WHO: Four regions of the world recorded an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases

The above notice is stated in the translation update report COVID-19 WHO weekly.

Topping the list is the Eastern Mediterranean region with the number of cases increased 68% from the previous week. In which, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Iran are the countries with the highest number of cases. Next is the Western Pacific region with the number of cases increasing by 14%, of which China, Australia and Japan are the countries with the highest number of cases. The Americas region recorded a 26% increase in cases and a 6% increase in Africa.

However, the number of deaths from COVID-19 globally continued to decline, except for Africa, where the number of deaths last week increased by 48% compared with the previous 7 days.

About the sub-variant more contagious, said WHO, which is monitoring sublines of the Omicron variant BA.4, BA.5 and BA.2.12.1, which are currently spreading strongly in countries where the variants are detected. this first. To date, sub-variants BA.4 have been detected in 20 countries, BA.5 in 19 countries and BA.2.12.1 in 38 countries.

Testing for COVID-19 in Shanghai, China. (Photo: AP)

Globally, since the end of April until now, subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 have caused 0.5% and 0.4% of SARS-CoV-2 virus infections, respectively, while 10 % of infections with sub-variant BA.2 were due to sublineage BA.2.12.1.

Previously, on May 13, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) classified the BA.4 and BA.5 sublines of the Omicron variant as “worrying variants”. At the same time, the ECDC expressed concern about a new wave of epidemics this summer.

It is the first public health agency to issue such an assessment of BA.4 and BA.5, sublines of the Omicron variant, which were first detected in South Africa in January and February of this year, respectively. . In a report, the ECDC said, both of these sub-lines could lead to a new wave of epidemics across the continent, increasing pressure on the hospital system.

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