1

Cases

Deaths

16Dec

13Jan

10Feb

9Mar

6Apr

4May

1Jun

29Jun

27Jul

24Aug

21Sep

19Oct

16Nov

14Dec

11Jan

8Feb

8Mar

5Apr

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31May

28Jun

26Jul

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15Nov

13Dec

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6Feb

6Mar

COVID-19WeeklyEpidemiologicalUpdate

Edition137published06April2023

Inthisedition:

????

Globaloverview

SARS-CoV-2variantsofinterestandvariantofconcern

WHOregionaloverviews

HospitalizationsandICUadmissions

Globaloverview

Dataasof2April2023

Globally,nearly3.3millionnewcasesandover23000deathswerereportedinthelast28days(6Marchto2April2023),adecreaseof28%and30%,respectively,comparedtotheprevious28days(6Februaryto5March2023)(Figure1,Table1).Despitethisoveralldownwardtrend,itisimportanttonotethat74(31%)countrieshavereportedincreasesinnewcasesof20%orgreaterduringthelast28dayscomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod.Asof2April2023,over762millionconfirmedcasesandover6.8milliondeathshavebeenreportedglobally.

CurrenttrendsinreportedCOVID-19casescontinuetobeunderestimatesofthetruenumberofglobalinfectionsandreinfectionsasshownbyprevalencesurveys.1–4Thisispartlyduetothereductionsintestinganddelaysinreportinginmanycountries.Datapresentedinthisreportarethereforeincompleteandshouldbeinterpretedwithcaution.Additionally,datafrompreviousweeksarecontinuouslybeingupdatedtoincorporateretrospectivechangesinreportedCOVID-19casesanddeathsmadebycountries.

Wepresentchangesinepidemiologicaltrendsusinga28-dayinterval.Thiswidertimewindowhelpstoaccountfordelaysinreporting,smoothoutweeklyfluctuationsincasenumbers,andcontinuetoprovideaclearpictureofwherethepandemicisacceleratingordecelerating.Disaggregateddataarestillaccessibleonthe

WHO

COVID-19dashboard,

wherethefulldatasetisavailablefordownload.

Figure1.COVID-19casesreportedbyWHORegion,andglobaldeathsby28-dayintervals,asof2April2023**

450000

400000

120000000

Americas

South-EastAsia

Europe

EasternMediterraneanAfrica

WesternPacific

Deaths

100000000

350000

300000

250000

80000000

60000000

200000

150000

40000000

100000

20000000

50000

0

0

2020

2019

2022

2023

2021

Reported4weekscommencing

**See

Annex1:Data,table,andfigurenote

2

Attheregionallevel,thenumberofnewlyreported28-daycasesdecreasedacrossfourofthesixWHOregions:theWesternPacificRegion(-48%),theAfricanRegion(-30%),theRegionoftheAmericas(-29%),andtheEuropeanRegion(-13%);whilecasesincreasedintwoWHOregions:theEasternMediterraneanRegion(+147%),andtheSouth-EastAsiaRegion(+289%).Thenumberofnewlyreported28-daydeathsdecreasedacrossfourregions:theWesternPacificRegion(-65%),theAfricanRegion(-43%),theRegionoftheAmericas(-34%),andtheEuropeanRegion(-5%);whiledeathsincreasedintwoWHOregions:theEasternMediterraneanRegion(+118%),andtheSouth-EastAsiaRegion(+36%).

Atthecountrylevel,thehighestnumbersofnew28-daycaseswerereportedfromtheUnitedStatesofAmerica(626532newcases;-39%),theRussianFederation(313998newcases;-9%),theRepublicofKorea(271162newcases;-11%),Japan(202631newcases;-61%),andFrance(193359newcases;+98%).Thehighestnumbersofnew28-daydeathswerereportedfromtheUnitedStatesofAmerica(7458newdeaths;-31%),theUnitedKingdom(2678newdeaths;-7%),Japan(1168newdeaths;-65%),Germany(1090newdeaths;-39%),andtheRussianFederation(1014newdeaths;similartothepreviousweek).

Table1.NewlyreportedandcumulativeCOVID-19confirmedcasesanddeaths,byWHORegion,asof2April2023**

Newcasesinlast28days(%)

Changeinnewcasesinlast28days*

Cumulativecases(%)

Newdeathsinlast28days(%)

Changeinnewdeaths inlast28days*

Cumulativedeaths(%)

Europe

1384908

(42%)

-13%

274837959

(36%)

10417

(44%)

-5%

2209482(32%)

Americas

1047358

(32%)

-29%

191734288

(25%)

10152

(43%)

-34%

2944706(43%)

WesternPacific

736177

(23%)

-48%

201915129

(26%)

2494

(10%)

-65%

408974(6%)

South-EastAsia

46332

(1%)

289%

60816269

(8%)

228

(1%)

36%

804106(12%)

Eastern

Mediterranean

42675

(1%)

147%

23306010

(3%)

537

(2%)

118%

350127(5%)

Africa

12036

(<1%)

-30%

9518290

(1%)

21

(<1%)

-43%

175333(3%)

Global

3269486

(100%)

-28%

762128709

(100%)

23849

(100%)

-30%

6892741(100%)

WHORegion

*Percentchangeinthenumberofnewlyconfirmedcases/deathsinthepast28days,comparedto28daysprior.Datafrompreviousweeksare

updatedcontinuouslywithadjustmentsreceivedfromcountries.

**See

Annex1:Data,table,andfigurenotes

ThelatestdataandotherupdatesonCOVID-19,pleasesee:

?

WHOCOVID-19Dashboard

?

WHOMonthlyOperationalUpdate

andpasteditionsoftheWeeklyEpidemiologicalUpdateonCOVID-19?

WHOCOVID-19detailedsurveillancedatadashboard

?

WHOCOVID-19policybriefs

3

Figure2.PercentagechangeinconfirmedCOVID-19casesoverthelast28daysrelativetotheprevious28days,asof2April2023**

**See

Annex1:Data,table,andfigurenotes

4

Figure3.PercentagechangeinconfirmedCOVID-19deathsoverthelast28daysrelativetotheprevious28days,asof2April2023**

**See

Annex1:Data,table,andfigurenotes

5

SARS-CoV-2variantsofinterestandvariantsundermonitoring

Geographicspreadandprevalence

Globally,from5Marchto2April2023(28days),65864SARS-CoV-2sequencesweresharedthroughGISAID.

Currently,WHOiscloselytrackingonevariantofinterest(VOI),XBB.1.5,andsevenvariantsundermonitoring(VUMs).TheVUMsareBA.2.75,CH.1.1,BQ.1,XBF,XBB,XBB.1.16,andXBB.1.9.1.On30March2023,XBB.1.9.1wasaddedtothelistofVUMsduetotheF486Pmutation(sharedwithXBB.1.5andXBB.1.16).XBB.1.16andXBB.1.9.1havethesamespikemutationprofileasXBB.1.5(E180VandF486P);andadditionalmutationsintheopenreadingframeregions,theeffectsofwhicharenotwellcharacterized.Mutationsatposition478oftheSARS-CoV-2spikeproteinhavebeenassociatedwithdecreasedantibodyneutralization,increasedtransmissibility,andpathogenicity.i,ii,iii,ivAsof2April,atotalof1497XBB.1.16and9644sequencesXBB.1.9.1havebeenreportedfrom27and68countries,respectively.

Todate,therehavebeennoreportsofhigherseverityforthecurrentlycirculatingvariants,althoughsomecountrieshavereportedanincreaseinhospitalizationsfollowingariseincaseincidence.However,therehavebeennoreportedrisesinICUadmissionsordeathsduetoanyofthecurrentlycirculatingXBBdescendentlineages.TherearecurrentlynoreportedlaboratorystudiesonmarkersofdiseaseseverityforXBB.1.5,XBB.1.16orXBB.1.9.1.

Globally,XBB.1.5accountedfor47.1%ofcasesinepidemiologicalweek11(13to19March2023),comparedto39.8%inweek7(13to19February2023).Todate,XBB.1.5hasbeendetectedin94countries.AcomparisonofsequencessubmittedtoGISAIDfromweek7toweek11showsdecliningtrendsforallVUMsexceptforXBB,XBB.1.16,andXBB.1.9.1.Table2showsthenumberofcountriesreportingtheVOIandVUMs,andtheirprevalencefromweek7toweek11.

iSARS-CoV-2variants,spikemutationsandimmuneescape:

/articles/s41579-021-00573-0

iiEmergingVaccine-BreakthroughSARS-CoV-2Variants:

/research/coronavirus/publication/35133792

iiiSARS-CoV-2SpikeMutations,L452R,T478K,E484QandP681R,intheSecondWaveofCOVID-19inMaharashtra,India:

/research/coronavirus/publication/34361977

ivAntibody-MediatedNeutralizationofAuthenticSARS-CoV-2B.1.617VariantsHarbouringL452RandT478K/E484Q:

/research/coronavirus/publication/34578275

6

Table2.WeeklyprevalenceofSARS-CoV-2VOIsandVUMs,week7toweek11of2023

Lineage

Countries

Sequences

2023-07

2023-08

2023-09

2023-10

2023-11

XBB.1.5*(VOI)

94

139228

39.83

43.61

45.97

48.32

47.14

BA.2.75*

121

102656

6.05

5.87

5.16

2.84

1.59

CH.1.1*

88

38888

6.91

6.70

6.50

5.80

5.04

BQ.1*

142

406210

18.68

14.79

11.07

8.52

6.92

XBB*

122

74221

5.52

6.69

8.16

11.80

15.26

XBB.1.9.1*

59

8212

2.03

2.96

4.26

5.46

5.96

XBF*

48

8505

1.25

1.24

1.10

1.26

0.87

Unassigned

96

292690

9.17

8.99

10.91

10.28

13.77

Other+

207

6690563

1.28

1.10

1.12

1.05

1.02

XBB.1.16§

27

1497

0.12

0.25

0.60

1.32

2.15

*

Denotesdescendentlineages.

§TheprevalenceofXBB.1.16wasextractedfromGISAIDon5April2023usingthenucleotidesT12730A,T28297C,A28447G.+OthersareothercirculatinglineagesexcludingtheVOI,VUMs,BA.1*,BA.2*,BA.3*,BA.4*,BA.5*.

Additionalresources

?????

TrackingSARS-CoV-2Variants

WHOstatementonupdatedtrackingsystemonSARS-CoV-2variantsofconcernandvariantsofinterest

WHOXBB.1.5rapidriskassessment,24February2023

GenomicsequencingofSARS-CoV-2:aguidetoimplementationformaximumimpactonpublichealth

VIEW-hub:repositoryforthemostrelevantandrecentvaccinedata

7

WHOregionaloverviews

Datafor6Marchto2April2023

AfricanRegion

TheAfricanRegionreportedover12000newcases,a30%decreaseascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod.Thirteen(26%)ofthe50countriesforwhichdataareavailablereportedincreasesinnewcasesof20%orgreater,withthehighestproportionalincreasesobservedinSaoTomeandPrincipe(156vsonenewcases;+15500%),Guinea-Bissau(390vssevennewcases;+5471%),andMauritania(76vstwonewcases;+3700%).ThehighestnumbersofnewcaseswerereportedfromSouthAfrica(6790newcases;11.4newcasesper100000;-21%),Mauritius(1432newcases;112.6newcasesper100000;+20%),andEthiopia(525newcases;<1newcaseper100000;+33%).

Thenumberofnew28-daydeathsintheRegiondecreasedby43%ascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod,with21newdeathsreported.ThehighestnumbersofnewdeathswerereportedfromZimbabwe(10newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;-17%),Cameroon(fournewdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;+300%),andUganda(twonewdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;nodeathreportedtheprevious28-dayperiod).

Cases

1200000

1000000

800000

600000

400000

200000

0

Dec

16

01

CasesAfricanRegion

Deaths

2

13Jan

10Feb

9Mar

6Apr

4May

1Jun

29Jun

27Jul

24Aug

21Sep

19Oct

16Nov

14Dec

92020

11Jan

8Feb

8Mar

5Apr

3May

31May

28Jun

26Jul

23Aug

20Sep

18Oct

15Nov

13Dec

2021

10Jan

7Feb

7Mar

4Apr

2May

30May

27Jun

25Jul

22Aug

19Sep

17Oct

14Nov

12Dec

2022

9Jan

2023

Reported4weekscommencing

20000

18000

16000

14000

12000

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

0

Deaths

Updatesfromthe

AfricanRegion

RegionoftheAmericas

TheRegionoftheAmericasreportedoveronemillionnewcases,a29%decreaseascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod.Fourteen(25%)ofthe56countriesforwhichdataareavailablereportedincreasesinnewcasesof20%orgreater,withthehighestproportionalincreasesobservedinSaba(71vsonenewcases;+7000%),SaintBarthélemy(37vs10newcases;+270%),andSaintVincentandtheGrenadines(11vsfivenewcases;+120%).ThehighestnumbersofnewcaseswerereportedfromtheUnitedStatesofAmerica(626532newcases;189.3newcasesper100000;-39%),Brazil(182610newcases;85.9newcasesper100000;-13%),andChile(86560newcases;452.8newcasesper100000;+69%).

Thenumberofnew28-daydeathsintheRegiondecreasedby34%ascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod,with10152newdeathsreported.ThehighestnumbersofnewdeathswerereportedfromtheUnitedStatesofAmerica(7458newdeaths;2.3newdeathsper100000;-31%),Brazil(963newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;-50%),andCanada(593newdeaths;1.6newdeathsper100000;-20%).

Cases

35000000

30000000

25000000

20000000

15000000

10000000

5000000

0

13Jan

10Feb

9Mar

6Apr

4May

1Jun

29Jun

27Jul

24Aug

21Sep

19Oct

16Nov

14Dec

11Jan

8Feb

8Mar

5Apr

3May

31May

28Jun

26Jul

23Aug

20Sep

18Oct

15Nov

13Dec

10Jan

7Feb

7Mar

4Apr

2May

30May

27Jun

25Jul

22Aug

19Sep

17Oct

14Nov

12Dec

9Jan

6Feb

6Mar

CasesRegionoftheAmericas

Deaths

16Dec

201

92020

2021

2022

2023

Reported4weekscommencing

Deaths

250000

200000

150000

100000

50000

0

Updatesfromthe

RegionoftheAmericas

8

EasternMediterraneanRegion

TheEasternMediterraneanRegionreportedover42000newcases,a147%increaseascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod.Eleven(50%)ofthe22countriesforwhichdataareavailablereportedincreasesinnewcasesof20%orgreater,withthehighestproportionalincreasesobservedinKuwait(1666vs310newcases;+437%),Somalia(10vstwonewcases;+400%),andPakistan(2687vs729newcases;+269%).ThehighestnumbersofnewcaseswerereportedfromtheIslamicRepublicofIran(18771newcases;22.3newcasesper100000;+268%),theUnitedArabEmirates(5481newcases;55.4newcasesper100000;+96%),andQatar(4826newcases;167.5newcasesper100000;+139%).

Thenumberofnew28-daydeathsintheRegionincreasedby118%ascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod,with537newdeathsreported.ThehighestnumbersofnewdeathswerereportedfromtheIslamicRepublicofIran(418newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;+243%),Lebanon(33newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;-21%),andTunisia(31newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;+35%).

Cases

2500000

2000000

1500000

1000000

500000

0

CasesEasternMediterraneanRegion

Deaths

2

16Dec

13Jan

10Feb

9Mar

6Apr

4May

1Jun

29Jun

27Jul

24Aug

21Sep

19Oct

16Nov

14Dec

0192020

11Jan

8Feb

8Mar

5Apr

3May

31May

28Jun

26Jul

23Aug

20Sep

18Oct

15Nov

13Dec

10Jan

7Feb

7Mar

4Apr

2May

30May

27Jun

25Jul

22Aug

19Sep

17Oct

14Nov

12Dec

2022

2021

9Jan

2023

Reported4weekscommencing

30000

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

0

Deaths

Updatesfromthe

EasternMediterraneanRegion

EuropeanRegion

TheEuropeanRegionreportedover1.3millionnewcases,a13%decreaseascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod.Twenty-two(36%)ofthe61countriesforwhichdataareavailablereportedincreasesinnewcasesof20%orgreater,withthehighestproportionalincreasesobservedinUkraine(66723vs26127newcases;+155%),Bulgaria(3131vs1452newcases;+116%),andFrance(193359vs97903newcases;+98%).ThehighestnumbersofnewcaseswerereportedfromtheRussianFederation(313998newcases;215.2newcasesper100000;-9%),France(193359newcases;297.3newcasesper100000;+98%),andGermany(139261newcases;167.4newcasesper100000;-64%).

Thenumberofnew28-daydeathsintheRegiondecreasedby5%ascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod,with10417newdeathsreported.ThehighestnumbersofnewdeathswerereportedfromtheUnitedKingdom(2678newdeaths;3.9newdeathsper100000;-7%),Germany(1090newdeaths;1.3newdeathsper100000;-39%),andtheRussianFederation(1014newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;similarwiththeprevious28-day).

Cases

50000000

45000000

40000000

35000000

30000000

25000000

20000000

15000000

10000000

5000000

0

Dec

16

01

Cases

EuropeanRegion

Deaths

2

13Jan

10Feb

9Mar

6Apr

4May

1Jun

29Jun

27Jul

24Aug

21Sep

19Oct

16Nov

14Dec

92020

11Jan

8Feb

8Mar

5Apr

3May

31May

28Jun

26Jul

23Aug

20Sep

18Oct

15Nov

13Dec

10Jan

7Feb

7Mar

4Apr

2May

30May

27Jun

25Jul

22Aug

19Sep

17Oct

14Nov

12Dec

2021

2022

9Jan

2023

Reported4weekscommencing

Deaths

180000

160000

140000

120000

100000

80000

60000

40000

20000

0

Updatesfromthe

EuropeanRegion

9

South-EastAsiaRegion

TheSouth-EastAsiaRegionreportedover46000newcases,a289%increaseascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod.Seven(64%)ofthe11countriesforwhichdataareavailablereportedincreasesinnewcasesof20%orgreater,withthehighestproportionalincreasesobservedinIndia(34785vs4457newcases;+680%),Nepal(272vs43newcases;+533%),andtheMaldives(72vs17newcases;+324%).ThehighestnumbersofnewcaseswerereportedfromIndia(34785newcases;2.5newcasesper100000;+680%),Indonesia(10204newcases;3.7newcasesper100000;+69%),andThailand(617newcases;<1newcaseper100000;-35%).

Thenumberofnew28-daydeathsintheRegionincreasedby36%ascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod,with228newdeathsreported.ThehighestnumbersofnewdeathswerereportedfromIndia(106newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;+253%),Indonesia(97newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;-1%),andThailand(20newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;-44%).

Cases

10000000

9000000

8000000

7000000

6000000

5000000

4000000

3000000

2000000

1000000

0

16Dec

13Jan

10Feb

9Mar

6Apr

4May

1Jun

29Jun

27Jul

24Aug

21Sep

19Oct

16Nov

14Dec

11Jan

8Feb

8Mar

5Apr

3May

31May

28Jun

26Jul

23Aug

20Sep

18Oct

15Nov

13Dec

10Jan

7Feb

7Mar

4Apr

2May

30May

27Jun

25Jul

22Aug

19Sep

17Oct

14Nov

12Dec

9Jan

6Feb

6Mar

CasesSouth-EastAsiaRegion

Deaths

201

92020

2021

2022

2023

Reported4weekscommencing

Deaths

140000

120000

100000

80000

60000

40000

20000

0

Updatesfromthe

South-EastAsiaRegion

WesternPacificRegion

TheWesternPacificRegionreportedover736000newcases,a48%decreaseascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod.Seven(20%)ofthe35countriesforwhichdataareavailablereportedincreasesinnewcasesof20%orgreater,withthehighestproportionalincreasesobservedinSamoa(248vs25newcases;+892%),theMarshallIslands(364vs65newcases;+460%),andMicronesia(FederatedStatesof)(1508vs524newcases;+188%).ThehighestnumbersofnewcaseswerereportedfromtheRepublicofKorea(271162newcases;528.9newcasesper100000;-11%),Japan(202631newcases;160.2newcasesper100000;-61%),andChina(136071newcases;9.2newcasesper100000;-69%).

Thenumberofnew28-daydeathsintheRegiondecreasedby65%ascomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod,with2494newdeathsreported.ThehighestnumbersofnewdeathswerereportedfromJapan(1168newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;-65%),China(715newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;-73%),andtheRepublicofKorea(247newdeaths;<1newdeathper100000;-41%).

Cases

100000000

90000000

80000000

70000000

60000000

50000000

40000000

30000000

20000000

10000000

0

CasesWesternPacificRegion

Deaths

2

16Dec

01

13Jan

10Feb

9Mar

6Apr

4May

1Jun

29Jun

27Jul

24Aug

21Sep

19Oct

16Nov

14Dec

92020

11Jan

8Feb

8Mar

5Apr

3May

31May

28Jun

26Jul

23Aug

20Sep

18Oct

15Nov

13Dec

2021

10Jan

7Feb

7Mar

4Apr

2May

30May

27Jun

25Jul

22Aug

19Sep

17Oct

14Nov

12Dec

2022

9Jan

2023

Reported4weekscommencing

70000

60000

50000

40000

30000

20000

10000

0

Deaths

Updatesfromthe

WesternPacificRegion

10

HospitalizationsandICUadmissions

Atthegloballevel,duringthepast28days(27Februaryto26March2023),atotalof63376newhospitalizationsand2561newintensivecareunit(ICU)admissionswerereported.Thisrepresentsa0.4%increaseinnewhospitalizationsanda2%reductioninICUadmissionscomparedtotheprevious28days(30Januaryto26February2023).Thepresentedhospitalizationdataarepreliminaryandmightchangeasnewdatabecomeavailable.Furthermore,hospitalizationdataaresubjecttoreportingdelays.ThesedataalsolikelyincludebothhospitalizationswithincidentalcasesofSARS-CoV-2infectionandthoseduetoCOVID-19disease.

Globally,duringthepast28days,50(21%)countriesreporteddatatoWHOonnewhospitalizationsatleastonce.TheEuropeanRegionhadthehighestproportionofcountriesreportingdataonnewhospitalizations(23countries;38%),followedbytheEasternMediterraneanRegion(sevencountries;32%),theSouth-EastAsiaRegion(threecountries;27%),theAfricanRegion(ninecountries;18%),theRegionoftheAmericas(fivecountries;9%),andtheWesternPacificRegion(threecountries;9%).Theproportionofcountriesthatconsistentlyvreportednewhospitaladmissionsfortheperiodwas13%(31countries).

Amongthe31countriesconsistentlyreportingnewhospitalizations,nine(29%)countriesregisteredanincreaseof20%orgreaterinhospitalizationsduringthepast28dayscomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod:Qatar(120vs48;+150%),BosniaandHerzegovina(207vs123;+68%),theNetherlands(2880vs1744;+65%),Ukraine(16535vs11376;+45%),Malta(73vs51;+43%),Belgium(3644vs2593;+41%),France(9040vs7163;+26%),Latvia(616vs497;+24%),andKyrgyzstan(55vs45;+22%).ThehighestnumberofnewhospitalizationswasreportedfromUkraine(16535vs11376;+45%),France(9040vs7163;+26%),andItaly(4398vs6376;-31%).

AcrossthesixWHOregions,inthepast28days,atotalof37(16%)countriesreporteddatatoWHOonnewICUadmissionsatleastonce.TheEuropeanRegionhadthehighestproportionofcountriesreportingdataonnewICUadmissions(18countries;30%),followedbytheEasternMediterraneanRegion(fivecountries;23%),theWesternPacificRegion(fivecountries;14%),theSouth-EastAsiaRegion(onecountry;9%),theAfricanRegion(fourcountries;8%),andtheRegionoftheAmericas(fourcountries;7%).TheproportionofcountriesthatconsistentlyvreportednewICUadmissionsfortheperiodwas11%(25countries).

Amongthe25countriesconsistentlyvreportingnewICUadmissions,eight(32%)countriesshowedanincreaseof20%orgreaterinnewICUadmissionsduringthepast28dayscomparedtotheprevious28-dayperiod:BruneiDarussalam(fourvsone;+300%),Netherlands(179vs103;74%),Pakistan(21vs13;+62%),Estonia(eightvsfive;+60%),Chile(43vs27;+59%),Czechia(128vs98;+31%),andQatar(fivevsfour;+25%).ThehighestnumbersofnewICUadmissionswerereportedfromFrance(852vs715;+19%),Ukraine(458vs418;+10%),andItaly(179vs103;+74%).

v“Consistently”asusedherereferstocountriesthatsubmitteddatafornewhospitalizationsandintensivecareunitadmissionsforthefourconsecutiveweeksthatmakeupthe28-dayperiod.

11

Figure4.COVID-19cases,deaths,hospitalizations,andICUadmissionsreportedweeklytoWHO,asof26March2023

Note:Recentweeksaresubjecttoreportingdelaysandshouldnotbeinterpretedasadecliningtrend.

Source:

WHODetailedSurveillanceDashboard

12

Annex1.Data,table,andfigurenotes

Datapresentedarebasedonofficiallaboratory-confirmedCOVID-19casesanddeathsreportedtoWHObycountry/territories/areas,largelybaseduponWHO

casedefinitions

and

surveillanceguidance.

Whilestepsaretakentoensureaccuracyandreliability,alldataaresubjecttocontinuousverificationandchange,andcautionmustbetakenwheninterpretingthesedataasseveralfactorsinfluencethecountspresented,withvariableunderestimationoftruecaseanddeathincidences,andvariabledelaystoreflectingthesedataatthegloballevel.Casedetection,inclusioncriteria,testingstrategies,reportingpractices,anddatacut-offandlagtimesdifferbetweencountries/territories/areas.Asmallnumberofcountries/territories/areasreportcombinedprobableandlaboratory-confirmedcases.DifferencesaretobeexpectedbetweeninformationproductspublishedbyWHO,nationalpublichealthauthorities,andothersources.

Arecordofhistoricdataadjustmentmadeisavailableuponrequestbyemailing

epi-data-support@.

Pleasespecifythecountriesofinterest,timeperiod,andpurposeoftherequest/intendedusage.Priorsituationreportswillnotbeedited;see

forthemostup-to-datedata.COVID-19confirmedcasesanddeathsreportedinthelastsevendaysbycountries,territories,andareas,andWHORegion(reportedinpreviousissues)arenowavailableat:

/table.

‘Countries’mayrefertocountries,territories,areasorotherjurisdictionsofsimilarstatus.Thedesignation