World Sets Record For Daily Covid-19 Cases: WHO
by Joe WalshTopline
The world set a new record for Covid-19 cases on Sunday, with 307,930 new confirmed infections reported globally by the World Health Organization, a jarring reminder that much of the world is still grappling with a severe outbreak.
Key Facts
New cases have increased gradually over the last two months, led by a surge in the Americas and India as well as a slight uptick in parts of Europe.
India led the world in new coronavirus infections on Sunday, adding more than 94,000 cases as the country’s Covid-19 outbreak continues to grow rapidly.
The United States reported 45,523 new cases, and Brazil, 43,718; both countries posted slightly lower daily numbers than during their peaks in late July.
Spain and France are struggling with a second wave of the virus, with daily case counts soaring above the levels in the spring.
The WHO also reported 5,537 new coronavirus deaths on Sunday, which trails the world’s mid-April peak of 12,430.
Big Number
28.64 million. That’s the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide since the outbreak began, as of Sunday. The total death toll stood at 917,417.
Key Background
After an initial outbreak in the Chinese province of Hubei, Europe led the world in coronavirus cases and deaths over the spring. Europe managed to subdue the virus after imposing strict lockdowns, but the disease quickly began surging in the United States and several other countries, and Western Europe also experienced a resurgence as residents exited their lockdowns and began interacting more. WHO officials warn that Covid-19 cases will continue to rise if countries fail to encourage physical distancing and aggressively test for the virus.
Crucial Quote
"We are by no means out of the woods," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a speech earlier today. "If we do not keep transmission in check, more people will lose their lives, and there is the real risk of re-introducing so-called lockdown measures that have been so costly.”