Fourteen police officers were injured during a demonstration against COVID-19 restrictions in the town of Greiz in the state of Thuringia in central Germany, police said Sunday.

Having organized on social media, 1,000 protesters gathered and formed a procession on a bridge Saturday. Police stopped the effort, but several protesters tried to break through police lines, prompting police to use tear gas.

The German dpa news agency said the confrontation was aggressive as firecrackers were set off in the direction of police. Two injured police officers were temporarily out of commission from injuries while another was treated in the hospital, authorities said.

The police have identified 207 of the protesters. They issued 108 orders to leave the area and initiated 44 criminal proceedings. There are also 47 proceedings for administrative offenses underway.

Here is a roundup of other coronavirus news from around the world:

World

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank reported that more than half a billion people have been forced into extreme poverty in the last year. They cited increasing health care costs amid the earliest waves of infections during the pandemic.

The disruption in health services, triggered by the largest global economic crisis since the 1930s, made health care costs even more burdensome, a joint statement from both organizations noted.

"All governments must immediately resume and accelerate efforts to ensure every one of their citizens can access health services without fear of the financial consequences," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Europe

The UK faces a "tidal wave" of the Omicron variant of coronavirus and two vaccine doses will
not be enough to contain it, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said in a televised statement as he accelerated the booster rollout scheme. 

The warning comes hours after government scientists lifted the COVID alert level to 4 on a 5-point scale.

Johnson said the booster program must go faster because scientists did not yet know if Omicron was less severe than other variants.

"A tidal wave of Omicron is coming...And I'm afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need," he said, adding that a wave of the variant through a population that was not boosted would take a heavy toll on state healthcare services.

"Everyone eligible aged 18 and over in England will have the chance to get their booster before the New Year," he said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz denied Sunday in an interview with the country's most popular tabloid Bild that vaccines had divided the nation.

"Having different opinions does not equal division," Scholz said, adding that he is "also the chancellor of the unvaccinated," and he "would still like to convince them that vaccinations make sense."

Also in Germany, Joshua Kimmich, a mid-fielder on the national soccer team who regularly plays for FC Bayern Munich, told public broadcaster ZDF that he now wants to be vaccinated against the virus.

"In general, it was just difficult for me to deal with my fears and concerns," Kimmich told ZDF. "That's why I was undecided for so long."

Meanwhile in Bennewitz, near Leipzig, anti-coronavirus protests turned violent after police tried to disperse the group.

Two journalists were physically attacked during the riots, according to police. The protest against government COVID measures, which had been organized via social media, drew up to 350 participants, police said. 

Sweden's new Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson canceled a visit to a conference of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Berlin after there was a positive case of the coronavirus among the Swedish delegation. Andersson tested negative.

Andersson had been slated to give a speech at the SPD's party conference and meet with the new party co-chairs, Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil. The Swedish delegation will instead return to Stockholm where the entire delegation will be tested anew.

In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces renewed fury over Christmas parties that took place in Whitehall last year while the country faced a nationwide lockdown due to surging hospitalizations. A British newspaper published a photo of Johnson alongside two colleagues hosting a Christmas quiz at this time.

Johnson's office said the prime minister "briefly took part virtually" as a thank you to staff, adding that he attended for nearly 15 minutes, serving as the quizmaster during one round.

Austria's nationwide three-week-long lockdown ended at midnight. Theaters, museums and indoor recreational centers have been reopened for the vaccinated and recovered only. Shops will reopen Monday.

However, only hotels and restaurants in Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Burgenland are permitted to open again. Salzburg, Lower Austria, Carinthia and Vienna have yet to announce dates for when hotels and restaurants can reopen.

In the Netherlands, Dutch police arrested a man who offered kits online to self-infect with the coronavirus at home. On the site, buyers were promised the disease sample was not older than three months and allegedly "the latest mutations and variants are included" were included in the kit.

Authorities were unclear if the kits even worked but have since released the man. A corresponding website has been shuttered by the anti-fraud unit of the Ministry of Finance. Public health authorities warned against deliberately getting COVID-19, saying it puts all public health at risk.

Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is fully vacccinated, is receiving treatment for mild COVID-19 symptoms after testing positive for the viral infection on Sunday, the South African Presidency has tweeted. 

Ramaphosa started feeling unwell after leaving the State Memorial Service in honour of former Deputy President FW de Klerk in Cape Town earlier Sunday, the Presidency said, adding that he is being monitored by health services.

Oceania

Australia said Sunday it would shorten the wait time for booster shots with the rise of the omicron variant.

Previously, Australia offered boosters to everyone over 18 who received a second jab six months ago or more. The wait time between second jabs and boosters has now been shortened to five months, Health Minister Greg Hunt announced.

Latin America

In Brazil, Supreme Court Justice Luis Roberto Barroso ruled Saturday that travelers arriving in Brazil must present proof of vaccination. 

President Jair Bolsonaro is opposed to the ruling and called for more lenient procedures. But the judge said he did not wish for the country to become a haven for what he described as "anti-vaccine tourism."

mvb, ar/fb (AP, dpa, Reuters)