COVID-19 pandemic The number of new COVID-19 cases rises to 48, despite ongoing lockdowns in Ontong Java Atoll, Honiara, and Guadalcanal Province. The current outbreak began last week when 23 crew members onboard an illegal fishing vessel from Papua New Guinea tested positive after entering Ontong Java Atoll.
Samoa Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa announces a three day lockdown in response to ten positive COVID-19 passengers from repatriation flight.
Kiribati goes into lockdown for the first time during the pandemic after dozens of passengers onboard a January 14th charter flight from Fiji test positive for COVID-19.
Russia reports a record for the second consecutive day of 57,212 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 11.04 million.
Poland reports a record for the second consecutive day of 40,876 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 4,484,095.
Singapore reports its first confirmed death related to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in an unvaccinated 92-year-old woman.
Japan reports a record for the fifth consecutive day of 54,576 new COVID-19 cases, including a record 11,227 new cases in Tokyo and a record 7,675 new cases in Osaka Prefecture.
Indonesia reports its first confirmed deaths related to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in an unvaccinated 64-year-old man and a vaccinated 54-year-old woman who both had underlying health conditions.
Russo-Ukrainian War Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach resigns as Inspector of the German Navy following comments at a think tank in New Delhi, in which he called Russia's intention to attack Ukraine "nonsense", saying that Russian president Vladimir Putin "deserves respect" and dismissing the prospects of Ukraine ever regaining Crimea and joining NATO.
The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office says that, according to the available information, the Russian government is planning to "install a pro-Russian leader in Kyiv as it considers whether to invade and occupy Ukraine."