Coronavirus (COVID-19) Discussion Thread

[SvennoJ]

Weekly update, Europe remains the main driving force in the pandemic for now

In total 3.74 million cases were reported last week (up from 3.36 million) to a total of 256,926,903
Also another 51,636 deaths were reported (slightly up from 50,300) to a total of 5,155,335

Europe continues up, USA is starting to go up again as well. Europe currently represents 65% of new cases and 54% of reported deaths.

The continents

Europe reported 2.19 million new cases (up from 1.90 million) and 27,336 more deaths (up from 25,833)
North America reported 750K new cases (up from 624K) and 10,164 more deaths (10,960 last week)
Asia reported 627K new cases (down from 650K) and 10,380 more deaths (9,718 last week)
South America reported 131K new cases (down from 145K) and 2,560 more deaths (down from 2,826)
Africa reported 23.6K new cases (down from 34.0K) and 984 deaths (1,193 last week)
Oceania reported 11.9K new cases (slightly down from 12.3K) and 151 deaths (101 last week)

Comparing current deaths / reported cases with last year before vaccines

Europe 1.25% infected death ratio, November 2020 2.0% infected death ratio
Oceania 1.27% infected death ratio, August 2020 5.8% infected death ratio
North America 1.36% infected death ratio, October 2020 2.9% infected death ratio
Asia 1.66% infected death ratio, September 2020, 1.5% infected death ratio
South America 1.95% infected death ratio, October 2020 3.3% infected death ratio
Africa 4.17% infected death ratio, November 2020 2.5% infected death ratio

What is interesting is that in the least vaccinated places (Asia 46% and Africa 7%) the overall death rate has gone up. The mutations seem to be more deadly. Luckily the vaccines still work against the current new strains.

Vaccines are definitely helping. The vast majority of deaths are also under the non vaccinated

Taking into account what @haxxiy said, unvaccinated representing 3x more infections, the vaccines still reduce death rate to 40% of non vaccinated (after getting infected) With 66% less chance to get infected, you get to 13% of the deaths coming from non vaccinated compared to vaccinated.

How many lives are potentially saved by the vaccines?
At worst (taking the 1.66x increase of Africa into account) Europe would currently have 73K deaths weekly, over 45K lives spared weekly in Europe.

Corners of the world

USA reported 687K new cases (up from 554K) and 8,165 more deaths (8,260 last week)
India reported 80.9K new cases (up from 70.5K) and 2,189 more deaths (down from 2,625)
Brazil reported 62.4K new cases (down from 78.5K) and 1,476 more deaths (down from 1,823)
Iran reported 42.3K new cases (down from 53.8K) and 816 death (865 last week)
South Korea reported 18.4K new cases (up from 15.3K) and 164 deaths (115 last week)
Canada reported 18.1K new cases (up from 16.7K) and 195 deaths (154 last week)
Australia reported 8,590 new cases (down from 9,635) and 60 deaths (78 last week)
South Africa reported 2,917 new cases (up from 1,978) and 93 deaths (174 last week)
Japan reported 1,125 new cases (down from 1,364) and 19 deaths (27 last week)

Europe in detail

All going up, too many people thinking the pandemic is over already, forgetting vaccines reduce the chance to get infected, not eliminate it.
However last November Europe was up to 34K deaths weekly with a peak of 1.9 million infections weekly, currently it's 27K deaths with 2.2 million infections weekly.

Problem is, the pandemic rages on among the non-vaccinated while countries allow the infection rates to soar just looking at hospitalization rates. (keeping them the same) This makes it seem the vaccines are far less effective than they really are.

Global vaccination rate is now 41.41% (+1.00%)

Europe 56.78% (+0.72%)
South America 55.60% (+1.28%)
North America 53.75% (+0.66%)
Oceania 53.18% (+1.66%)
Asia 46.10% (+1.39%)
Africa 6.84% (+0.47%)

While Africa is still far behind, we're starting to vaccinate 6 to 11 year olds.
Meanwhile up to 10% of doses are wasted by people refusing to get the vaccine
https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/10-per-cent-of-covid-19-vaccine-doses-wasted-or-expired-alberta-health-1.5674144
Alberta is also one of the lowest vaccinated provinces in Canada, with the highest recent outbreak which came very close to having to deny healthcare
https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/at-the-very-edge-of-the-cliff-ama-says-triage-already-happening-in-alberta-hospitals-1.5599795