Two years after cases of the novel coronavirus were first detected in China, the World Health Organization (WHO) has once again warned countries to remain on alert as several nations are witnessing a spike in COVID-19 cases.
While in both these countries Omicron continues to be the dominant variant, experts think the Omicron sub-variant BA.2, dubbed the 'stealth' variant, may have something to do with the renewed spike.
"Omicron is transmitting at a very intense level... We have sub-lineages of BA.1 and BA.2. BA.2 is more transmissible and this is the most transmissible variant we have seen of the SARS-COV2 virus to date," Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead said.
Which countries are seeing a rise in cases? Here's all you need to know.
China
China is currently seeing the worst COVID outbreak in the country since the beginning of the pandemic.
Earlier last week, China recorded the first two COVID deaths since January 2021. The country had recorded only two deaths in all of 2021. A strict lockdown has been imposed in Jilin and Shanghai, which are currently witnessing a surge.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong, which has been struggling to control the number of new cases, recorded over 16,000 fresh cases on 19 March. The region is facing an acute crisis with hospitals being overwhelmed. Currently, Hong Kong is also recording the world's highest death rate due to COVID-19.
South Korea
After being hailed as a pandemic success story, South Korea, too, is another country that is witnessing a record surge, with the country recording all-time high numbers of 6,21,281 fresh cases on 17 March. It has been recording just under 4,00,000 cases for the last two days.
South Korea recorded 327 deaths on 20 March, but the government is set to ease social distancing rules imposed earlier in the week when the numbers were higher.
United Kingdom
Coronavirus cases are soaring again in the UK, with an AFP report estimating that at least one in every 20 people have been infected. The UK is one of the world's most severely hit regions, with more than 1,63,000 people dying after contracting the virus.
Germany
Germany began easing restrictions on 20 March, even as the country recorded almost 3,00,000 fresh cases on 18 March. According to The Guardian, Germany has also been recording over 200 deaths every day for several weeks now.
France and Austria
Austria has reverted to its mask mandate in indoor spaces, due to a rise in cases over the last week. The country is considering reducing quarantine time due to a lack of medical staff.
In France, the number of new cases has risen by a quarter over the last seven days, reported The Guardian. The number of cases was highest along the border the country shares with Germany.
(With inputs from AFP, The Guardian.)
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