Weekly update. Looks like the BA.4/BA.5 wave is spreading
In total 6.07 million new cases were reported last week (up from 5.43 million) to a total of 559,674,628
Also another 11,458 more deaths were reported (up from 10,638) to a total of 6,371,455
Europe keeps on climbing, 3.04 million new cases (2.63 million last week) and 3,839 more deaths (3,257 last week)
The USA had a big dip on the 4th of July and stays about the same, 766K new cases (798K last week) and 2,459 more deaths (2,640 last week)
The continents
Asia and Oceania are picking up speed, Africa still in slight decline.
Corners of the world
Japan, South Korea and Iran are rising sharply.
Canada reported 24.5K new cases (up from 19.5K) and 190 deaths (145 last week)
Europe in detail
Austria might be peaking, Norway going back down, the rest all climbing.
I wonder what the real numbers are if testing was still done regularly.
The next stage, bivalent vaccines?
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/the-next-stage-in-the-battle-against-covid-19-bivalent-vaccines-1.5977758
The evidence so far is they can increase antibody levels further than prior doses. But he says there is no clinical data illustrating what, exactly, that means: Does that translate to longer protection against symptomatic disease? Even more protection against hospitalization? How long do the effects last? Will they wane over time?
"There's no guarantees with this booster that is coming," says Chagla. "My guess is it probably will extend the benefits for symptomatic infection more than eight weeks, nine weeks, 10 weeks." He suspects they'll behave much the same way as current COVID-19 shots: induced antibodies will decay over time and people may be infected again.
Complicating matters is the fact that the virus continues to evolve, Chagla adds.
And that's the big problem letting Covid basically run free now. It's still a very nasty disease, for some with effects that last for many months. Next to loss of hearing in one ear, my wife keeps having cramped muscles in one leg, making it hard to sleep. Thus still sheltering, now for BA.5 :/
