The number of coronavirus deaths fell by 9% in the last week while new cases remained relatively stable, according to the latest weekly pandemic report released by the World Health Organization Wednesday.
The UN health agency said there were more than 14,000 COVID-19 deaths in the last week and nearly 7 million new infections. The Western Pacific reported a 30% jump in cases while Africa reported a 46% drop. Cases also fell by more than 20% in the Americas and the Middle East.
The number of new deaths rose by 19% in the Middle East, while dropping by more than 70% in Africa, 15% in Europe and 10% in the Americas.
The WHO said that the omicron subvariant BA.5 remains dominant globally, accounting for nearly 70% of all virus sequences shared with the world’s biggest publicly available virus database. The agency said other omicron subvariants, including BA.4 and BA.2, appear to be decreasing in prevalence as BA.5 takes over.
The WHO cautioned that its assessment of COVID-19 trends remains compromised by countries dropping many of their testing, surveillance and sequencing efforts as most countries have relaxed pandemic controls.
Still, Chinese authorities have announced new restrictions this week, after finding COVID-19 cases in the tourist island of Hainan and in Tibet. Earlier this week, the Chinese government shut down Lhasa’s Potala Palace, the traditional home of the Dalai Lama, and also locked down Haikou, the capital of Hainan, in addition to several other cities including the beach resort Sanya.
About 80,000 tourists were stranded this week in Sanya after Chinese officials declared it a COVID-19 hot spot and required people to test negative five times within a week before being allowed to leave.
On Tuesday, the Chinese government sent a first planeload of 125 tourists out of Sanya and said other flights would be organized to fly out tourists in batches once they fulfilled the criteria to leave.
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Saskatchewan RCMP say one of the suspects in a series of stabbing attacks that left 10 dead and 18 injured has been found dead.
Saskatchewan police say one suspect has been found dead while another remains at large after multiple stabbings on Sunday that left 10 people dead and 18 others hospitalized. CTVNews.ca takes a look at what is known about the suspects so far.
A mother of two, a 77-year-old widower, a first responder and a 14-year-old boy were the initial victims identified in a stabbing spree in Saskatchewan that killed 10 people and wounded at least 18 others.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the stabbings in Saskatchewan 'shocking and heartbreaking' as a manhunt for the two suspects continues.
Gunshots Saturday night near a busy store on Schillinger Road left bystanders completely rattled, especially the woman who called 911 while hiding in a bathroom stall, huddled with her children.
A dangerous persons alert has been issued by RCMP in connection to a reported incident on Witchekan Lake First Nation. Police say it is unrelated to the search for two men accused in a series of stabbing attacks.
A stabbing rampage on a Saskatchewan First Nation and in a nearby village left 10 people dead and 18 others injured, provincial RCMP said Sunday as officers continued to search for two suspects. Here is some of the reaction.
September kicks off with a bright full moon, the harvest moon, set to illuminate the sky on Friday night.
A stabbing rampage on a Saskatchewan First Nation and in a nearby village left 10 people dead and 15 others injured, provincial RCMP said Sunday as officers continued to search for two suspects. Here's a timeline of the police response
A mother of two, a 77-year-old widower, a first responder and a 14-year-old boy were the initial victims identified in a stabbing spree in Saskatchewan that killed 10 people and wounded at least 18 others.
Saskatchewan RCMP say one of the suspects in a series of stabbing attacks that left 10 dead and 18 injured has been found dead.
A stabbing rampage on a Saskatchewan First Nation and in a nearby village left 10 people dead and 15 others injured, provincial RCMP said Sunday as officers continued to search for two suspects. Here's a timeline of the police response
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the stabbings in Saskatchewan 'shocking and heartbreaking' as a manhunt for the two suspects continues.
A stabbing rampage on a Saskatchewan First Nation and in a nearby village left 10 people dead and 18 others injured, provincial RCMP said Sunday as officers continued to search for two suspects. Here is some of the reaction.
Saskatchewan police say one suspect has been found dead while another remains at large after multiple stabbings on Sunday that left 10 people dead and 18 others hospitalized. CTVNews.ca takes a look at what is known about the suspects so far.
A federal judge has granted former U.S. President Donald Trump's request to appoint a 'special master' to review materials that the FBI seized from Mar-a-Lago last month.
At least 46 people were reported killed and 16 missing in a 6.8 magnitude earthquake that shook China's southwestern province of Sichuan on Monday, triggering landslides and shaking buildings in the provincial capital of Chengdu, whose 21 million residents are already under a COVID-19 lockdown.
Liz Truss has been elected as the Conservative Party's new leader, the party announced Monday, and she will take office Tuesday as Britain's new prime minister to steer the country through an acute cost of living crisis.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday said Russia should not be designated a state sponsor of terrorism, a label Ukraine has pushed for amid Russia's ongoing invasion while Moscow has warned it would rupture U.S.-Russian ties.
An unidentified body was found in Memphis Monday at the scene of a large search, just three days after teacher Eliza "Liza" Fletcher was violently abducted, Memphis police tweeted Monday.
Gunshots Saturday night near a busy store on Schillinger Road left bystanders completely rattled, especially the woman who called 911 while hiding in a bathroom stall, huddled with her children.
The Liberals and Conservatives are headed for a showdown in Ottawa this fall over the hottest political files of the summer, with both parties making plans to prioritize issues like inflation and travel woes.
Nunavut's capital was able to avert a water-shortage crisis last week, but the member of Parliament for the territory says infrastructure in the North is an issue of Arctic security.
The inquiry into Ottawa's unprecedented use of the Emergencies Act during protests last winter will be delayed until October because of a health issue. The Public Order Emergency Commission was to begin hearings Sept. 19 but will be delayed now until Oct. 13, a statement from the commission said Friday.
Nearly two and a half years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the staffing conundrum initially driven by high infection rates has evolved into an acute labour challenge.
A cluster of pneumonia cases in Tucuman, Argentina, was caused by legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease, the Pan American Health Organization said.
The death toll from a measles outbreak in Zimbabwe has risen to almost 700 children, the country's health ministry has said.
China on Monday accused Washington of breaking into computers at a university that U.S. officials say does military research, adding to complaints by both governments of rampant online spying against each other.
Illegal hunting and hybridization with American crocodiles – which muddles the species' genetics – have for decades threatened populations in Cuba. A warming climate, which alters the sex ratio of newborn crocs, poses a new threat.
Irish regulators are slapping Instagram with a big fine after an investigation found the social media platform mishandled teenagers' personal data.
A star-studded line-up, including Paul McCartney and Liam Gallagher, joined the Foo Fighters for an emotional tribute to the band's drummer Taylor Hawkins at a concert in London on Saturday night.
The Venice Film Festival is buzzing with anticipation for Olivia Wilde's 'Don't Worry Darling,' which is having its world premiere Monday night on the Lido.
Harry Styles already has an enviable acting resume for a newcomer, from Christopher Nolan's 'Dunkirk' to the upcoming 'Don't Worry Darling' and 'My Policeman.' But the pop star said Monday at the Venice International Film Festival that, with acting, he often feels as if he has 'no idea what I'm doing.'
Global stock markets sank Monday as Europe faced a new squeeze on Russian gas supplies.
OPEC and allied oil-producing countries, including Russia, made a small trim in their supplies to the global economy Monday, underlining their unhappiness as recession fears help drive down crude prices — along with the cost of gasoline, to drivers' delight.
Just 36 per cent of American parents said they would be able to pay for everything their kids need this school year, according to Morning Consult's annual back-to-school shopping report.
A house refurbishment in northern England has uncovered a trove of gold coins, which could be worth up to £250,000 (US$290,000) at auction next month.
Hillary Clinton revealed that the origins of her trademark penchant for pantsuits trace back to "suggestive" photos from a public appearance in Brazil that ultimately led to her photo being used in lingerie advertisements.
A family of Bigg's killer whales, or transient orcas, were spotted swimming in the Victoria Inner Harbour Friday morning. The pod of five orcas came into the harbor around 10 a.m., delighting onlookers and causing boats in the harbour to come to a standstill. A video of the orcas was captured by Orca Spirit Adventures, a whale watching company based out of Victoria.
Frances Tiafoe ended Rafael Nadal's 22-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments by beating the 22-time major champion 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the U.S. Open's fourth round on Monday.
Canada had to find a different way to win a women's world hockey title after its Olympic triumph earlier this year and world championship gold a year ago.
Nick Kyrgios defeated defending U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev in four sets and, after the match, discussed struggles with his mental health.
Video has emerged showing a Tesla driver appearing to be asleep behind the wheel while travelling more than 100 km/h on a busy Ontario highway.
Ontario drivers may soon find themselves on the province's first-ever diverging diamond interchange that is set to open this year.
Formula One leader Max Verstappen returns home to his Orange Army of fans at the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend, with another world title approaching ominously and a different award already in hand.
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