United Nations: India registered a 13 per cent decrease in new COVID-19 cases in the past week but the number of fresh infections was still the highest around the world, the WHO has said. The number of new cases and deaths continued to decrease with just over 4.8 million new cases and just under 86,000 new deaths reported globally in the past week, a 12 per cent and 5 per cent decrease respectively compared to the previous week, according to the COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update Data received by the World Health Organization from national authorities as of May 16.

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It said that the highest number of new cases were reported from India (2,387,663 new cases), a 13 per cent decrease over the previous week. This was followed by Brazil (437,076 new cases; 3 per cent increase), the United States of America (235,638 new cases; 21 per cent decrease), Argentina (151,332 new cases; 8 per cent increase) and Colombia (115,834 new cases; 6 per cent increase). The highest numbers of new deaths were reported from India (27,922 new deaths; 2.0 new deaths per 100,000; a 4 per cent increase), Nepal (1,224 new deaths; 4.2 new deaths per 100,000; a 266 per cent increase) and Indonesia (1,125 new deaths; 0.4 new deaths per 100,000; a 5 per cent decrease).

According to data received by the WHO from national authorities as of May 9, India had recorded the highest numbers of new cases at 2,738,957, a 5 per cent increase over the previous week. As per the WHO estimates, cumulative cases in India currently stand at about 24.68 million and total deaths are at about 270,284.

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The data added that the South-East Asia Region reported over 2.5 million new cases and over 30,000 new deaths, a 12 per cent decrease and a 7 per cent increase respectively compared to the previous week.

Case incidence decreased after nine consecutive weeks of increases, although the absolute number remains at its highest level since the beginning of the pandemic, it said, adding that death incidence continued to increase for a ninth consecutive week.

Globally, despite a declining trend over the past three weeks, the incidence of cases remains at some of the highest levels since the start of the pandemic. All regions reported a decline in new cases this week apart from the Western Pacific Region, where the incidence of new cases was similar to the previous week. The European Region reported the largest decline in new cases this week, followed by the Eastern Mediterranean. These regions also reported the largest decline in new deaths over the past week. South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions reported a similar number of new deaths as the previous week, it added.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7th, 30 lakh on August 23rd, 40 lakh on September 5th and 50 lakh on September 16th. It went past 60 lakh on September 28th, 70 lakh on October 11th, crossed 80 lakh on October 29th, 90 lakh on November 20th and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19th. India crossed the grim milestone of 2 crore on May 4.

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According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday (May 19), India saw a record 4,529 fatalities due to coronavirus in a single day, pushing the COVID-19 death toll to 2,83,248, while 2,67,334 fresh infections were recorded, taking the total tally of cases to 2,54,96,330. The active cases have further reduced to 32,26,719 comprising 12.66 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 86.23 per cent.

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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.