More than half of all global COVID-19 deaths reported over the last week were found in the Americas—reporting more than 1.3 million new cases and 37,000 deaths, PAHO reports.

But “Nowhere are infections as worrisome as in South America, where cases are mounting in nearly every country,” director Carissa F. Etienne said at a briefing yesterday.

More bad news:

  • US, Brazil and Argentina numbered among the world’s top 10 countries in new infections
  • Cases have doubled in parts of Bolivia and Colombia
  • Cases are accelerating in all 4 Southern Cone countries (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay), with uninterrupted community transmission in recent week.

Pandemic fatigue is fueling premature easing of public health restrictions, Etienne warned—but effectively fighting the virus depends on addressing divisive inequities in a region where many of the most vulnerable people can’t survive if they stay home, she emphasized.

Read the full article about case counts and COVID-19 safety measures at Global Health NOW.