Berlin, Dec. 29 (BNA): The number of new coronavirus (Covid-19) cases recorded worldwide increased by 11% last week compared to the previous week, with the largest increase in the Americas, the World Health Organization said.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that the gains came after a gradual increase since October.
There were nearly 4.99 million newly reported cases worldwide from December 20 to 26, the United Nations health agency said in its weekly epidemiological report released late Tuesday.
Europe accounted for more than half of the total, with 2.84 million, although that was only a 3% increase from the previous week.
It also recorded the highest infection rate in any region, with 304.6 new cases of infection per 100,000 residents.
New cases in the Americas rose 39% to nearly 1.48 million, the World Health Organization said, with the region registering the second-highest infection rate, with 144.4 new cases per 100,000 residents.
The US alone has seen more than 1.18 million cases, an increase of 34%.
New cases reported in Africa rose 7% to nearly 275,000.
“The overall risk related to the new variant … remains very high,” the agency said.
It has cited “consistent evidence” that it has a growth advantage over the delta variant, which is still prevalent in parts of the world.
She noted that a decrease in cases has been observed in South Africa, and that early data from this country, the United Kingdom and Denmark indicate a lower risk of hospitalization with Omicron.
But he said more data is needed “to understand the clinical signs of severity including oxygen use, mechanical ventilation, and death, and how risk might be affected by vaccination and/or … prior infection.”
The number of newly reported deaths worldwide last week fell by 4% to 44,680, the World Health Organization said.
AOQ