Weekly COVID-19 Epidemiological Update: Issue 38 (25 October 2022)

Abstract

Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and up to October 25, 2022, a cumulative total of 625.2 million COVID-19 cases including about 6.5 million deaths were reported from all six WHO regions. During epidemiological week (EW) 42, cases decreased in all WHO regions (range: - 41.1 - -3.7%) except for AMRO (2.4%). Similarly, COVID-19 deaths decreased in all WHO regions (range: - 72.1 - -1.1%) except for EMRO (11.9%). Globally, approximately 2,766,721 new COVID-19 cases were reported in EW 42 (October 16, 2022-October 22, 2022) - a -13.6% decrease compared to EW 41 (October 09, 2022-October 15, 2022) (Figure 1). For the same period, 8,761 new COVID-19 deaths were reported globally – a -12.1% relative decrease compared to the previous week. In the region of the Americas, 365,303 cases and 3,468 deaths were reported in EW 42 - a 2.4% increase in cases and -1.1% decrease in deaths compared to the previous week. At the subregional level, COVID-19 cases increased in one subregion – South America (21%) while they decreased in the remaining three subregions (range: -22.7 - -0.6%). COVID-19 deaths increased in two subregions – North America (0.8%) and Central America (20.5%) while they decreased in the remaining two subregions. The overall weekly case notification rate for the region of the Americas was 35.7 cases per 100,000 population during EW 42 (34.9 the previous week). Between EW 42 and 41, the 14- day COVID-19 death rate was 6.8 deaths per 1 million population (7.7 the previous two weeks). Among 29 countries/territories in the region with available data, COVID-19 hospitalizations increased in 7 countries and territories (range: 0.8% - 100%) during EW 42 compared to the previous week. Among 22 countries and territories with available data, COVID-19 ICU admissions increased in 7 countries and territories (range: 1.6% - 100%).