World Health Organization (WHO). In addition to this, it said that Southeast Asia had the biggest rise in coronavirus cases last week, with the number of newly infected people spiking by 145%.
The Middle East saw a 68% weekly rise. The smallest increases were noted in the Americas and Europe, at 17% and 10% respectively.
Scientists said last week there were early signs in the US and Britain that Omicron-driven outbreaks may have peaked in those countries and that cases could soon fall off sharply.
The number of new Covid-19 infections increased in every region except for Africa, where cases fell by nearly a third, said the UN health agency in its weekly report on the pandemic.