Though global COVID-19 cases overall continue to fall, illness levels rose in Africa and the Americas for the second week in a row, led by a trio of Omicron subvariants, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today in its weekly pandemic update.

Numbers show only part of global picture

Cases declined for a sixth week in a row, and deaths are at the lowest level since March 2020. Though the trends are welcome, they don't tell the whole story, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, director-general of the WHO, said today at a briefing. He said Omicron subvariants are driving increases in Africa and the Americas.

In Africa, cases were up 31% compared to the week before, and in the Americas, case rose 13%.

In Africa, 12 countries last week saw cases rise by more than 20%, but most of the new infections were reported by South Africa, which saw a 67% increase compared with the previous week. Last week, the country's health officials said the country was experiencing rising proportions of BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, and they warned that a fifth surge could be under way.

Meanwhile, in the Americas, 22 countries reported weekly rises of 20% or more last week. At a WHO Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) briefing today, officials said cases are increasing in the Caribbean region, Central America, and the United States.

They also warned of rising hospitalizations across the broader region, with 11 countries or territories reporting rises in hospitalization and intensive care unit admissions.