Global COVID cases top 400 million as levels decline again

The global COVID-19 total has passed the 400 million mark early into the third year of the pandemic, with cases last week declining in the world's fourth and biggest surge, fueled by the more transmissible Omicron variant.However, deaths—known to be a lagging indicator—continue to rise, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday in its latest weekly update on the pandemic.Dramatic jump in Middle EastCases declined 17% last week compared with the week before, with the world adding 19 million new cases.

The only part of the world where cases are still rising is the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region, where the biggest jumps were reported by Iran, Jordan, and the Palestinian Territory.At a briefing today, the head of the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region office, Ahmed Al-Mandhari, MD, PhD, said cases in the region have dramatically jumped over the past 6 weeks, with deaths rising over the past 3 weeks.He added that the rise in deaths is lower than in previous waves and that vaccines are providing protection against severe illness and death.

About 35% of people in the region are fully vaccinated, but coverage varies widely among countries, ranging from 1% to 94%."Once again, inequity is a hallmark of this pandemic," he said. "And while vaccines remain a critical tool, our success requires a comprehensive approach with governments and communities at the heart of the response."The world's rise in deaths—up 7% last week—was driven mainly by increases in Southeast Asia and Eastern Mediterranean regions, with levels holding steady in other parts of the world.Japan restrictions, ACT Accelerator, global pandemic agreementJapan today announced that it would extend COVID-19 restrictions in Tokyo and 12 prefectures for 3 more