Coronavirus Deaths Worldwide Fell By 20% Last Week, WHO Says - Forbes

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Topline

The number of coronavirus-related deaths decreased by 20% worldwide last week compared to the week before, according to an analysis by the World Health Organization, which coincides with a drop in cases and deaths in the United States as well, as it appears the course of both the global and domestic outbreaks of the virus may finally be slowing.

Key Facts

Slightly fewer than 66,000 fatalities worldwide were reported last week—the third consecutive week the fatality rate has decreased.

The WHO also announced the total number of new cases fell to 2.4 million for the week of Feb. 15 through Feb. 21, representing an 11% dip from the prior week, which marks the sixth consecutive week the global case count has declined.

The U.S. has averaged 68,038 new cases per day over the past seven days, a decrease of nearly 40% compared to the average earlier this month.

On Tuesday, according to the Covid Tracking Project, the number of hospitalized Covid-19 patients in the U.S. dropped below 56,000 for the first time since early November.

Key Background:

While there is no disputing the fact that the numbers are trending in the right direction, the emergence of new variants has many health professionals concerned. Three particular variants, B.1.1.7 (first found in the U.K.), B.1.351 (first detected in South Africa), and P.1 (Brazil) are the most prevalent at this point. Last week, CDC director Dr. Rochelle Wallensky stated that the recent decline in cases is related to continued mitigation efforts, along with decreased travel now that the holidays have passed. However, Walensky did note that the South African variant has been able to "blunt the effectiveness" of vaccines. Threats from more transmissible variants are "a huge topic with everybody in the White House and everyone wants to make sure we have viable strategies," Andy Slavitt, the White House senior adviser on the Covid-19 response, told the Washington Post last Friday. On Tuesday, Trevor Bedford of the University of Washington said the highly contagious B.1.1.7 variant "could result in more of a wave in, say, April or May than we would have expected otherwise."

Tangent:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday that the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine has met emergency use authorization requirements. The vaccine showed 86% efficacy against severe forms of the coronavirus in the U.S., and, crucially, the J&J vaccine requires just one shot.

Crucial Quote:

"There is a narrow and rapidly closing window of opportunity to more effectively use vaccines and potentially prevent thousands of severe cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in the next weeks and months," stated a report released Tuesday by the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research.

Big Number:

110.7 million. That's the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases recorded worldwide, which resulted in more than 2.4 million deaths since the start of the pandemic.