Half of US states see COVID uptick due to BA.2 Omicron subvariant
(VOVWORLD) - 505.5 million COVID-19 cases and 6.2 million deaths had been reported worldwide as of Wednesday noon, according to worldometers.info.
 People wear masks in California, the US (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
The US leads the world for both COVID-19 infections (82 million) and casualties (1 million). COVID-19 cases are soaring in more than half of all US states due to the BA.2 Omicron subvariant, according to data of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Seven deaths were reported on Tuesday in China’s Shanghai, which is in lockdown amid the rising infection rates. The deceased were aged 60-110 and had underlying health problems such as cardiovascular diseases or diabetes.
Laos authorities are gravely concerned about a possible dramatic surge in infections as a result of its five-day traditional New Year holiday last week when locals celebrated in crowds. Laos health officials recommended that participants closely monitor their health for a 7-day period.