Highlights

  • WHO: Covid cases falling globally
  • Covid-19 deaths down by 13% in the last week: WHO
  • WHO: vaccination rates still too low

Latest news

Dominique Pelicot sentenced to 20 years in landmark French mass rape case

Dominique Pelicot sentenced to 20 years in landmark French mass rape case

PM Modi speaks to King Charles, reaffirms India-UK strategic partnership

PM Modi speaks to King Charles, reaffirms India-UK strategic partnership

Omar Abdullah meets Amit Shah, discusses J&K's statehood restoration

Omar Abdullah meets Amit Shah, discusses J&K's statehood restoration

Unprecedented fracas on Parliament premises, 2 BJP MPs injured; NDA, Congress file police complaints

Unprecedented fracas on Parliament premises, 2 BJP MPs injured; NDA, Congress file police complaints

Palestinians say six killed in Israeli West Bank operations

Palestinians say six killed in Israeli West Bank operations

Around 70 Hindu pilgrims arrive in Pak from India to perform religious rituals at Katas Raj temples

Around 70 Hindu pilgrims arrive in Pak from India to perform religious rituals at Katas Raj temples

Delhi Elections: MCD passes proposal to release Rs 25.35 crore for preparations

Delhi Elections: MCD passes proposal to release Rs 25.35 crore for preparations

Global stocks struggle amid inflation, economic fears: December 19, 2024 analysis

Global stocks struggle amid inflation, economic fears: December 19, 2024 analysis

WHO: New Covid cases, deaths keep falling nearly everywhere

The U.N. health agency said there were 4.5 million new COVID-19 cases reported last week, a 16% drop from the previous week

WHO: New Covid cases, deaths keep falling nearly everywhere

The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported globally continued to fall nearly everywhere in the world in what the World Health Organization described as a “welcome decline” at a media briefing on Wednesday.

The U.N. health agency said there were 4.5 million new COVID-19 cases reported last week, a 16% drop from the previous week. Deaths were also down by 13%, with about 13,500 fatalities. WHO said COVID-19 infections dropped everywhere in the world while deaths decreased everywhere except for Southeast Asia, where they climbed by 15% and in the Western Pacific, where they rose by 3%.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that with the coming onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the possible emergence of a more dangerous new COVID-19 variant, experts expect to see a spike in hospitalisations and deaths. Tedros said vaccination rates, even in rich countries, were still too low, noting that 30% of health workers and 20% of older people remain unimmunised.

“These vaccination gaps pose a risk to all of us,” he said. “Please get vaccinated if you are not and a booster if it's recommended that you have one.” In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration cleared its first update to COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday, booster doses that target today's most common omicron strain. Authorities said shots could begin within days.

Until now, COVID-19 vaccines have targeted the original coronavirus strain, even as wildly different mutants emerged. The new U.S. boosters are combination, or “bivalent,” shots. They contain half that original vaccine recipe and half protection against the newest omicron versions, called BA.4 and BA.5, which are considered the most contagious yet.

Earlier this month, Britain decided it would offer adults 50 and over a different booster option from Moderna, a combo shot targeting that initial BA.1 omicron strain.

On Friday, the European Medicines Agency will consider whether to authorize the combination COVID-19 vaccine including BA.1 made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Another version of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine incorporating the BA.5 subvariant of omicron is also under review by the EU regulator.

ALSO WATCH: Saudi woman sentenced to 45 years in prison for social media use

ADVERTISEMENT

Up Next

WHO: New Covid cases, deaths keep falling nearly everywhere

WHO: New Covid cases, deaths keep falling nearly everywhere

News Wrap | Sensex & Nifty Down; SBI Tanks; Fresh Allegations Vs SEBI Chief | September 6, 2024

News Wrap | Sensex & Nifty Down; SBI Tanks; Fresh Allegations Vs SEBI Chief | September 6, 2024

Parliamentary Panel May Summon SEBI Chief Madhabi Puri Buch Amid Allegations of Corruption

Parliamentary Panel May Summon SEBI Chief Madhabi Puri Buch Amid Allegations of Corruption

Linkin Park unveil new singer, announce album 7 years after lead singer's death

Linkin Park unveil new singer, announce album 7 years after lead singer's death

India Day Parade in New York: Sonakshi Sinha-Zaheer Iqbal’s special message

India Day Parade in New York: Sonakshi Sinha-Zaheer Iqbal’s special message

Vivo T3 Ultra 5G: First Look! Flagship Killer?

Vivo T3 Ultra 5G: First Look! Flagship Killer?

ADVERTISEMENT

editorji-whatsApp

More videos

RG Kar News: স্বশরীরে আদালতে নয়, আরজি কর কাণ্ডে ধৃত সঞ্জয় রায়ের ভার্চুয়াল শুনানি হবে শুক্রবার

RG Kar News: স্বশরীরে আদালতে নয়, আরজি কর কাণ্ডে ধৃত সঞ্জয় রায়ের ভার্চুয়াল শুনানি হবে শুক্রবার

This Taiwan-Born Tech Whiz Is Helping US Counter China’s Military Advances

This Taiwan-Born Tech Whiz Is Helping US Counter China’s Military Advances

Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei Dies, Days After Being Set On Fire By Boyfriend

Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei Dies, Days After Being Set On Fire By Boyfriend

Sandip Ghosh: 'ও কিছু করেনি, কোনও কাগজপত্রও পাওয়া যায়নি', দাবি সন্দীপ ঘোষের স্ত্রীর

Sandip Ghosh: 'ও কিছু করেনি, কোনও কাগজপত্রও পাওয়া যায়নি', দাবি সন্দীপ ঘোষের স্ত্রীর

BCCI Board Secretory: আইসিসির দায়িত্বে জয় শাহ, বোর্ডের সচিব পদে কে! কবে ঠিক করবে বিসিসিআই

BCCI Board Secretory: আইসিসির দায়িত্বে জয় শাহ, বোর্ডের সচিব পদে কে! কবে ঠিক করবে বিসিসিআই

Sandeep Ghosh: RG কর মামলায় সন্দীপ ঘনিষ্ঠ প্রসূন চট্টোপাধ্যায়কে আটক করল ED

Sandeep Ghosh: RG কর মামলায় সন্দীপ ঘনিষ্ঠ প্রসূন চট্টোপাধ্যায়কে আটক করল ED

Sandip Ghosh: সন্দীপের বাড়ি থেকে শ্বশুরবাড়ি, সকাল থেকে লাগাতার ইডি হানা

Sandip Ghosh: সন্দীপের বাড়ি থেকে শ্বশুরবাড়ি, সকাল থেকে লাগাতার ইডি হানা

Aparajita Bill 2024: 'টেকনিক্যাল রিপোর্ট' না পাঠানোয় অপরাজিতা বিল আটকে, রাজ্যকে দায়ী করে জানাল রাজভবন

Aparajita Bill 2024: 'টেকনিক্যাল রিপোর্ট' না পাঠানোয় অপরাজিতা বিল আটকে, রাজ্যকে দায়ী করে জানাল রাজভবন

Goldman Sachs Recommends Selling SBI Shares, Lowers Target Price to ₹742

Goldman Sachs Recommends Selling SBI Shares, Lowers Target Price to ₹742

Cristiano Ronaldo: দু'দশকের কেরিয়ারে ৯০০ গোল, আন্তর্জাতিক ফুটবলে সর্বোচ্চ গোলদাতার রেকর্ড রোনাল্ডোর

Cristiano Ronaldo: দু'দশকের কেরিয়ারে ৯০০ গোল, আন্তর্জাতিক ফুটবলে সর্বোচ্চ গোলদাতার রেকর্ড রোনাল্ডোর

Editorji Technologies Pvt. Ltd. © 2022 All Rights Reserved.