Weekly COVID-19 Epidemiological Update: Issue 40 (8 November 2022)

Abstract

Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and up to November 08, 2022, a cumulative total of approximately 630 million COVID-19 cases including 6.6 million deaths were reported from all six WHO regions. During the epidemiological week (EW) 44, cases decreased in four WHO regions (range: -39 - -3.1%) while they increased in WPRO (9.9%) and SEARO (28.1%). Similarly, deaths decreased in four regions while they increased in WPRO (7.9%) and SEARO (535.3%). Globally, approximately 2,181,459 new COVID-19 cases were reported in EW 44 (October 30, 2022-November 05, 2022) - a -13% decrease compared to EW 43 (October 23, 2022- October 29, 2022) (Figure 1). For the same period, 9,504 new COVID-19 deaths were reported globally – a -10% relative decrease compared the previous week. In the region of the Americas, 372,002 cases and 3,407 deaths were reported in EW 44 - a -3.1% decrease in cases and -20.7% decrease in deaths compared to the previous week. At the subregional level, COVID-19 cases decreased all (range: -25.8 - -20.1%) but one subregion – North American subregion (3.6% increase), and deaths decreased in all four subregions (range: -27.4 - -11.4% decrease). The overall weekly case notification rate for the region of the Americas was 36.4 cases per 100,000 population during EW 44 (37.5 the previous week). Between EW 44 and 43, the 14-day COVID-19 death rate was 7.5 deaths per 1 million population (7.6 the previous two weeks). Among 26 countries/territories in the region with available data, COVID-19 hospitalizations increased in 10 countries and territories (range: 1.2% - 169.1%) during EW 44 compared to the previous week. Among 18 countries and territories with available data, COVID-19 ICU admissions increased in 7 countries and territories (range: 0.4% - 200%).