- The World Health Organisation has reported 338,779 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded last week a new daily record
- WHO has also revealed a grim new statistic, with roughly 10 per cent of the entire population estimated to have contracted the potentially deadly virus
- The statistics come as Europe is once again plagued by new COVID-19 infections, with the U.K. alone recording 23,000 cases in one day
- As a region, Europe has surpassed the U.S., Brazil and India for increasing infection rates
- Globally, John Hopkins University states more than 36 million cases of COVID-19 have been recorded, including more than one million deaths
The coronavirus pandemic is far from being over, according to the World Health Organisation, with a new global daily case recorded last week.
The global health official reported 338,779 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, surpassing the previous daily record of 330,340 new cases on October 2.
WHO’s top emergencies expert Mike Ryan also warned it’s likely roughly 10 per cent of the world’s entire population has contracted the potentially deadly new virus.
The surge
The surge in daily case numbers was primarily fuelled by Europe, who as a region overtook the U.S., India and Brazil for growing infection rates.
It’s a worrying turn of events considering Italy was one of the first countries to be decimated by the novel infection when it first began spreading back in February and March.
Since then, the U.K. and large parts of Europe have racked up millions of infections and over one hundred thousand deaths, despite various lockdown restrictions coming into effect.
It’s believed the easing of those lockdowns, particularly those surrounding international travel over the summer months, has led to a massive resurgence in daily COVID-19 cases.
In the U.K. alone, 17,000 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded on October 8, and almost 23,000 new cases on October 4.
“We are seeing a definite and sustained increase in cases and admissions to hospital. The trend is clear, and it is very concerning,” Public Health England Medical Director Yvonne Doyle said.
As a result of the surge, the U.K. Government is once again considering bringing in domestic lockdown conditions, which would see pubs, restaurants and cafes shut once more.
“We are at a perilous moment in the course of this pandemic,” admitted Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
The country’s measures are already being replicated in Spain, Germany and France where COVID-19 cases have again begun to rapidly increase.
Known numbers
Along with the new daily case record, WHO also revealed the known number of COVID-19 infections is likely much higher than reported.
The organisation’s emergency expert Mike Ryan told the executive board the number of cases was likely 20 times higher than current records.
“The disease continues to spread. It is on the rise in many parts of the world,” Mike said earlier this week.
“Our current best estimates tell us that about 10 per cent of the global population may have been infected by this virus.”
WHO Emergency Expert Mike Ryan.
Currently, John Hopkins University reports the global number of known COVID-19 cases sits at 36.4 million, including over 1.06 million deaths.
In Australia, more than 27,000 cases of the coronavirus have been recorded and just under 900 deaths since the pandemic began.