The World Health Organization announced today that the British variant of the novel coronavirus has been detected in at least 60 countries, which is ten more than the situation a week ago.
According to France Press, the organization stated that "the second variant, which first appeared in South Africa and is believed to be more contagious than the British variant, has been reported in 23 countries and regions as of today, an increase of three countries since January 12." It noted that there is very little information available to determine whether the virus's transmissibility and severity have changed with these variants. The organization indicated that both variants of the virus are spreading more rapidly but are not more dangerous, causing increased pressure on health systems that appear to be on the verge of collapsing in some countries, such as Britain and the United States.
The World Health Organization reported that the number of deaths increased by 9 percent in the week ending January 17, reaching a record number of 39,000 deaths, while the pandemic has claimed the lives of over two million people worldwide since its emergence. The United States has recorded the highest number of infections in the world, exceeding 24 million, and the highest number of deaths resulting from the disease, according to Johns Hopkins University.
