Global COVID-19 cases declined a bit last week, but the number of deaths rose to record levels, as hot spots within world regions shift and more countries report the detection of variant SARS-CoV-2 strains, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday in its regular weekly update.Small drop in cases but 9% rise in deathsCases were down 6%, partly led by declines in parts of Europe and the Americas.
Deaths, however, increased by 9%, with the world reporting a record weekly high of 93,000, the WHO said, noting that hospitalizations and deaths are a lagging indicator.Illness levels rose in the Eastern Mediterranean, African, and Western Pacific regions.