Two new variants of the virus traced in Brazil
Geneva: In the week ending on January 17, 2021, the number of new deaths climbed to a record high at 93, 000, a 9% increase from last week even as there was a decline in new COVID-19 cases of 6 per cent from the past week. In all 4.7 million new cases were reported in the past week, and this brought the cumulative numbers to over 93 million reported cases and over 2 million deaths globally since the start of the pandemic.
All regions reported increases in new deaths even as the Americas, Europe, and South-East Asia regions showed declines in new cases, with Europe showing a 15% decline and the Americas and South-East Asia regions showing more moderate declines of 2% and 1% respectively. The Eastern Mediterranean, African, and Western Pacific regions, however, reported increases in new cases, with the Western Pacific showing the largest increase (14%).
The World Health Organisation mentioned in its Weekly Epidemiological Update that case incidence continues to be one of the primary drivers of mortality – where increases in the number of COVID-19 related hospitalisations and deaths follow large numbers of cases after a short time lag.
In the past week, the five countries reporting the highest number of cases were the United States of America (1 583 237 cases, an 11% decrease), Brazil (379 784 cases, a 21% increase), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (339 952 cases, a 19% decrease), the Russian Federation (166 255 cases, 1% increase) and France (125 279 cases, a 2% increase).
with regard to new variants of the virus, since the last update, VOC 202012/01 had been detected in 10 additional countries, territories and areas (hereafter countries). To date, 60 countries across all six WHO regions had reported either imported cases or community transmission of this variant. Several reports of ongoing studies evaluating transmission and severity have now been made available by Public Health England.
Concurrently, variant 501Y.V2 has been reported from three additional countries – now totaling 23 countries across four of the six WHO regions. Moreover, a new variant (named the P.1 variant) has been reported from Brazil (Manaus, Amazonas State), which belongs to Nextstrain clade 20B, GISAID clade GR, and Pangolin lineage B.1.1.28. This variant includes mutations N501Y, E484K, K417T, and deletion in ORF1b (del11288-11296) in the spike protein. In addition to the P.1 variant, another variant within the lineage B.1.1.28 with the E484K mutation (but none of the other mutations) has been reported from Brazil. There is currently little available information to assess if there are changes in transmissibility or severity as a result of these new variants; however, given similar amino acid changes observed in VOC 202012/01 and 501Y.V2, which have shown increased transmissibility and potential impacts on antibody neutralisation, further investigations are needed and are underway, WHO stated.
COVID 19 Situation
South-East Asia Region
The three countries reporting the highest numbers of new cases and new deaths were India (107 701 new cases; 7.8 new cases per 100 000, a 15% decrease), Indonesia (78 256 new cases; 28.6 new cases per 100 000; a 31% increase) and Bangladesh (5681 new cases; 3.4 new cases per 100 000; an 8% decrease).
The three countries reporting the highest numbers of new deaths this week were India (1275 new deaths; 0.1 new death per 100 000, a 18% decrease), Indonesia (1820 new deaths; 0.7 new death per 100 000, a 31% decrease) and Bangladesh (127 new deaths; 0.1 new death per 100 000; a 19% decrease).
Western Pacific Region
The three countries reporting the highest numbers of new cases this week were Japan (41 521 new cases; 32.8 new cases per 100 000, a 4% increase), Malaysia (21 536 new cases; 66.5 new cases per 100 000, a 33% increase) and the Philippines (12 894 new cases; 11.8 new cases per 100 000, a 45% increase).
The three countries reporting the highest numbers of new deaths this week were the Philippines (486 new deaths; 0.4 new deaths per 100 000, a 235% increase), Japan (450 new deaths; 0.4 new deaths per 100 000, similar to previous week) and the Republic of Korea (124 new deaths; 0.2 new deaths per 100 000, a 24% decrease).
Eastern Mediterranean Region
The three countries reporting the highest numbers of new cases continue to be Iran (43 957 new cases, 52.3 new cases per 100 000 population, a 2% increase), Lebanon (33 605 new cases, 492.3 new cases per 100 000, 15% increase) and United Arab Emirates (22 106 new cases, 223.5 new cases per 100 000, 38 % increase). These three countries accounted for almost half (54%) of the new weekly cases in the Region.
The highest numbers of new deaths were reported in Iran (617 new deaths, 0.7 new death per 100 000 population, 7% decrease) followed by Tunisia (463 new deaths, 3.9 new death per 100 000, 19% increase) and Egypt (385 new deaths, 0.4 new death per 100 000, a 4 % decrease). These countries accounted for almost 52% of deaths reported in the Region.
European Region
The three countries reporting the highest numbers of new cases were the United Kingdom (339 952 new cases; 500.8 new cases per 100 000, 19% decrease), the Russian Federation (166 255 new cases, 113.9 new cases per 100 000, 1% increase) and France (125 279 new cases, 191.9 new cases per 100 000, 2% increase). These three countries accounted for almost 40% of all cases reported in the region with the United Kingdom accounting for 21% of all new cases.
The highest numbers of deaths were reported from the United Kingdom (7722 new deaths; 11.4 new deaths per 100 000, 23% increase), Germany (6076 new deaths; 7.3 new deaths per 100 000, similar to the previous week) and the Russian Federation (3729 new deaths; 2.6 new deaths per 100 000, a 12% increase).
African Region
The highest numbers of new cases were reported in South Africa (111 483 new cases; 188 new cases per 100 000 population; a 11% decrease), Nigeria (11 465 new cases; 5.6 new cases per 100 000; a 38% increase) and Zambia (9507 new cases; 51.7 new cases per 100 000; a 78% increase).
The countries reporting the highest number of new deaths in the past week were South Africa (4027 new deaths; 6.8 new deaths per 100 000; a 10% increase), Zimbabwe (200 new deaths; 1.3 new deaths per 100 000; an 89% increase) and Malawi (80 new deaths; 0.4 new deaths per 100 000; a 186% increase).
Region of the Americas
For the past four weeks, the highest numbers of new cases continue to be reported from the United States of America (1 583 237 new cases; 478.3 new cases per 100 000 population; a 11% decrease), Brazil (379 784 new cases; 178.7 new cases per 100 000; a 21% increase) and Colombia (114 611 new cases; 225.2 new cases per 100 000; a 14% increase).
The highest numbers of deaths were reported from the United States of America (23 198 new deaths; 7.0 new deaths per 100 000; a 12% increase), Mexico (6953 new deaths; 5.4 new deaths per 100 000; a 25% increase) and Brazil (6786 new deaths; 3.2 new deaths per 100 000; a 12% increase).
– global bihari bureau
