The number of novel coronavirus cases registered all over the world increased by almost four million in the past week, which is slightly less than during the previous seven-day period, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.

According to the global organization’s data, a total of 3,935,330 novel coronavirus cases and 69,916 fatalities were registered worldwide between November 23 and 29. During the previous seven-day period, 4,060,891 cases of the novel coronavirus and 67,221 deaths were reported.

WHO says the global infection rate remains high, despite the slight decline observed lately. Mortality continues to grow, however.

Cases declined in Europe in the reported period, although the region remains the second hardest-hit area in terms of cases, after the North and South America. The death toll grew by 5% in Europe compared to the period of November 16-22, by 4% in Southeast Asia and by 2% in North and South America.

About 1.57 million cases and over 35,000 deaths were registered in Europe in the past week. Over 1.65 million new cases and over 22,000 deaths registered between November 16 and 22 in North and South America. Some 371,000 people contracted the illness in Southeast Asia in the past seven days, while the death toll increased by about 4,800.

The case count increased by more than 1.15 million in the United States, by over 297,000 in India, by more than 218,000 in Brazil, by almost 184,000 in Italy, by over 179,000 in Russia and by over 130,000 in Poland in the reported period.

The infection has also been spreading rapidly in Germany (over 124,000 new cases), the United Kingdom (over 111,000), and Iran (over 94,000) in the past week.

In late December 2019, Chinese officials informed the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.

According to the latest statistics, about 63.3 mln people have been infected worldwide and more than 1.4 mln deaths have been reported.

According to Russia’s anti-coronavirus crisis center, 2,322,056 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the country so far, with 1,803,467 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 40,464 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation./TASS

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