PAHO: COVID-19 Infections Increase by 11% In the Americas

COVID-19 cases in the Americas increased 11 percent last week over the previous week, with a total of 1.2 million new cases and 4,069 new deaths reported, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in its most recent update of pandemic data in the region.

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COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in the region over the past eight weeks, with cases up 11 percent from the previous week and deaths up 19.4 percent, said PAHO Director-General Clarisse Ettienne.

The directive also noted that of the 34 countries and territories for which data is available, hospitalizations associated with Covid-19 increased in 15 of them during the previous week, and admissions to Intensive Care Units (ICU) increased in 10 countries and territories.

According to the information, South America recorded the largest increase in cases, with a 20 percent increase, while in Central America both infections and deaths fell by 32 percent, in contrast to the previous report two weeks ago, when Central America had recorded the largest increase in deaths related to the pandemic.

Covid-19 cases in the Americas increased 11% last week compared to the previous one, with 1.2 million new cases and 4,069 new deaths, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said at a press conference on Wednesday.

In contrast, in the United States, there was a 2 percent increase in hospitalizations and a 4.2 percent increase in ICU admissions for the seventh consecutive week. In Mexico, more than 31 000 cases were reported, an increase of 71 percent.

In the Caribbean, cases increased 3.7 percent, while deaths decreased 19 percent compared to the previous week. In this region, Cuba marked the 11th consecutive week of low Covid-19-related cases, with high vaccination coverage, less than 100 active cases, and more than a month with no deaths in a population of 11 million.

According to Etienne, "health systems are coping because most people in the Americas region are vaccinated against the virus and better protected against serious illness and death," although only 16 countries have surpassed the barrier of having at least 70 percent of the eligible population already vaccinated.

"However, too many people remain unvaccinated and are at much greater risk of needing a hospital bed or even dying from COVID-19," the PAHO director-general said.