WHO: Coronavirus cases falling everywhere but one notable Western region

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The World Health Organization reported Wednesday that coronavirus deaths rose by 10% in Europe in the past week, making it the only world region where both COVID-19 cases and deaths are steadily increasing. It was the sixth consecutive week that cases have risen across the continent. 

In its weekly report on the pandemic, the U.N. health agency said there were about 3.1 million new cases globally, about a 1% increase from the previous week. Nearly two-thirds of the coronavirus infections — 1.9 million — were in Europe, where cases rose by 7%. 

The countries with the highest numbers of new cases worldwide were the United States, Russia, Britain, Turkey and Germany. The number of weekly COVID-19 deaths fell by about 4% worldwide and declined in every region except Europe. 

People walk through the main shopping street in Frankfurt, Germany, on Wednesday. Germany's national disease control center reported a record-high number of new coronavirus cases Wednesday as one of the country's top virologists warned that another lockdown would be needed if vaccinations do not quickly accelerate.  (AP/Michael Probst)

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Out of the 61 countries WHO includes in its European region, which includes Russia and stretches to Central Asia, 42 reported a jump in cases of at least 10% in the last week. 

In the Americas, WHO said new weekly cases fell by 5% and deaths declined by 14%, with the highest numbers reported from the United States. 

Russian citizens wait in line to get a COVID-19 vaccination in Zagreb, Croatia, on Tuesday. Croatia has become a new favorite spot for Russian citizens seeking vaccinations with Western jabs needed for travel around Europe and the U.S.  (AP/Darko Bandic)

On Tuesday, pharmaceutical company Pfizer asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to authorize booster shots of coronavirus vaccines for all adults. WHO has pleaded with countries not to administer more boosters until at least the end of the year; about 60 countries are actively rolling them out. 

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In Southeast Asia and Africa, COVID-19 deaths declined by about a third, despite the lack of vaccines in those regions. 

Shauna Andrus, left, a nurse volunteering at the University of Washington Medical Center, talks to Emmy Slonecker, 7, center, before giving her the first shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday as Emmy's father, Brent Slonecker, right, looks on in Seattle. (AP/Ted S. Warren)

WHO's Europe director, Dr. Hans Kluge, said last week that Europe was once again "back at the epicenter of the pandemic." He warned that if more actions weren’t taken to stop COVID-19, the region could see another 500,000 deaths by February.