Covid live: Ireland to lift almost all curbs from 6am on Saturday; France reports 400,851 new cases — as it happened

Ireland's premier Micheal Martin says we have weathered the Omicron storm'; France reports 400,851 daily cases and 233 Covid-linked hospital deaths

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China has reported its lowest daily tally of local confirmed Covid-19 cases in nearly two months, after a national strategy to stamp out flare-ups and lock down affected cities.

China reported 23 domestically transmitted infections with confirmed symptoms for Thursday, official data showed, down from 43 a day earlier.