Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world with more than 90 million confirmed cases in 190 countries and two million deaths.
The virus is surging in many regions and countries that had apparent success in suppressing initial outbreaks are also seeing infections rise again.
The recent jump and fall in the 56-day trend for global cases was caused by Turkey announcing 800,000 previously unreported infections on 10 December. Recent numbers may also be affected by incomplete data over the Christmas period
Coronavirus cases have surged over the past few months in several regions of the world and large numbers of new infections are being reported daily.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the virus will continue to spread rapidly in the coming months.
Coronavirus cases have surged over the past few months in several regions of the world and large numbers of new infections are being reported daily.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the virus will continue to spread rapidly in the coming months.
Which countries have vaccinated the most?
Several coronavirus vaccines have now been approved for use, either by individual countries or groups of countries, such as the European Union and the WHO.
Some 50 countries administering vaccines have published rollout data – 41 of these are high-income nations, eight are middle-income and one low-income.
The supply and distribution of vaccines to those who need them most is a challenge. Some countries have secured more doses than their populations need, while other lower-income countries are relying on the global vaccine plan known as Covax, which is seeking equitable distribution.
“Science has delivered, let’s not waste the opportunity to protect lives of those most at risk and ensure all economies have a fair shot at recovery,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said.
The map above, using figures collated by Our World in Data- a collaboration between Oxford University and an educational charity – shows the total number of doses given per 100 people, mostly first doses.
Most of the jabs approved for use so far rely on two doses, given more than a week apart.
China and the US have given the most doses overall, with than 10 million each, while Israel has administered more than two million.
But when breaking the figures down by population, looking at doses administered per 100 people in the 10 countries giving the most vaccinations, Israel, the UAE and the UK top the list. They have administered about 25, 15 and five doses per 100 people respectfully.
Most countries are prioritising the over-60s, health workers and people who are clinically vulnerable.
US has most cases and deaths
The US has recorded more than 20 million cases and nearly 400,000 deaths from coronavirus, the highest figures in the world.
Daily cases have been at record levels since early November and there are more than 128,000 people in hospital, double the number in either of the two previous waves.
Cases rise in Europe
Many European countries saw a resurgence in cases during the autumn, and most brought back lockdowns and other restrictions to curb infections.
However, the UK is experiencing another steep rise in cases driven by a new, more easily spread, variant of the disease.
Where else has seen high cases?
Asia was the centre of the initial outbreak, but the number of cases there was relatively low until India saw a surge in infections over the summer.
India has recorded more than 10 million cases, the second-highest official total in the world after the US, but the daily number has been falling since September.
In Latin America, Brazil has more than eight million confirmed cases and the world’s second highest death toll. The country is currently seeing a second surge in infections.
Africa has recorded more than three million cases, but the true extent of the pandemic there is not known as testing rates are low.
Concern is growing about a South African variant of the disease which is thought to share some similarities with the new UK strain, including being more easily transmissible.
South Africa, with about 1.3 million cases and more than 35,000 deaths, is the worst affected country on the continent.
Morocco, Egypt, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria and Nigeria are the other African countries to officially record more than 100,000 cases. Kenya is the only other country close to that threshold.
How did coronavirus spread?
The virus, which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19, was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China, in late 2019.
The outbreak spread quickly across the globe in the first months of 2020 and declared a global pandemic by the WHO on 11 March.
A pandemic is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time.
Governments across the world have been forced to limit public movement and close businesses and venues in a bid to slow the spread of the virus. This has had a devastating impact on the global economy.
In November, the International Monetary Fund said that while global economic activity had picked up over the summer there were “signs that the recovery may be losing momentum”. It also warned that the crisis was “likely to leave deep, unequal scars”.
Recent data from UN Women suggested the pandemic could also wipe out 25 years of increasing gender equality.
Source-BBC
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