Covid surges in US as rest of world stabilises

North America suffered a new surge in coronavirus infections this week and US deaths increased by a fifth, while the pandemic stabilised in the rest of the world.

Here is the global state of play based on an AFP database.

– Stabilisation –

The number of new daily cases around the world decreased slightly by three percent this week to 639,315, according to an AFP tally to Thursday.

The pandemic appears to be stabilising after gaining ground since mid-year fanned by the highly contagious Delta variant which has become predominant in most countries. 

However, the confirmed cases only reflect a fraction of the actual number of infections, with varying counting practices and levels of testing in different countries.

– North America up, Africa down –

The pandemic continues to worsen in the United States/Canada region, where the number of cases increased by eight percent.  Oceania saw a 23 percent increase in  infections.

But cases fell 26 percent in Africa and 17 percent in Latin America. There were also slight decreases in Europe of three percent, and in Asia and the Middle East of two percent each.

– Biggest spike –

Gaza was the territory where the epidemic picked up most speed, with 75 percent more cases on a daily basis. Norway followed with 69 percent more, Romania 64 percent, Syria and Ukraine (60 percent more each).

– Biggest drops –

At the other end of the spectrum, Indonesia and Bangladesh saw the biggest drop with 42 percent fewer new daily cases each. Ireland was down 36 percent and Cuba 30 percent.

– US bears the brunt –

The United States continued to record the most new infections by far, with 166,367 a day, an increase of seven percent.

India followed with 42,772, an increase of 27 percent and the United Kingdom 33,456, a decrease of one percent.

On a per capita basis the country that recorded the most new cases this week was Israel with 731 per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Kosovo (642) and Georgia (620).

– United States most deaths –

The US also recorded the most daily deaths with 1,144, an increase of 21 percent, ahead of Russia (796, stable).

At a global level the number of daily deaths dropped just under the 10,000 mark this week, a four percent decrease.

– Vaccinations –

Sri Lanka led the vaccination race this week among countries with more than one million inhabitants, jabbing 1.87 percent of its population every day.

Even though they are vaccinating more slowly, the United Arab Emirates has the most advanced vaccination drive, having administered 184 first or second doses per 100 inhabitants. Uruguay has jabbed 163, Israel (161), Qatar (155) and Singapore, (149).