WHO said the incidence of COVID-19 in the world increased by 52% in 28 days

ТАСС: The incidence of coronavirus infection in the world in the period from November 20 to December 17 increased by 52% compared to the previous four weeks, with the largest number of cases identified in Russia - 279,359. At the same time, mortality on average in the world decreased by 8%, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

According to a WHO fact sheet, the world has recorded 854,673 cases and 3,005 deaths in four weeks.

WHO data indicate a heterogeneous picture of morbidity and mortality in the regions. In Southeast Asia, the number of new Covid cases has increased by 388% in four weeks, and deaths have more than tripled. Africa has 77% more cases and 50% fewer deaths. In Europe, the increase in incidence was 54%, mortality increased by 14%. At the same time, in the Region of the Americas, morbidity decreased by 23% and mortality by 48%. In the Eastern Mediterranean, 51% fewer people fell ill and the number of deaths fell by 65%.

In addition to the Russian Federation, the top five countries with the largest number of new cases of coronavirus include Singapore (120,898), Italy (114,795), Poland (39,828) and Australia (39,505). Italy has the most deaths registered - 510. Next come Sweden (396), Russia (376), Australia (211) and Poland (141).

The global health emergency was in effect from the end of January 2020 to May 5, 2023. On March 11, 2020, WHO characterized the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. According to information as of October 25, 2023, published on the organization’s website, 771,549,718 cases of coronavirus infection and 6,974,473 deaths have been registered worldwide. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a briefing in Geneva on May 5 that the true death toll was at least 20 million.