The number of COVID-19 cases in the world has been growing for the fifth straight week, and the rise in deaths from the virus is also a cause for concern. The WHO Technical Lead for COVID-19 Maria Van Kerkhove said at a briefing, RIA Novosti reports.

Over the past week, the number of new cases of the disease in the world has increased by 8 percent compared to the previous week, she said.

We currently observe an increase in prevalence in four of the five WHO regions. This is the fifth consecutive week of growth worldwide.

Maria Van Kerkhove

According to her, the increase in infection reached 12 percent in Europe mainly due to the British strain. In Southeast Asia, new cases increased by 49 percent, in the Western Pacific region — by 29 percent, and in the Eastern Mediterranean — by 8 percent.

Maria Van Kerkhove added that WHO had registered a decrease in mortality over the course of six weeks. However, in recent weeks, death rates have started to rise again around the world, which is of great concern.

On March 19, the European Commission officially announced beginning of the third wave of coronavirus. More and more countries in Europe announce a hard lockdown and register record incidence rates.