Outbreak Brief 151: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic

Outbreak Update: As of 6 December 2022, a total of 642,379,243 COVID-19 cases and 6,624,118 deaths (case fatality ratio [CFR]: 1%) have been reported globally by 232 countries and territories to the World Health Organization (WHO). The distribution of cumulative cases (percentage of global cases) from the WHO regions (excluding Africa) are as follows: Eastern Mediterranean Region 23,202,313 (4%), European Region 265,252,308 (41%), Region of the Americas 182,624,275 (28%), South-East Asia Region 60,689,211 (9%) and Western Pacific Region
100,196,020 (16%). In the last seven days, the five countries reporting the highest number of new cases are Japan (700,778), France (388,520), the Republic of Korea (371,407), United States of America (288,901) and Germany (162,397). As of 5 December 2022, over 5 billion people (63% of the global population) have been fully vaccinated. For more detailed information on cases and deaths reported outside of Africa, refer to the WHO COVID-19 dashboard.
As of 6 p.m. East African Time (EAT) 5 December 2022, a total of 12,130,909 COVID-19 cases and 256,221 deaths (CFR: 2.1%) have been reported by the 55 African Union (AU) Member States (MS). This represents 2% of all cases and 4% of all deaths reported globally. Forty-four (80%) AU MS are reporting CFRs higher than the global CFR. Since the detection of COVID-19 on the African continent (in February 2020), 53 (96%) AU MS have experienced three distinct COVID-19 waves, 48 (87%) MS have experienced four waves, 28 MS have experienced five waves, 6 MS have experienced a sixth wave and one MS (Kenya) has experienced a seventh wave.
Fifty-three MS have reported COVID-19 cases infected with the Alpha (50 MS), Beta (45), Delta (52), Gamma (3) and Omicron (51) variants of concern (VOC). Additionally, 32 MS have detected the Omicron BA.2 sub-variant, while 23 MS detected the Omicron BA.4, 20 MS detected the Omicron BA.5, 7 MS detected the BA.2.75 and 5 MS detected the Omicron XBB sub-variants. More information on SARS-COV-2 sequencing and the breakdown of variants reported by AU MS is available on the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative Dashboard.