WHO COVID-19 dashboard
WHO Health Emergencies Programme
The objective of this report is to provide a comprehensive overview of reported data on SARS-CoV-2 viral activity and the burden of the COVID-19 on the human population over the past seven to 28 days from the last reporting date. This overview and other sections are based on data submitted by Member States' Ministries of Health to the World Health Organization (WHO) through various surveillance systems, as well as updates from the health ministries' websites of the Member States. Information in this overview should be interpreted considering the data limitations detailed beneath each section.
Global data for COVID-19 circulation
Circulation
SARS-CoV-2 activity: Last 7 days
In the week of 13 to 19 October 2025, a total of 60,765 samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, across 89 countries (Table 1.2). WHO collects this data from a global network of sentinel and systematic virologic surveillance sites. Out of these, 3,373 (5.6%) samples tested positive for the virus (Table 1.1). During this period, SARS-CoV-2 activity was stable globally, with variations observed across some WHO regions (Table 1.3). Elevated activity or increases were reported in several countries in Tropical and Temperate South America; South West, Northern, and Eastern Europe; Western and Eastern Africa; and Western and Eastern Asia.
Country level details are available in | Circulation section
Countries with available wastewater surveillance can be found in | Wastewater section
Data limitations
With the integration of SARS-CoV-2 into existing respiratory disease surveillance systems, more countries have started to report SARS-CoV-2 infections to the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS). Data in this report include virologic results from sentinel surveillance and other types of systematically conducted virologic surveillance reported to GISRS. Currently, there are a limited number of countries reporting this data to GISRS in a timely and consistent way. The data used in this report is subject to change over time if there is retrospective and delayed reporting or updating of previously reported data. Countries, areas, and territories use a variety of approaches to monitor respiratory virus activity, and data in this report may vary from surveillance reports posted elsewhere.
Table 1.1 SARS-CoV-2 test positivity as reported from systematically conducted virological surveillance by WHO Region
Table 1.2 Number of countries reporting SARS-CoV-2 test positivity from systematically conducted virological surveillance by WHO Region
Table 1.3 Change in SARS-CoV-2 test positivity as reported from systematically conducted virological surveillance by WHO Region during last 52 weeks
SARS-CoV-2 reported cases: Last 28 days
In the 28-day period from 22 September 2025 to 19 October 2025, 77 countries across five WHO regions reported new COVID-19 cases. During this 28-day period, a total of 147,208 new cases were reported, which is a decrease compared to the 154,043 new cases reported from 91 countries in the previous 28-day period (Table 2.1, 2.2). Overall, 24 countries from the Americas and Europe showed an increase in new cases of over 10%.
Country level details are available in | Cases section
Data limitations
Reported cases do not accurately represent infection rates due to the reduction in testing and reporting globally. It is important to note that these statistics do not reflect the actual number of countries with cases. Additionally, data from the previous 28-day period are continuously being updated to incorporate retrospective changes made by countries regarding reported COVID-19 cases. The data presented in this report are therefore incomplete and should be interpreted considering these limitations.
Table 2.1. Newly reported COVID-19 confirmed cases by WHO regions
28-days to the dateTable 2.2. Number of countries reported newly COVID-19 confirmed cases by WHO regions
28-days to the dateWhat does “zero” mean in this table?
WHO emphasizes the importance of maintaining of consistent reporting and urges countries to report the absence of new cases, deaths, and hospital or ICU admissions if there are no new occurrences during the week. In this context, a zero in the table indicates that reporting countries have maintained their surveillance and reported the absence of cases. It is crucial to interpret the number of newly reported cases by WHO Region alongside the table showing the number of countries reporting this information. Many countries have significantly reduced their rates of testing and data reporting, integrating SARS-CoV-2 surveillance into existing respiratory virus monitoring systems. Consequently, they have ceased monitoring and/or reporting COVID-19 case counts at the national level. This report is limited to the data submitted to WHO, and the lack of reporting does not imply the absence of cases, hospitalizations or deaths in other countries.
What does no value or no data mean in this table?
“No value" indicates the absence of data for the relevant reporting period. It is important to understand that these statistics do not represent the actual number of countries with cases, hospitalizations, or deaths. The lack of reporting does not imply the absence of cases, hospitalizations or deaths in non-reporting countries.
SARS-CoV-2 variant circulation: 07 September to 05 October 2025
WHO is currently tracking several SARS-CoV-2 variants:
- Variants of Interest: JN.1
- Variants Under Monitoring: XFG, NB.1.8.1, LP.8.1, KP.3.1.1, and XEC
The most prevalent variant, XFG, accounted for 81% of all submitted sequences in the week ending on 05 October 2025 which is an increase from 69% in the week ending on 7 September 2025. NB.1.8.1 accounted for 12% of all submitted sequences in the week ending on 05 October 2025, a decrease from 21% in the week ending on 7 September 2025 (Table 3).
During this reporting period, all other variants showed a decreasing or stable trend. Available evidence suggests that XFG and NB.1.8.1 do not pose additional public health risks relative to other currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.
At the regional level, within the reporting period from week ending 07 September to 05 October 2025, XFG increased in the Western Pacific Region, European Region, and the Americas, which were the regions with sufficient data while NB.1.8.1 decreased in all the regions with sufficient data.
Note:This week's variant data update has not been possible due to technical issues.
Country level details are available in | Circulation section
Information on WHO variant monitoring is available in | Variant section
Data limitations
Data in this report include SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequence information submitted to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) by countries. Data from the previous 28-day period are continuously being updated to incorporate retrospective changes made by countries regarding submissions to GISAID. The data presented in this report are therefore incomplete and should be interpreted considering these limitations. Due to declining and unrepresentative surveillance and sequencing efforts, it has become increasingly challenging to quickly assess known variants and detect new variants or recombinants.
Table 3. Weekly prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 VOIs and VUMs
Updates and news
Regional Office Reports
Severity
Hospitalizations and ICU admissions: Last 28 days
In the 28-day period from 22 September 2025 to 19 October 2025, a total of 10,217 new COVID-19 hospitalizations were reported from 34 countries (Table 4.1, 4.2), and 422 new ICU admissions were reported from 33 countries across four WHO regions (Table 5.1, 5.2). Among the 30 countries that consistently reported hospitalizations during the past and previous 28-day periods, six countries from the Americas, Europe, and the Western Pacific showed an increasing trend. Similarly, among the 24 countries that consistently reported ICU admissions during the past and previous 28-day periods, six countries from the Americas and Europe showed an increasing trend.
Data limitations
The absence of reported data from some countries to WHO does not imply that there are no COVID-19-related hospitalizations in those countries. The presented hospitalization data are preliminary and might change as new data become available. Furthermore, hospitalization data are subject to reporting delays. This data also likely includes both hospitalizations with incidental cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection and those due to COVID-19 disease.
Table 4.1. Number of new hospitalization admissions reported by WHO regions
28-days to the dateTable 4.2. Number of countries reported new hospitalization admissions by WHO regions
28-days to the dateTable 4.3. Number of new ICU admissions reported by WHO regions
28-days to the dateTable 4.4. Number of countries reported new ICU admissions by WHO regions
28-days to the dateWhat does “zero” mean in this table?
WHO emphasizes the importance of maintaining of consistent reporting and urges countries to report the absence of new cases, deaths, and hospital or ICU admissions if there are no new occurrences during the week. In this context, a zero in the table indicates that reporting countries have maintained their surveillance and reported the absence of cases. It is crucial to interpret the number of newly reported cases by WHO Region alongside the table showing the number of countries reporting this information. Many countries have significantly reduced their rates of testing and data reporting, integrating SARS-CoV-2 surveillance into existing respiratory virus monitoring systems. Consequently, they have ceased monitoring and/or reporting COVID-19 case counts at the national level. This report is limited to the data submitted to WHO, and the lack of reporting does not imply the absence of cases, hospitalizations or deaths in other countries.
What does no value or no data mean in this table?
“No value" indicates the absence of data for the relevant reporting period. It is important to understand that these statistics do not represent the actual number of countries with cases, hospitalizations, or deaths. The lack of reporting does not imply the absence of cases, hospitalizations or deaths in non-reporting countries.
Deaths: Last 28 days
In the 28-day period from 22 September 2025 to 19 October 2025, 38 countries across four WHO regions reported new COVID-19 deaths. During this 28-day period, a total of 399 new deaths were reported (Table 5.1), which is a decrease compared to the 1,675 new deaths reported from 38 countries in the previous 28-day period (Table 5.2). The magnitude of this decrease has been mainly driven by a recent absence of data from some countries. Thirteen countries from the Americas and Europe showed an increase in new deaths of over 10%. In September 2025, 85% of reported deaths with age information occurred in the population aged 65 and over.
Data limitations
Reported deaths do not accurately represent mortality rates due to the reduction in testing and reporting globally. It is important to note that these statistics do not reflect the actual number of countries with deaths. Additionally, data from the previous 28-day period are continuously being updated to incorporate retrospective changes made by countries regarding reported COVID-19 deaths. The data presented in this report are therefore incomplete and should be interpreted considering these limitations. Furthermore, deaths data are subject to reporting delays. This data also likely includes both deaths with incidental SARS-CoV-2 infection and those due to COVID-19 disease.
Table 5.1. Newly reported COVID-19 confirmed deaths by WHO regions
28-days to the dateTable 5.2. Number of countries reported newly COVID-19 confirmed deaths by WHO regions
28-days to the dateWhat does “zero” mean in this table?
WHO emphasizes the importance of maintaining of consistent reporting and urges countries to report the absence of new cases, deaths, and hospital or ICU admissions if there are no new occurrences during the week. In this context, a zero in the table indicates that reporting countries have maintained their surveillance and reported the absence of cases. It is crucial to interpret the number of newly reported cases by WHO Region alongside the table showing the number of countries reporting this information. Many countries have significantly reduced their rates of testing and data reporting, integrating SARS-CoV-2 surveillance into existing respiratory virus monitoring systems. Consequently, they have ceased monitoring and/or reporting COVID-19 case counts at the national level. This report is limited to the data submitted to WHO, and the lack of reporting does not imply the absence of cases, hospitalizations or deaths in other countries.
What does no value or no data mean in this table?
“No value" indicates the absence of data for the relevant reporting period. It is important to understand that these statistics do not represent the actual number of countries with cases, hospitalizations, or deaths. The lack of reporting does not imply the absence of cases, hospitalizations or deaths in non-reporting countries.
Additional Information
Vaccination
Quarterly time series data on COVID-19 vaccine uptake and the target population groups recommended for vaccination under national COVID-19 vaccination policies are available by country through Quarter 4 of 2024 in the Data Section.
Metadata
Glossary
| SARS-CoV-2 PCR percent positivity | The data presented in this section shows the volume of testing, the number of detections, and the percent positivity for SARS-CoV-2 over time from sentinel surveillance and other types of systematically conducted virologic surveillance. Percent positivity is calculated using the reported number of samples positive and processed for SARS-CoV-2. Number of processed samples is either provided by countries or calculated from the number of positive and negative samples. |
| COVID-19 variants | It is usual for viruses to change and evolve as they spread between people over time. When these changes become significantly different from a previously detected virus, these new virus types are known as “variants.” Scientists map the genetic material of viruses (sequencing) to identify differences and detect changes. |
| Variant under Monitoring (VUM) | A term used to signal to public health authorities that a SARS-CoV-2 variant may require prioritized attention and monitoring. The main objective is to investigate if this variant may pose an additional threat to global public health. |
| Variant of Interest (VOI) | A SARS-CoV-2 variant with changes affecting its behavior or potential impact on human health, such as its ability to spread, cause serious disease, or respond to treatment. A VOI may also have an increased ability to spread, suggesting an emerging risk to global public health. |
| Wastewater | Water that has been in contact with people (e.g., for washing) or used for cleansing and sanitation (e.g., for flushing away faecal matter), and is discharged via sewers or other sanitation systems. |
| Wastewater surveillance | Sampling and testing of wastewater to analyze and interpret results, including assessing the presence or concentration of pathogens and substances, aimed at enhancing our understanding of disease dynamics within a community. |
| Environmental Surveillance | Systematic monitoring and assessment of various aspects of the environment, including air, water, soil, and biodiversity. |
Data Sources
| SARS-CoV-2 PCR percent positivity | Data on respiratory virus surveillance are provided to WHO through participation or collaboration with the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS). Countries, areas, and territories use a variety of approaches to monitor respiratory virus activity, and data in this report may vary from surveillance reports posted elsewhere. Data in this dashboard include virologic results from sentinel surveillance and other types of systematically conducted virologic surveillance, depending on the countries, areas, and territories. Differences in surveillance approaches limit comparison of percent positivity between countries, areas, and territories. The source to use in the dashboardwas determined in collaboration with WHO Regional Offices and the reporting countries, areas, and territories. Analyses stratified by source of surveillance is available through the GISRS surveillance data dashboard alongside influenza circulation. The data presented in this section shows the volume of testing, the number of detections, and the percent positivity for SARS-CoV-2 over time. Data is excluded whenever only the number of SARS-CoV-2 positives or negatives is reported without the denominator (number of samples tested). Currently, there are a limited number of countries reporting this data to GISRS in a timely and consistent way. When world or a WHO Region is selected, the data reported to date might be from a limited number of countries, and thus the trends in percent positivity do not reflect the situation as a whole in the region or globally. The quality and consistency of current data are influenced by changes in health-seeking behaviors, routines in sentinel sites, national testing priorities, and capacities. The data is subject to change over time if there is retrospective and delayed reporting or updating of previously reported data. Global Influenza Program influenza updates can be found here. |
| SARS-CoV-2 variant data | GISAID |
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