According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there has been a significant increase in COVID-19 cases globally, with a 38% rise in the number of cases reported over the past month. However, there has been a 50% decrease in the number of deaths attributed to the disease during the same period. These statistics were revealed in the WHO’s weekly bulletin, covering the period from July 31 to August 27.
During this 28-day period, more than 1.4 million new cases of COVID-19 were registered worldwide, along with over 1,800 deaths linked to the virus. South Korea recorded the highest number of both new cases (1,296,710) and deaths (596), followed by Italy with nearly 27,000 new cases and the UK with 26,000.
The WHO highlighted regional variations in the spread of the virus. The Eastern Mediterranean region experienced the largest increase in new cases, with a 113% surge. The Western Pacific and European regions also saw significant rises of 52% and 39% respectively. In contrast, Africa and South-East Asia observed a decline in cases, with decreases of 76% and 48% respectively.
The WHO attributed the increase in cases to the prevalence of the “Eris” variant of the novel coronavirus, which was found in 26% of sequenced samples during the second week of August. Another variant, named “Arturo,” was detected in 22.7% of sequences across 109 countries. However, the “Kraken” variant was reported in 124 countries but appears to be receding.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been more than 770 million cases of COVID-19 globally, resulting in over 6.9 million deaths. While the WHO declared an end to the global health emergency in May, the organization emphasized the importance of maintaining anti-COVID-19 infrastructures, including early warning systems, surveillance and reporting mechanisms, variant tracking, early clinical assistance, and vaccination boosters for high-risk groups.
In a significant development, the WHO announced that its weekly bulletins would transition into monthly updates, with the next one scheduled for the end of September. This change reflects the organization’s shift from emergency response to long-term prevention, control, and management strategies for COVID-19.
The novel coronavirus, initially identified as SARS-CoV-2, was first discovered in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. Despite ongoing research, its exact origins and how it crossed over to humans remain unclear. The WHO officially designated the disease caused by the virus as COVID-19 and classified it as a pandemic in March 2020. Various countries implemented measures such as population lockdowns, mandatory mask-wearing, and vaccine mandates to combat the virus, often cracking down on criticism of these approaches.
Moving forward, the WHO’s monthly updates will provide a comprehensive picture of the global COVID-19 situation, aiding policymakers and health authorities in making informed decisions to contain and manage the ongoing pandemic.
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