COVID-19 cases rise for ninth consecutive week, variants continue spreading

(United Nations News) COVID-19 infections have increased for the ninth consecutive week globally while variants continue their spread, the UN health agency has confirmed. 

Nearly 5.7 million new cases were reported in the last seven-day period, above previous highs, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest coronavirus update published late Tuesday. 

The number of deaths from the virus also increased – now for the sixth consecutive week – with more than 87,000 confirmed victims. 

All parts of the world reported falling numbers of infections, apart from Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions. 

And although Southeast Asia reported the highest increases in infections and deaths for the third week in a row, it was India that accounted for the vast majority of cases, with 2.17 million new cases – a 52 per cent increase. 

This is the equivalent of nearly four in 10 global cases reported in the past week, followed by the United States (with 406,001 new cases, representing a 15 per cent decrease), Brazil (404,623 new cases, a 12 per cent decrease), Turkey (378,771 cases, a nine per cent decrease) and France (211,674 new cases, a nine per cent decrease). 

Read more at: United Nations News

Source: CARICOM TODAY