Covid cases rise for 2nd straight week

Geneva, March 23

The number of new Covid cases globally increased by seven per cent in the last week, driven by rising infections in the Western Pacific, even as reported deaths from Covid fell, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

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There were more than 12 million new weekly cases and just under 33,000 deaths, a 23 per cent decline in mortality, according to the UN health agency’s report on the pandemic issued on Tuesday.

Confirmed cases of the virus had been falling steadily worldwide since January, but rose again last week due to the more infectious Omicron variant and the suspension of Covid protocols in numerous countries in Europe, North America and elsewhere.

Health officials have said repeatedly that Omicron causes milder disease than previous versions of Covid and that vaccination, including a booster, appears highly protective.

The Western Pacific remained the only region where cases are rising. — AP