The latest Weekly Epidemiological Update from the World Health Organization (WHO) has unveiled a concerning surge in COVID-19 statistics, revealing that more than 1.5 million new cases and over 2,500 deaths have been recorded within the span of the past 28 days.
These figures pertain to the period from July 10 to August 6, 2023, and indicate an alarming 80% increase in new cases, paired with a notable 57% decrease in reported fatalities compared to the preceding month.
In its comprehensive analysis, the report underlines regional disparities, illustrating that while five WHO regions have reported significant declines in both case numbers and fatalities, the Western Pacific Region, in contrast, has experienced a rise in cases coupled with a decrease in deaths.
Globally, the report highlights that more than 769 million confirmed COVID-19 cases have been documented, along with an unfortunate 6.9 million reported deaths up until August 6, 2023.
It’s worth noting, however, that the report emphasizes a crucial caveat: the reported cases may not necessarily offer an accurate depiction of actual infection rates due to a worldwide reduction in testing and reporting.
Throughout this 28-day window, a significant proportion of countries—44%, to be exact—reported at least one COVID-19 case to the WHO. This proportion, notably, has been on a downward trajectory since mid-2022.
Beyond the broad statistics, the Weekly COVID-19 Epidemiological Update delves into additional critical aspects, including hospitalization rates, admissions to intensive care units (ICUs), and an overview of the SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest (VOIs) and variants under monitoring (VUM).