COVID-19 cases increased by 52% before end of 2023: WHO

GENEVA

COVID-19 cases increased by 52% globally ahead of the Christmas holiday period, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

The increase in the number of cases, compared to the previous 28-day period, were recorded between Nov. 20 and Dec. 17, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told a UN press briefing in Geneva.

While 850,000 new cases were reported globally, the number of coronavirus-related deaths also increased by 8%, Lindmeier said.

He added that 3,000 new fatalities were recorded during the period.