Update on the ongoing Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Global Epidemic, Brief #83

Outbreak Update: Since the last brief (10 August 2021), 4,556,501 new confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, including 68,634 new deaths, have been reported globally. To date, a global total of 207,218,563 COVID-19 cases and 4,362,968 related deaths (case fatality ratio (CFR): 2.1%) have been reported from 225 countries and territories to the World Health Organization (WHO). The distribution of cumulative cases (proportion of global cases) from the WHO reporting regions (excluding Africa) are as follows: Eastern Mediterranean Region 11,648,839 (6%), European Region 62,600,959 (30%), Region of the Americas 80,203,540 (39%), South-East Asia Region 39,992,613 (19%) and Western Pacific Region 5,394,531 (3%). In the last seven days, the five countries reporting the highest number of new cases globally are the United States (778,272), Islamic Republic of Iran (267,092), India (255,559), Brazil (198,363) and The United Kingdom (198,075). For more detailed information on cases and deaths reported outside of Africa, refer to the WHO COVID-19 dashboard.

As of 9 a.m. East African Time (EAT) 17 August 2021, a total of 7,314,632 COVID-19 cases and 184,565 deaths (CFR: 2.5%) have been reported in 55 African Union (AU) Member States. This represents 3.5% of all cases and 4.2% of all deaths reported globally. Twenty-two (40%) AU Member States are reporting CFRs higher than the global CFR. Fifty-four (98%) AU Member States have experienced at least a second wave, 36 (65%) have experienced a third wave, and four countries (Algeria, Kenya, Somalia, and Tunisia) have experienced a fourth wave of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. Figure 1 shows the trend of new COVID-19 cases reported per day by AU region from 15 February 2020 to 17 August 2021. Overall, there is a downward trend in the number of new cases being reported by day and this is still influenced by declining numbers being reported from the Southern region. More information on COVID-19 situation in Africa is available on the Africa CDC daily dashboard and hotspot dashboard.