(VOVWORLD) - The number of countries reporting variants of COVID-19 continues to increase after the global number of coronavirus cases surpassed 200 million last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.
 A human cell (green) is evaded by the coronavirus (orange). Sample is taken from a COVID-19 patient in the US on March 31, 2021. (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
In its latest weekly update on the pandemic, the WHO said that globally, cases of the Alpha variant have been reported in 185 countries, territories, or areas (hereafter CTAs). 136 CTAs have reported cases of the Beta variant, 81 CTAs have reported cases of the Gamma variant, and 142 CTAs have reported cases of the Delta variant.
Of all the WHO member states and territories, 17% reported more than 50% percent increase in new cases as compared to the previous week, the WHO noted.