As 2021 drew to an end and the Covid-19 pandemic heads into its third year, the world is facing an unprecedented surge in new cases, threatening to test the limits of health systems across the globe.
According to Our World in Data, the seven-day average of global new Covid cases climbed to 2.42 million on Sunday, almost three times the previous peak reached in April 2021. Due to the emergence of the Omicron variant, many countries are currently seeing a surge that resembles a vertical wall more than a steady climb as seen in previous waves. In the United States, the seven-day average of new infections climbed past 700,000 for the first time according to Our World in Data, as daily cases are on the verge of exceeding one million for the first time.
And while several studies are now suggesting that Omicron is less likely to attack the lungs and lead to severe illness than previous variants, especially Delta, health experts are still warning against complacency, as the unprecedented speed at which infections are currently rising is all but certain to overwhelm health systems and cause major disruptions due to millions of people falling sick or being forced to isolate at the same time.
