Weekly COVID-19 Epidemiological Update: Issue 12 (26 April 2022)

Abstract

[Executive Summary]. Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and up to April 26, 2022, a cumulative total of over 508 million COVID-19 cases including 6.2 million deaths were reported from all six WHO regions. During EW 16, COVID-19 cases increased in the AFRO and the AMRO region while the remaining four WHO regions reported a decline. Similarly, increases in COVID-19 deaths were observed in the AFRO and the SEARO region while the other WHO four regions observed a declining trend. Globally, approximately 4.6 million new COVID-19 cases were reported in epidemiological week (EW) 16 (April 17, 2022- April 23, 2022) - a 19.9% decrease compared to EW 15 (April 10, 2022-April 16, 2022) (Figure 1). For the same period, 15,290 new COVID-19 deaths were reported globally – a 19.4% relative decrease compared the previous week. In the region of the Americas, 550,015 cases and 4,029 deaths were reported in EW 16 - a 8.7% increase in cases and - 19.1% decrease in deaths compared to the previous week. At the subregional level, COVID-19 cases increased in three subregions (North America, Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean Islands, and Central America) while they decreased in South America during EW 16. In the same period, while Central America reported a 14% increase in weekly deaths, the trends declined in the remaining three subregions. The overall weekly case notification rate for the region of the Americas was 53.8 cases per 100,000 population during EW 16 (49.5 the previous week). Between EW 16 and 15, the 14-day COVID-19 death rate was 8.8 deaths per 1 million population (10.5 the previous two weeks). Among 34 countries/territories in the region with available data, COVID-19 hospitalizations increased in 14 countries and territories (range: 0.6% - 500%) during EW 16 compared to the previous week. Similarly, among 29 countries and territories with available data, COVID-19 ICU admissions increased in 6 countries and territories (range: 6.4% - 150%).