Delta variant detected in 135 countries, cases to exceed 200 million by next week: WHO

The World Health Organization has declared that the highly contagious Delta form of COVID-19 has already been detected in 135 countries. It is speculated that the total number of coronavirus infections reported globally might surpass 200 million by next week. According to WHO's COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update, 132 countries have reported instances of the Beta variation, and 81 countries have reported cases of the Gamma version. The instances of the Alpha variation have been recorded in 182 nations, territories, or regions. On the other hand, as per research, the cases of the Delta variant initially detected in India, have now been reported in 135 countries.  

The number of new cases in the world has been rising for more than a month now. As per the latest data, more than 4 million instances were recorded in the last week, from July 26 to August 1. This upward pattern may be linked to the significant rises in the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions, which had 37% and 33% increases in the previous week. At the same time, the South-East Asia region saw a 9% gain. 

With almost 64,000 fatalities recorded this week, the number of deaths reported overall fell by 8% from the previous week. However, there is a sharp increase in death percentage in the Western Pacific (48%) and Eastern Mediterranean Regions (31%). The total number of cases recorded worldwide has already surpassed 197 million, with 4.2 million fatalities. 

WHO will continue to help, says Director-General

On Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated at a press conference on the shortage of supplies that although high-income nations have already delivered nearly 100 doses per 100 people, low-income countries got only 1.5 doses per 100 people. As a result, the WHO is advocating for a booster ban until at least the end of September to allow at least 10% of each nation's population to get vaccinated. The World Health Organization aims to help every country vaccinate at least 10% of its population by the end of September, 70% by the middle of next year and at least 40% in the end.  

Despite accounting for less than half of the world's population, more than four billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been delivered globally, with over 80% going to high- and upper-middle-income nations. 

Ghebreyesus has said that while he understands all governments' concerns about protecting their citizens from the Delta variant, he cannot accept that countries who have already used up vaccines from the majority global supply are using even more of it. At the same time, the world's most vulnerable people from poor nations remain unprotected. 

In the recent week, the countries with the highest number of new covid cases were e reported by the United States, India, Indonesia, Brazil and Iran. On the other hand, Olympic athletes, investors, business leaders, religious leaders, and every individual in their own family and community were asked to endorse the global health agency's demand for a booster shot embargo until at least the end of September. 

In response to the Delta outbreak, the Rapid ACT-Accelerator Delta Response, or RADAR, was launched by the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, which has issued an urgent request for $7.7 billion in testing and treatments, and vaccinations. 

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