New York, January 2 (RHC)-- More than 3,300 flights have been cancelled around the world – more than 1,900 of them in the United States – as countries report record cases of the coronavirus caused by the Omicron variant.

In Europe, thousands of people defied a ban on gatherings in Amsterdam for a demonstration against the Dutch government’s coronavirus lockdown measures.  The municipality of the Dutch capital had outlawed the protest, saying police had indications some demonstrators could be attending “prepared for violence.”

France says all unvaccinated travellers from the U.S. will need to self-isolate for 10 days.

India reports more than 27,000 new COVID-19 infections – the highest daily count since October. Neighbouring Pakistan warns the country is entering its fifth coronavirus wave.  The country’s largest cities, including Delhi and the financial capital Mumbai, have seen a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, including those of the Omicron variant, which has triggered a fresh wave of infections in other parts of the world.

Although the number of active cases in Delhi has tripled in just the last three days, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that hospitalisations had not gone up.

“This means that most people who are coming down with [COVID-19] are not requiring hospital care. They are mild cases,” Kejriwal said in an online briefing.

The United Kingdom reported 137,583 new cases of COVID-19 in England and Wales, compared with 162,572 cases in England on Saturday, according to government data.  There were 73 deaths within 28 days of a positive test in England and Wales, a drop on the 154 reported in England on Saturday.