The global coronavirus caseload has topped 278.8 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 5.39 million and vaccinations to over 8.88 billion, according to Johns Hopkins University.
In its latest update on Saturday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and the death toll stood at 278,865,910 and 5,392,020, respectively, while the total number of vaccine doses administered has increased to 8,888,931,499.
The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 51,962,786 and 816,362, according to the CSSE.
The second worst hit country in terms of cases is India (34,772,626 infections and 479,133 deaths), followed by Brazil (22,234,623 infections and 618,655 deaths).
The other countries with over 5 million cases are the UK (11,958,841), Russia (10,164,951), Turkey (9,268,486), France (9,088,232), Germany (6,982,238), Iran (6,181,784), Spain (5,718,007), Italy (5,567,644), Argentina (5,445,236) and Colombia (5,118,254), the CSSE figures showed.
The nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are Mexico (298,508), Russia (296,268), Peru (202,424), the UK (148,324), Indonesia (144,047), Italy (136,386), Iran (131,306), Colombia (129,686), France (123,447), Argentina (117,008) and Germany (110,195).
Myanmar reports 213 new Covid-19 cases
The number of Covid-19 infections has risen to 529,327 in Myanmar after 213 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours on Friday, according to the Ministry of Health.
Six more deaths were also reported, bringing the death toll to 19,248 on Friday in the country, Xinhua news agency quoted the ministry as saying.
A total of 506,764 patients have been discharged from hospitals and over 5.96 million samples have been tested for Covid-19 as of Friday.
Indonesia adds 204 new cases
Indonesia confirmed 204 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total tally to 4,261,412, the country's Covid-19 Task Force has said on Friday.
There were 182 more patients having recovered from Covid-19 in the Southeast Asian country, bringing the total number of recoveries to 4,112,706, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the task force.
Meanwhile, the task force reported five more deaths from the pandemic, bringing the overall coronavirus death toll to 144,047.
There have been 155,414,524 people having received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in Indonesia, 109,955,752 people having taken their second dose, and 1,280,673 having taken their third dose.
Indonesia has managed to control the second wave of Covid-19 infections, which was triggered by the Delta variant, with a peak of cases recorded on July 15, and has so far confirmed eight cases of the Omicron variant.
Singapore reports 265 cases in 24 hrs
Singapore has reported 265 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total tally in the country to 277,307. Of the new cases, 177 were in the community, nine were in migrant worker dormitories and 79 were imported cases, show the statistics released by the Ministry of Health (MOH).
A total of 413 cases are currently warded in hospitals, with 19 cases being critically ill in the intensive care unit (ICU). The current overall ICU utilisation rate is 51.7 per cent.
As many as 82 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 were confirmed on Friday, of whom 17 were local and 65 were imported, the MOH said.
Thailand records 1st cluster of Omicron variant of Covid-19
Thailand reported its first cluster of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in the northeastern Kalasin province, health officials said.
According to the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), there are 22 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant linked to the Kalasin cluster, Xinhua news agency reported.
The index case of the latest cluster was believed to be a couple who travelled from Belgium through Thailand's quarantine free scheme and tested positive with the Omicron variant earlier this month, CCSA spokeswoman Apisamai Srirangsan said.
Since their arrival, the couple visited several places including bars, shopping malls and state offices in the province, Apisamai said, adding that around 100 people were still deemed at high risk due to their close contact with the patients.
Since the start of the pandemic early last year, Thailand has registered 2,204,672 Covid-19 cases, with 21,528 cumulative deaths.
(With inputs from IANS)
