Global COVID-19 Cases, Deaths Growing 'Exponentially'; Vaccine Won't Stop Surge

The World Health Organization on Monday said the number of global COVID-19 cases and deaths is continuing to climb, as 4.4 million new cases were recorded last week.

Coronavirus cases climbed by 9% over the past week, while deaths rose by 5%, as more countries began to ease COVID-19 safety measures, according to Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s lead for the coronavirus.

“This is not the situation we want to be in 16 months into a pandemic where we have proven control measures,” she said during a press briefing. “It is the time right now where everyone has to take stock and have a reality check of what we need to be doing. Vaccines and vaccinations are coming online, but they aren’t here yet in every part of the world.”

Dr. Mike Ryan, the head of the agency’s health emergencies program, warned on March 31 that the newly detected coronavirus variants are more infectious and deadlier than the original strain of the virus.

India has overtaken Brazil as the world’s second-worst-hit country after health officials recorded 168,912 COVID-19 infections overnight into Monday. The number brought India's total cases to 13.52 million, while Brazil’s total is at 13.51 million, data from Johns Hopkins University showed.

The U.S. is still the world’s worst-hit country, with the number of coronavirus cases now at 31.26 million. The B.1.1.7. variant, which was first detected in the U.K., is now the most common strain circulating in the country.

Out of all the states in the nation, Michigan is now experiencing the worst outbreak. The state is averaging more than 7,000 new COVID-19 infections each day, with hospitalizations reaching a daily average of 3,700. This has prompted CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky to urge Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to impose a lockdown.

“If we tried to vaccinate our way out of what’s happening in Michigan, we would be disappointed it took so long for the vaccine to work to actually have the impact,” Walensky said during a news briefing.

“The answer to that is to really close things down, to go back to our basics, to go back to where we were last spring, last summer and to shut things down,” she added.

Last week, Whitmer called on Michigan residents to voluntarily limit their activities and avoid in-person dining. She also asked schools to voluntarily halt to sports games.

“To be very clear, these are not orders, mandates or requirements,” Whitmer said at a press conference on Friday. “A year in, we all know what works and this has to be a team effort. We have to do this together. Lives depend on it.”