Global COVID-19 Cases Near 100 Million... 1 in 4 Cases Are in the United States

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The total number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) worldwide is on the verge of surpassing 100 million. It has been 392 days since the first patient was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) in China on December 31 last year.

According to the international statistics site Worldometer, as of 9:42 a.m. on the 25th, the cumulative number of confirmed cases worldwide is 99,734,823. It has been only 14 days since the number reached 90 million on the 11th. The death toll has also exceeded 2.13 million.

One in four confirmed cases worldwide occurred in the United States. The cumulative number of confirmed cases in the U.S. is the highest at 25,692,159. India ranks second, far surpassing 10 million cases. Following are Brazil (8,844,577), Russia (3,719,400), and the United Kingdom (3,647,463).

Since last month, more than 50 countries worldwide, including the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union (EU), Israel, Mexico, and China, have started COVID-19 vaccinations, but due to vaccine shortages, the increase in confirmed cases is still faster than the vaccination rate. Moreover, the spread of variant viruses, known to be about 1.5 times more transmissible, is making it difficult to contain the outbreak.

In the United Kingdom, where the variant virus was first discovered, variants from South Africa (Nam-Africa) and Brazil have also been confirmed. On the 24th (local time), the UK Department of Health announced that 77 and 9 confirmed cases of the South African and Brazilian variant viruses, respectively, had been reported, according to major foreign media. All confirmed cases of the South African variant virus were people who had traveled to South Africa or had contact with them. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said, "An epidemiological investigation is currently underway for those infected with the Brazilian variant virus."

The UK variant virus has spread to at least 60 countries within about a month since it was first confirmed on the 11th of last month. European countries are strengthening or extending lockdowns to prevent the spread of the variant virus. Belgium is banning entry and exit for non-essential purposes such as tourism until March 1. In France, despite a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next day, the government is preparing for a third lockdown as the spread does not decrease, according to local media. Israel will ban the takeoff and landing of all international passenger flights for six days from midnight on the 26th until the 31st.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.