WHO says COVID-19 deaths remain despite boom in omicron cases

The number of new coronavirus infections in the last week rose by around 55%, although the number of deaths remained stable, the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated in its latest report on the pandemic.

In the weekly report, the United Nations health agency documented some 15 million new COVID-19 cases last week and more than 43,000 deaths. All regions of the world reported an increase in cases of COVID-19 except for Africa, where the authorities registered a decrease of 11%.

The WHO indicated last week that a record 9.5 million new infections had been reached in one week, which it described as a “tsunami” of the illness.

The contagious omicron variant continues to define the pandemic worldwide, cornering the previously dominant delta variant, said the WHO.

Ómicron, first detected in South Africa in late November, accounts for almost 59% of genomes sequenced and shared with the largest public database available. Ómicron has shown that it takes less time to multiply cases by two and there is growing evidence that it can “avoid immunity“Added the agency.

The WHO it also indicated that numerous studies describe it as less severe than previous variants.

Following a sharp rise in omicron cases in South Africa following the initial identification of the variant, the epidemic declined rapidly, and experts believe the wave is over. The WHO It said this week that after a continued increase in COVID-19 cases across Africa, infections had subsided this week for the first time.

Scientists in Britain and the United States said there was initial evidence that the omicron wave may have peaked, although they were still uncertain about how the next phase of the pandemic might unfold. The WHO noted that America broke its record for COVID-19 cases this week with an increase of 78%, mainly due to the United States.

Europe registered 31% more infections and a 10% decrease in deaths.

The largest increase in infections of COVID-19 It was detected in Southeast Asia, where cases increased by more than 400%, with the highest figures in India, East Timor, Thailand and Bangladesh. Deaths in the region fell 6%.

The variant omicron it expands more easily than others, and is already dominant in many countries. It also more easily infects people who have been vaccinated or have already been infected with previous versions of the virus.

However, preliminary studies show that omicron it is less likely to cause severe disease than the previous delta version, and vaccination and booster doses continue to provide strong protection against severe disease.