring health, peace and prosperity,” he said in a tweet.

People in China welcomed the new year under restrictions in certain places and cities. The Xi’an city’s people were placed under lockdown by the Chinese authorities due to the rise in COVID-19 infections.

The new year celebrations at the various places were cancelled due to the COVID related restrictions.

In Beijing, happy Valley amusement park cancelled the event which was scheduled to mark the beginning of the new year. Similarly, in the eastern city of Nanjing, a drone show and fireworks were dropped.

However, people in the country witnessed the address of the Chinese President Xi Jinping who called 2021 a year of exceptional significance. But, during the whole year, the West continuously accused the Chinese Communist Party of extreme human rights abuses in the Xinjiang provinces.

The new year’s welcome was also marked by the cancellation of thousands of flights in a number of countries.

More than 2,800 flights were cancelled and nearly 12,000 more were delayed around the world on Thursday as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus caused staff shortages at airlines, the tracking website FlightAware showed, reported Xinhua.

Omicron muted the celebrations globally and the WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on new years eve urged the countries to vaccinate 70 per cent of their population.

Calling for the pandemic accord, he also called the nations to strengthen global health security and urged all countries to strengthen their health care systems.

The dawn of the new year also comes amid rising tension between Russia and the West over the massive military build-up on the Ukrainian border. Thursday’s talks between US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin showed a trade of warning between two leaders with also call for stronger diplomacy among nations.