Global number of new cases decreases while deaths increase over past week
The global number of newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases has decreased over the past week while the number of deaths from the disease worldwide has increased, according to data from the World Health Organization.
On Monday, the WHO provided a snapshot for how COVID-19 impacted each region of the world for the week of Sept. 7-13, comparing data to the previous seven-day period. The number of newly diagnosed cases decreased by around 3% globally, while deaths increased by 8%.
The WHO's Southeast Asia region saw an 11% increase each in new cases and fatalities. The region accounts for 33% of the world's coronavirus-related deaths in the last week. India, Indonesia and Bangladesh reported the highest number of newly diagnosed cases. The Maldives, however, has the greatest caseload relative to its population size.
The Americas region saw a 19% decrease in new cases and a 10% increase in fatalities, with Guadeloupe reporting its highest numbers.
The Africa region saw a 14% decrease in new cases and a 15% decrease in fatalities, making it the only region to report a decline in coronavirus-related deaths. South Africa has the most cases of any country on the African continent.
The Eastern Mediterranean region saw a 14% increase in new cases and a 3% increase in fatalities. The uptick was largely attributed to seasonal religious and cultural mass gatherings, wedding celebrations and other social events. The number of newly diagnosed cases in Libya has more than doubled over the past two weeks, and the real figures are likely to be even higher due to testing shortages.
The European region saw an 8% increase in new cases and just under a 1% increase in fatalities. The region accounts for 16% of the world's cases and 25% of deaths. France reported the highest number of newly diagnosed cases in the last week.
The Western Pacific region saw a 4% increase in new cases and a 6% increase in fatalities. The Philippines, Japan and South Korea had the greatest number of newly diagnosed cases. Singapore, however, has the largest number of cases relative to its population size. Overall, the region has the lowest cumulative cases and deaths relative to the populations.
ABC News' Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.