More cases of COVID-19 are now reported globally every day than ever before in the pandemic, surpassing the previous global peak in early January.
The whole picture: At that time, the United States and Europe were leading growth. This time, the biggest source of new cases is India.
News management: In cities like New Delhi, which today imposed a new one-week blockade, hospitals are overwhelmed, reserves such as oxygen are low and morgues are excessive.
- India now has more than twice as many cases every day as during the first wave of autumn, and in some cities, the rate of new infections has increased by up to 16 times in a single month on PA.
Peak of India it has already had major global ramifications, as the vaccines to be exported by the world’s largest producer, Serum Institute of India, have been kept for domestic use.
- The institute’s CEO is now asking President Biden to lift the ban on the export of raw materials needed to produce vaccines, which he says are contributing to shortages.
- India has now provided a dose for about 8% of its population, but will probably not be able to get up fast enough to vaccinate its way out of the current crisis.
Meanwhile, Chile – which has the highest vaccination rate in America, with 41% receiving at least one dose – is also facing an increase in cases.
- Experts say political leaders and the public – both desperate for a return to normalcy – have overestimated the level of protection offered by a dose of Sinovac vaccine in China, which is proving to be minimal, on the WSJ.
- With two doses, however, the data show that the vaccine is 67% effective in preventing infection and 80% effective in preventing death.
- This suggests that Chile should be able to achieve herd immunity if it can maintain its vaccination rate, but this will take longer than expected. In the meantime, the current wave should be less deadly, as many older people are protected.
Reverse side: The effect of the vaccine is already clear in Israel, where new cases have dropped from an average of 3,954 a day six weeks ago to 167 a day now.
- The UK is coming out of the blockade with increased confidence, as more than half of the population and 90% of those over 70 have had at least one stroke. Deaths dropped to about 25 a day from more than 1,000 in early February.
- Other European countries are trying to balance spread control efforts with the hope that rapidly rising vaccination rates, combined with warmer weather, should bring outbreaks under control.
- Switzerland is easing restrictions, although the number of cases remains relatively high, and Greece is bringing back quarantine-free travel to boost the tourism sector ahead of what it hopes will be a big comeback this summer.
In much of the world, however, cases are growing faster than vaccination rates.
- Iran, for example, has more cases than ever before and more deaths than at any time since November. Both figures are rising dramatically. Meanwhile, only 0.4% of the population has been vaccinated.
Go deeper: Where do vaccines come from and go.