Weekly COVID-19 Epidemiological Update: Issue 20 (21 June 2022)  

Abstract

Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and up to June 21, 2022, a cumulative total of approximately 537 million COVID-19 cases including about 6.3 million deaths were reported from all six WHO regions. During the epidemiological week (EW) 24, cases increased in the regions of Europe (5.8%), Eastern Mediterranean (45.2%), and South-East Asia (45.8%) while they decreased in the remaining three WHO regions. COVID-19 deaths decreased in all WHO regions except for the region of South-East Asia (3.4% increase).

Globally, approximately 3,369,753 new COVID-19 cases were reported in EW 24 (June 12, 2022-June 18, 2022) - a -4.3% decrease compared to EW 23 (June 05, 2022-June 11, 2022) (Figure 1). For the same period, 7,762 new COVID-19 deaths were reported globally – a - 13.6% relative decrease compared to the previous week.

In the region of the Americas, 1,179,055 cases and 3,608 deaths were reported in EW 24 - an 8.2% decrease in cases and -7% decrease in deaths compared to the previous week.

At the subregional level, COVID-19 cases decreased in all subregions (range: -17.2% - - 4.5%). COVID-19 Deaths increased in two subregions – Central America (20.6%) and Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean Islands (1.8%).

The overall weekly case notification rate for the region of the Americas was 115.3 cases per 100,000 population during EW 24 (125.6 the previous week). Between EW 24 and 23, the 14- day COVID-19 death rate was 7.3 deaths per 1 million population (7.2 the previous two weeks).

Among 32 countries/territories in the region with available data, COVID-19 hospitalizations increased in 16 countries and territories (range: 1.4% - 100%) during EW 24 compared to the previous week. Among 24 countries and territories with available data, COVID-19 ICU admissions increased in 13 countries and territories (range: 4.1% - 300%).