Weekly COVID-19 Epidemiological Update: Issue 13 (3 May 2022)

Abstract

[Executive Summary]. Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and up to May 03, 2022, a cumulative total of over 511 million COVID-19 cases including about 6.2 million deaths were reported from all six WHO regions. During epidemiological week (EW) 17, cases declined in all WHO regions except for the Region of the Americas . Similarly, weekly deaths declined in all but one WHO region – the South-East Asia Region – where a 68.9% increase was observed compared to EW 16 – most likely due to reporting delays like in the previous week. Globally, approximately 3.8 million new COVID-19 cases were reported in EW 17 (April 24, 2022-April 30, 2022) - a 17.4% decrease compared to EW 16 (April 17, 2022-April 23, 2022) (Figure 1). For the same period, 15,522 new COVID-19 deaths were reported globally – a 4.1% relative decrease compared the previous week. In the region of the Americas, 616,348 cases and 4,200 deaths were reported in EW 17 - a 12.7% increase in cases and 0.2% decrease in deaths compared to the previous week. At the subregional level, while South America reported a decline in COVID-19 cases during EW17 (8% decrease), the remaining three subregions reported an increase (range: 15.4% - 53.4% increase)). In the same period, two subregions reported an increase in deaths – South America (8.7% increase) and Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean Islands (39.6% increase). The overall weekly case notification rate for the region of the Americas continued to increase with 60.3 cases per 100,000 population during EW 17 (53.5 the previous week). The 14-day COVID-19 death rate declined with 8.2 deaths per 1 million population reported during EW 16 and 17 (9 the previous two weeks). Among 32 countries/territories in the region with available data, COVID-19 hospitalizations increased in 11 countries/territories (range: 1.6% - 166.7%) during EW 17 relative to the previous week. Among 26 countries/territories with available data, COVID-19 ICU admissions increased in 11 countries and territories (range: 0.6 – 100%).