Science

Coronavirus trend: The pandemic is far from over

Most countries are reporting more and more new COVID-19 cases every day, and data for the global picture shows that the pandemic is far from over. DW's weekly statistics update.

These charts and this article are updated every Friday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. UTC. Last updated: December 25, 2020.

What's the current global trend? 

The goal for all countries is to make it to the blue part of the chart and stay there. Countries and territories in this section have reported no new cases for four weeks in a row.  

Currently, that is the case for eight out of 213 countries and territories. 

Please note: The number of newly reported cases highly depends on a country's ability to conduct tests and its strategy for administering tests. Additionally, some countries have been criticized for not accurately reporting case numbers.

How has the COVID-19 trend evolved over the past weeks?

The situation has improved slightly: 94 countries have reported more cases in the past two weeks, compared to the previous 14 days.

What is the current COVID-19 trend in my country? 

Based on the newly reported case numbers — which can reflect local outbreaks as well as countrywide spread — in the past 28 days, countries and territories classify as follows:

More than twice as many new cases:

More new cases:

About the same number of new cases (no change or plus/minus two percent):  

Fewer new cases:

Less than half as many new cases:

Zero new cases:

 

If you have questions regarding the analysis, please refer to the project's Github repository for code and methodology. For feedback regarding the charts, please contact: data-team@dw.com 
The charts in this article were inspired by the work of Lisa Charlotte Rost.

DW recommends

COVID-19 in Africa: The need to improve communication

Some African countries have been criticized for not issuing accurate data on COVID-19. For structural reasons, data gathering is more of a challenge in Africa than in Europe. But that's not the main problem, experts say.  

Tanzania under fire from WHO for lackluster response to COVID-19 pandemic

Authorities in the country have been lax in issuing updates on the number of coronavirus infections, while President John Magufuli has stubbornly refused to introduce stringent measures to slow the spread of the virus.  

Coronavirus: Is low testing behind Pakistan's falling daily new cases?

PM Imran Khan's government says the drop in the daily number of new coronavirus cases in July is due to its "smart lockdown" strategy. But observers say the trend could be a result of misreporting and inadequate testing.