50% global cases, 25% deaths from India, says WHO

India accounted for nearly half of the Covid-19 cases reported worldwide last week, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday, as the country’s coronavirus deaths rose by a record 3,780 during the last 24 hours.

The WHO said in its weekly epidemiological report that India accounted for 46% of global cases and 25% of global deaths reported in the past week.

Daily infections in the country rose by 382,315 on Wednesday, health ministry data showed, the 14th straight day of more than 300,000 cases.

India accounted for 46% of the new Covid-19 cases recorded worldwide last week and one in four of deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.

The surge of the coronavirus in India, including of a highly infectious new variant first identified there, has seen hospitals runs out of beds and oxygen, and morgues and crematoriums overflowing. Many people have died in ambulances and car parks waiting for a bed or oxygen. Worldwide, 5.7 million new cases were reported last week and more than 93,000 deaths, the WHO said in its weekly epidemiological report. India reported nearly 2.6 million new cases, a 20% increase on the previous week, and 23,231 deaths.

The figures are based on official tallies, so India’s proportion could be even larger if, as many experts believe, a large number of cases and deaths are not being recorded there as the system becomes overwhelmed. India accounts for almost 18% of the world’s population. There are signs that India’s outbreak is spreading to its neighbours. Nepal recorded a 137% increase in cases to 31,088 last week, while Sri Lanka’s Covid-19 outbreak was also growing, the WHO said.

On Tuesday India became the second country to record 20 million infections, after the United States. India’s coronavirus deaths rose by a record 3,780 during the last 24 hours, with daily infections rising by 382,315 on Wednesday, health ministry data showed.

On Monday, WHO had pleaded with the G7 group of wealthy nations to dig deep and fund the global Covid-19 recovery, warning the crisis cannot be resolved worldwide if they do not step up.

Earlier, WHO had said it had listed Moderna for emergency use as its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) had found the vaccine to have an efficacy of 94.1 %. The US vaccine is the fifth jab to earn WHO’s emergency listing. The others are Pfizer BioNTech; AstraZeneca; Serum Institute of India; and Janssen.

INDIA REPORTED NEARLY 2.6 MILLION NEW CASES, A 20% INCREASE ON THE PREVIOUS WEEK, AND 23,231 DEATHS