The coronavirus variant first detected in India, has now been officially recorded in 53 territories, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. The report said B.1.617 had shown increased transmissibility, while disease severity and risk of infection were under investigation.
Globally over the past week, the number of new cases and deaths continued to decrease, with around 4.1 million new cases it's a 14% decrease compared to the previous week. The highest numbers of new cases in the past seven days were reported from India, Brazil, Argentina, the United States and Colombia.
The WHO cautioned that virus evolution is expected, and the more SARS-CoV-2 circulates, the more opportunities it has to evolve, adding that reducing transmission through established and proven disease-control methods will remain crucial aspects of the global strategy.
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