The number of new Covid-19 cases continues to decline in most parts of the world. For the first time since 20 October 2021, the number of infections has fallen below 3 million per week (seven-day moving average). Thus, 2.45 million new cases were recorded between 27 October and 3 November 2022, a 15% drop compared to the previous week (Chart 1). More generally, the number of new cases continued to fall sharply in Europe (-34%) and, to a lesser extent, Africa (-8%), while it stabilised in North and South America. In Asia, the number of cases is on the rise again (+11%), particularly in Japan (333,980, +25%), South Korea (293,934, +35%) and Taiwan (270,077, -3%). To date, 13 billion doses of vaccine have been administered worldwide. Thus, 68.4% of the world’s population has received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine (Chart 2).
The weekly GDP proxy indicator appears to be on a downward slope, slightly in Italy and Spain, and somewhat more markedly in the UK. By contrast, the indicator is relatively stable in France, Germany, Japan and the United States. In Belgium, the indicator differs with an increase in the last points of the curve (Chart 3, black curve). This tracker is produced by the OECD using Google Trends data from searches relating to consumption, the labour market, real estate, industrial activity and uncertainty. The tracker shown here is calculated on a rolling basis over one year.
Tarik Rharrab