Covid-19

Coronavirus disease
(COVID-19)
Situation Report – 203
Data as received by WHO from national authorities by 10:00 CEST, 10 August 2020
Highlights
Over the past weeks, WHO has been adding functionality to its COVID-19 global dashboard, to
display all of the latest data that have been published in the daily situation report; these data
are now fully available on the dashboard. Important narrative updates are being merged into
the WHO COVID-19 “Rolling updates”pages. Starting next Monday, 17 August, the daily
situation report will be replaced by a “COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update” which will
focus on analysis and interpretation of the evolving epidemiologic situation. Operational
updates will continue to be shared through the “Weekly Operational Update on COVID-19”.
Yesterday, 9 August, the world celebrated International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples,
an annual event to raise awareness of the needs and rights of the world’s indigenous
populations. COVID-19 and indigenous peoples in the the Americas were featured in Situation
Report 182. A recent UN News article discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has made
indigenous Hawaiians reflect on their heritage.
A flight carrying protective masks, ventilators and other essential medical supplies for the
COVID-19 response, landed in Papua New Guinea last Thursday, marking the start of a
humanitarian air service for the Pacific region.
Today’s ‘Subject in Focus’ discusses the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Progress Report
which evaluates where we are in the outbreak and the considerable achievements made over
the past 6 months. A global epidemiological overview of COVID-19 for the week ending 9
August, is also presented.
Situation in numbers (by WHO Region)
Total (new cases in last 24 hours)
Globally 19 718 030 cases (253 409) 728 013 deaths (5 719)
Africa 895 696 cases (10 706) 16 713 deaths (310)
Americas 10 590 929 cases (143 668) 388 673 deaths (3 597)
Eastern Mediterranean 1 644 359 cases (9 419) 43 433 deaths (353)
Europe 3 582 911 cases (17 627) 216 693 deaths (258)
South-East Asia 2 632 773 cases (66 973) 53 677 deaths (1 108)
Western Pacific 370 621 cases (5 016) 8 811 deaths (93)
Subject in Focus: The COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Progress
Report
Last week WHO published the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Progress Report,
taking stock of where we are in the outbreak and how the world has responded. By
working together with countries, partners, and communities, we have achieved a great
deal in these six months that have seen the world changed by COVID-19, and WHO change
with it.
The report highlights progress made up to 30 June 2020 under the three objectives
outlined in the COVID-19 Strategic Response and Preparedness Plan: scaling up
international coordination and support; scaling up country preparedness and response by
pillar; and accelerating research and innovation.
Some of these achievements include the:
• Solidarity Trial, helping find an effective treatment for COVID-19;
• WHO Partners Platform, providing a tool that enables collaboration in response efforts;
• COVID-19 Supply Chain System, sending tens of millions of pieces of equipment to
many countries around the world, ensuring they reach those who need it most;
• COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund supporting WHO and partners in the global
response;
• Global Research Roadmap, accelerating priority research and development;
• Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, accelerating the development, production,
and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines;
• Publishing of 130 guidance documents on various aspects of preparedness and
response;
• Providing online and in-person training, technical missions and remote support.
The report also highlights some of the key challenges faced so far, and provides an
update on the resource requirements for the next phase of WHO’s response as part of
the whole-of-UN approach to the pandemic.
The report concludes by reminding us that COVID-19 is a truly global crisis: the only way to
overcome it is together, in global solidarity.

Global epidemiological overview of COVID-19: week ending 9 August

Global overview

Overall, there have been over 19.7 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, including more than
720 000 deaths, reported to WHO through the week ending 9 August. Over the past seven
days, over 1.8 million new cases of COVID-19 have been reported, a slight decrease of 2%,
compared to the previous week, while the number of deaths increased by 2% in the past
seven days with over 41 000 new deaths reported during this time. This amounts to an
average of 254 502 cases and 5 858 deaths per day.
The biggest regional change in the number of new cases in the past seven days is
represented by the marked decrease (23%) in the WHO Region of Africa, although deaths
continued to rise (Table 1). While the WHO Region of the Americas still remains the
hardest-hit, contributing over half of all newly confirmed cases reported (54%) and deaths
(63%) reported during the past week, the largest percentage increase in new cases and
deaths was seen in the Western Pacific region (31% and 27% respectively). Among all the
countries, territories, and areas reporting confirmed cases, the United States of America,
Brazil, and India remain the top three most affected countries in the past seven days.
Across the globe, countries have implemented various control efforts, including mandated
mask wearing, local movement restrictions, and physical distancing measures to control
the increases and clusters of new cases that followed the initial easing of public health and
social measures initially implemented earlier in the year.

Table 1. Number of confirmed cases and deaths reported in the last seven days, by WHO regions: data as of the week ending 9 August 2020

• ‘spark’ lines show trend in new cases and deaths over past seven days
  ** Percent change in the number of newly confirmed cases/deaths in past seven days, compared to seven days prior.

WHORegion
% change in
new casesin
lastseven
days**
Total cases: no. (%)
% change in
new deaths
in lastseven
days**
Total cases: no. (%)
Americas 970 498 (54%) -5% 10 590 929 (54%) 25 896 (63%) 2% 388 673 (53%)
South-East Asia 434 635 (24%) 9% 2 632 773 (13%) 6 732 (16%) 11% 53 677 (7%)
Europe 169 629 (10%) 1% 3 582 911 (18%) 2 772 (7%) -18% 216 693 (30%)
Africa 82 198 (5%) -23% 895 696 (5%) 2 624 (6%) 27% 16 713 (2%)
Eastern Mediterranean 80 875 (5%) -4% 1 644 359 (8%) 2 694 (7%) -7% 43 433 (6%)
Western Pacific 46 143 (3%) 31% 370 621 (2%) 303 (1%) 27% 8 811 (1%)
Global 1 783 978 (100%) -1% 19 718 030 (100%) 41 021 (100%) 2% 728 013 (100%)
New casesin lastseven days: no. (%)* New deathsin lastseven days: no. (%)*
Situation by WHO Region

As of 9 August, in the WHO Region of the Americas, over 10.5 million cases and 388 000 deaths have been reported as of 9 August, with
a little over 970 000 new cases in the past week (Figure 1 and Table 1), a 5% decrease compared to the previous seven days. The United
States and Brazil remained the most affected countries, collectively accounting for 74% of cases and 67% of deaths in the region in the
past seven days – or 41% of cases and 36% of deaths globally to date. Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Argentina also reported substantial
increases.
Figure 1: Number of COVID-19 cases reported by week by WHO region: data through the week ending 9 August
0
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
1,400,000
1,600,000
1,800,000
30-Dec 20-Jan 10-Feb 2-Mar 23-Mar 13-Apr 4-May 25-May 15-Jun 6-Jul 27-Jul
Week reported
Americas
Europe
Eastern Mediterranean
South-East Asia
Africa
Western Pacific
In the Southeast Asian Region in the past seven days, the number of newly confirmed
cases has increased by 9% while new deaths increased by 11%. India and Bangladesh
continue to report the majority of cases, collectively accounting for 91% of all regional
confirmed cases as of 9 August and 93% of cases in the past seven days. Monsoon rains
and flooding across the region are affecting surveillance, testing, and control efforts
within these countries, and delays and gaps in case detection and reporting are
anticipated.
The European Region, continues to show relatively smaller fluctuations in reported cases
and deaths. Russia, Spain, and Kazakhstan reported the majority of newly reported cases
over the past week. Increases in many countries across the region have been partly
attributed to large gatherings and the lapses in observance of social distancing measures.
In the African Region, the number of newly confirmed cases decreased more than any
other region, although deaths in the region still increased in the past seven days. This is
primarily due to early declines in newly reported case numbers observed in South Africa.
South Africa has contributed almost two thirds of the region’s cases and deaths to date
and reported over 49 000 new cases and 2 000 new deaths in the past week. Substantial
increases were recorded in Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Algeria in the past seven days.
There have been multiple reports across the region of hospital systems being
overwhelmed and under resourced medical staff, as the number of confirmed cases and
individuals requiring hospitalization continues to grow.
The Eastern Mediterranean Region has observed a gradual decline in incidence since the
end of June, and this continued over the past week, with 4% and 7% decreases in new
cases and deaths, respectively, compared to the previous week. Despite this downward
trend, cumulative case incidence has risen for some countries, particularly in the Islamic
Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Pakistan.
In the Western Pacific Region, the number of newly confirmed cases and deaths continues
to rise, with a 31% and 27% increase respectively in the past week. The Philippines, Japan,
and Australia accounted for the majority of newly reported cases. Papua New Guinea also
reported a substantial increase in the number of newly confirmed cases, while Vietnam
reported a spike in deaths, compared to the previous week. The recent surge of cases in
the Philippines has been attributed to transmission in the workplace, economic hubs and
industries as a result of the workers’ supposed lack of training in public safety and
minimum health standards.