Geneva: India reported 120 222 new cases (8.7 new cases per 100 000; +7%), and 229 new deaths (<1 new death per 100 000; +15%), during the week of July 4 to 10, 2022.
Globally, the number of new weekly cases increased for the fifth consecutive week after a declining trend since the last peak in March 2022, the World Health Organization reported today.
Over 5.7 million new cases were reported during the week – a 6% increase compared to the previous week. The number of new weekly deaths was similar to that of the previous week, with over 9800 fatalities reported.
COVID–19 by WHO Region, as of July 10, 2022
The highest number of new weekly cases were reported from France (771 260 new cases; 6%), the United States of America (722 924 new cases; –6%), Italy (661 984 new cases; 30%), Germany (561 136 new cases; –9%), and Brazil (396 781 new cases; –3%). The highest number of new weekly deaths were reported from the United States of America (1987 new deaths; –19%), Brazil (1639 new deaths; 11%), China (692 new deaths; –8%), Spain (619 new deaths; 98%), and Italy (574 new deaths; 33%).
Globally, the Omicron lineages BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 show declining trends, while BA.4 and BA.5 show increasing trends. A comparison of sequences submitted to GISAID in epidemiological week 25 (June 19 to 25, 2022) and week 26 (June 26 to July 7, 2022) shows a decline in BA.2 sequences from 7% to 4% and a decline in BA.2.12.1 sequences from 13% to 7%. Within the same period, the proportion of reported sequences of BA.4 has risen from 11% to 14% and BA.5 from 42% to 50%. BA.5 sequences have been reported from 89 countries.
WHO advises against fluvoxamine and colchicine for patients with mild or moderate COVID-19
Meanwhile, WHO today advised against the use of two drugs for non-severe COVID-19 as current evidence does not justify using these two drugs – colchicine to treat non-severe illness, and fluvoxamine which it recommended shouldn’t be used outside of clinical trials.
“The antidepressant drug fluvoxamine and the gout drug colchicine are not recommended for patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 because there is currently insufficient evidence that they improve important outcomes for patients, and both drugs carry potential harms,” said a WHO Guideline Development Group (GDG) panel of international experts in The BMJ today.
No recommendation was made for either drug in patients with severe or critical illness, given limited or no data.
Fluvoxamine and colchicine are commonly used, inexpensive drugs that have received considerable interest as potential covid-19 treatments during the pandemic.
However, today’s recommendations against their use reflect ongoing uncertainty about how the drugs produce an effect on the body, and evidence of little or no effect on survival and other important measures, such as the risk of hospital admission and the need for mechanical ventilation. There is also a lack of reliable data on COVID-19-related serious harms associated with these drugs, WHO said.
– global bihari bureau
