Weekly COVID-19 Epidemiological Update: Issue 8 (29 March 2022)

Abstract

[Executive Summary]. Globally, approximately 10.9 million new COVID-19 cases were reported in epidemiological week (EW) 12 (20 – 26 March 2022) – a 13.4% decrease compared to the previous week (Figure 1). The decrease in cases was observed across all six WHO regions. Global deaths on the other hand, increased by 29% - partly due to the 116% increase in weekly deaths observed in the SEARO region and partly due to a data artifact from the addition of back-logged deaths in the AMRO region (Chile) during EW 12.1 In the Region of the Americas, COVID-19 cases have been declining consistently for the past 10 weeks with 619,321 new cases reported in EW 12 – a decline of 15.6% compared to the previous week. The decreasing trend was observed across all four sub-regions. Weekly deaths in the region increased by 96% in EW 12 compared to the previous week – primarily due to the data artifact from the addition of more than 11,000 back-logged COVID-19 deaths in Chile. COVID-19 hospitalizations increased in six countries/territories during EW 12 compared to the previous week – all in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean subregion (range: 10% - 50%). ICU admissions increased in three countries and territories – Saint Lucia (100%), Honduras (58%), and Cuba (28.5%) – compared to EW 11. The SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC) Omicron has now been detected in 53 countries and territories of the region of date. The latest two countries to identify the VOC were Haiti and Saba.