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South Africa has lifted overnight curfew rules, with officials saying the country may have passed the peak of its fourth wave of Covid-19 infections.

A government statement said the Omicron variant, while highly transmissible, had seen lower hospitalisation rates than previous waves.

There had been a marginal increase in the number of deaths, it added.

The variant – first reported by South Africa last month – is spreading fast elsewhere leading to widespread curbs.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a “tsunami” of infections from Delta and Omicron variants that could overwhelm health systems.

But in South Africa, a statement released after a special cabinet meeting said cases and hospital admission rates had dropped in almost all provinces across the country.

For the week ending 25 December 2021, the number of confirmed infections stood at 89,781 – down from 127,753 the week before.

Despite the talk of diplomacy, the tone of the call was described by officials on both sides as “serious.”

US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday exchanged warning over ukraine but conveyed some optimism that diplomatic talks in January could ease spiraling tensions.

In a 50-minute call, their second conversation this month, Biden said he needed to see Russia decrease its military build-up near Ukraine, while Putin said sanctions threatened by Washington and allies could lead to a rupture in ties. The call was requested by Putin.