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 Almost 1.3% of the world's population has now been infected with
COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and more than
2.1 million people have died.
One person has been infected every 7.7 seconds, on average, since
the start of the year. Around 668,250 cases have been reported each
day over the same period, and the global fatality rate stands at
2.15%.
The worst-affected countries – the United States, India, Brazil,
Russia and the United Kingdom – make up more than half all reported
COVID-19 cases but represent 28% of the global population, according
to a Reuters analysis.
It took the world 11 months to record the first 50 million cases of
the pandemic, compared to just three months for cases to double to
100 million. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/34pvUyi)
Around 56 countries have begun vaccinating people for the
coronavirus, administering at least 64 million doses. Israel leads
the world on per capita vaccinations, inoculating 29% of its
population with at least one dose.
UNITED STATES
With over 25 million cases, the United States has 25% of all
reported COVID cases although it accounts for just 4% of the world's
population. The United States leads the world in the daily average
number of new deaths reported, accounting for one in every five
deaths reported worldwide each day. With just under 425,00
fatalities, the United States has reported almost twice as many
deaths as Brazil, which has the second-highest death toll in the
world.
As the worst-affected region in the world, Europe is currently
reporting a million new infections about every four days and has
reported nearly 30 million since the pandemic began. Britain on
Tuesday reached 100,000 deaths.
The Eastern European region, including countries like Russia, Poland
and Ukraine, contribute to nearly 10% of all global COVID-19 cases.
Despite securing deals for vaccine supplies early on, many European
countries are facing delays in shipments from both Pfizer Inc and
AstraZeneca Plc.
(GRAPHIC - Global COVID-19 cases per capita in countries with the
biggest outbreaks Global COVID-19 cases per capita in countries with
the biggest outbreaks: https://graphics.reuters.com/HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/CASES-PERCAPITA/jbyvrnxzove/chart.png)
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 ASIA AND AFRICA
In India, the nation with the second-highest
number of cases, infections are decreasing, with
almost 13,700 new infections reported on average
each day - around 15% of its peak. Prime
Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday India was
completely self-reliant on coronavirus vaccine
supplies as the world's second-most populous
country inoculated more than 1 million people
within a week of starting its campaign.
China, which recently marked the first
anniversary of the world's first coronavirus
lockdown in the central city of Wuhan, is facing
its worst wave of local cases since March last
year.
As richer nations race ahead with mass vaccination
campaigns, Africa is still scrambling to secure supplies as it
grapples with concerns about more-infectious variants of the virus
first identified in South Africa and Britain.
According to the Reuters tally, African countries have nearly 3.5
million cases and over 85,000 deaths.
The South African variant, also known as 501Y.V2, is 50% more
infectious and has been detected in at least 20 countries.
U.S. President Joe Biden will impose a ban on most non-U.S. citizens
entering the country who have recently been in South Africa starting
Saturday in a bid to contain the spread of a new variant of
COVID-19.
Australia and New Zealand have fared better than most other
developed economies during the pandemic through swift border
closures, lockdowns, strict hotel quarantine for travellers and
widespread testing and social distancing.
"We have the virus under control here in Australia, but we want to
roll out the vaccine," Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told a
news conference on Sunday.
(Reporting by Shaina Ahluwalia and Roshan Abraham in Bengaluru;
Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Jane Wardell)
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