The number of new cases of coronavirus rose 20% last week, to more than 18 million worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which meant that the wave of infections caused by the omicron variant of the virus began to subside.
In its weekly report on the pandemic, the United Nations health agency noted that the number of new COVID-19 infections had risen worldwide except in Africa, where cases fell by nearly a third. The number of deaths worldwide remained similar to the previous week, at about 45,000.
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose nearly 50% two weeks ago, and the WHO recorded another time this month the largest weekly increase in documented cases during the pandemic.
In its report Tuesday night, the agency noted that Asia had seen the biggest increase in coronavirus cases last week, with 145% more infected. The figure rose 68% in the Middle East.
The smallest increases were recorded in America and Europe, with 17% and 10% respectively. Scientists said last week there were signs that omicron-driven spikes in the United States and Britain may have peaked and cases there could begin to fall rapidly.
The CEO of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Tuesday that the contagious omicron variant “keep sweeping the world”. The person in charge warned that it is “misleading” treat the illness it causes as mild, although studies show it is less likely than other variants of the virus to cause severe illness or require hospitalization.
“We are concerned about the impact omicron is having on already exhausted health workers and overburdened health systems”, stated Tedros.
Some regions seem to have gotten through the worst of the last omicron wave, he admitted, though “not all countries are out of the woods yet”.
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