In South Africa, COVID-19 cases have fallen by 40% in a week, after the nation was the first to be hit hard by the Omicron variant. But cases are rising fast in neighboring countries, including Zambia, where only about 6% of people are fully vaccinated. 

Israel has opened clinical trials looking into the safety and efficacy of a fourth shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Israeli heart surgeon Jacob Lavee was the first to receive the jab on Monday.

Dr. Jacob Lavee: “Well, I’m excited to be the first person, apparently, in the world who got the fourth booster of the COVID vaccine. To paraphrase an old saying, it’s a small jab in the shoulder, probably a giant step for mankind.”

Australia reported nearly 12,000 coronavirus cases on Monday — by far its highest daily toll of the pandemic. Officials also reported Australia’s first death from the Omicron variant.