In this article, we will be analyzing the history of COVID-19 and the counteraction against the pandemic, while covering the 20 countries with the most COVID-19 cases in the world in 2023. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can move directly to the 5 Countries with the Most COVID-19 Cases in the World in 2023.
The Global Pandemic: A Historical Overview
As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the first cases of a pneumonia-like novel illness which had symptoms of fever and shortness of breath were identified among a group of residents in Wuhan in December, 2019. However, the pandemic was not identified as Coronavirus until the World Health Organization (WHO) used the term ‘2019 Novel Coronavirus’ in January 2021. With cases rising in Thailand, Korea, Japan and the United States, this virus was declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and was shortly named ‘Covid-19’ by WHO. It was not until late 2020 that vaccines from global pharmaceutical companies came into play against the pandemic. While the vaccines were being administered, variants of the Coronavirus named alpha, beta, and gamma were reported in different parts of the world. The Delta and Omicron variants followed suit.
Current Situation of the Global Pandemic
On September 29, WHO reported that more than 770 million Covid-19 cases and over 6 million deaths have been reported from all over the world, as of September 24. The new cases from August 28 to September 24 decreased by 55% as compared to the 4 weeks prior to the mentioned period. The total reported deaths also went down by 34% during this period.
On October 12, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported an update about the pandemic in the EU region. According to this update, the pandemic was most affecting older people, aged 65 or above, from October 1 to October 8. In half of the EU region, rates of respiratory illnesses and acute respiratory infection were on the rise, as a result of an increase in SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
The Disruptive Invention: The COVID-19 Vaccine
The vaccine for COVID-19 was a critical invention to address the global health crisis from the pandemic. Some of the primary and key manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines include Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE), AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN), and Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA). They are also some of the best COVID-19 stocks to invest in.
On December 11, 2020, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) joined hands with BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX) to leverage its proprietary mRNA technology to create a vaccine for the global pandemic, first authorized in the US on an emergency basis. This vaccine is allowed for use at some level in most countries. Studies indicate that COVID-19 follows a seasonal pattern with rising numbers during fall and winter. On September 14, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) reported that its vaccine for the new season is currently available across the United States. This vaccine has been made to offer protection against several Omicron sub-variants since 85% of the current COVID-19 cases in America are caused by Omicron XBB strains. The company recently secured authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted monovalent COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines for individuals aged 12 years and above can be ordered as a single-dose vial or a prefilled syringe. However, emergency use authorization has been given for those between 6 months and 11 years of age.
AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) collaborated with Oxford University to develop the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID‑19 vaccine which is given by an intramuscular injection. Generally, the side effects of the vaccine in the form of headache, nausea, and injection site pain tend to reduce within some days. On January 4, 2021, the first vaccination was administered outside a trial by the company. By January 2022, more than 2.5 billion vaccine doses had been released to almost 170 countries. On October 11, AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) reported that it will be presenting real-world evidence regarding the risk of serious infectious diseases at the 12th annual IDWeek which is a premier event for discussing infectious diseases, from October 11 to October 15. The company reveals that immunocompromised individuals are most vulnerable to COVID-19, even when they are fully vaccinated. According to the company, AZD3152 is a long lasting antibody that can offer protection against COVID-19 in these vulnerable patients.
Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) also introduced an mRNA vaccine against Coronavirus. This was the second vaccine after the Pfizer vaccine, which secured emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 18, 2020. In 2022, Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent was authorized as a booster dose for individuals older than 18, in the UK, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, the US, and the EU. On October 4, Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) reported that it has been working on a combination vaccine ‘mRNA-1083’ against Influenza and COVID-19. The vaccine will be entering the phase 3 trial since positive results have been obtained regarding its safety and effectiveness as compared to other licensed Influenza vaccines. The company also plans to seek regulatory approval for this combination vaccine in 2025.
Now that we have taken a look at the global pandemic situation, we can move to the 20 countries with the most COVID-19 cases in the world in 2023.
20 Countries with the Most COVID-19 Cases in the World in 2023
Our Methodology:
In order to compile a list of the 20 countries with the most COVID-19 cases, we sourced data from the World Health Organization’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. We screened the countries which had the most cumulative cases, as of 2023. Moving on, we found the number of cases from the beginning of 2023 until October 12, 2023. Finally, we ranked the countries with the highest number of cases since the start of 2023. The list is in ascending order of the aforementioned metric.
20 Countries with the Most COVID-19 Cases in the World in 2023
20. Ukraine
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 198,426
Ukraine is one of the 20 countries with the most COVID-19 cases in 2023. As of 2023, the country recorded a cumulative total of 5,520,483 cases of the pandemic. The country recorded its first confirmed case of the pandemic in March 2020.
19. Canada
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 206,734
COVID-19 had entered Canada in January 2020. Since then, the country has recorded a cumulative total of 4,716,205 cases. 206,734 cases were confirmed in Canada in 2023 which makes it one of the top countries with the most cases of Coronavirus in 2023.
18. Chile
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 226,103
Chile is another country with one of the highest COVID-19 cases in the world in 2023. The country witnessed its first confirmed COVID-19 case in March 2020. As of 2023, the country has a cumulative total of 5,288,837 cases of the global pandemic.
17. Greece
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 308,685
Another country with the most COVID-19 cases in the world in 2023 is Greece. As of 2023, the country has a combined total of 5,405,742 COVID-19 cases. The first case of the global pandemic was seen in the country in February 2020.
16. India
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 320,944
India has one of the highest COVID-19 cases in the world in 2023. The country records a cumulative total of 44,999,328 cases of the virus, as of 2023. The first cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the country in January 2020.
15. New Zealand
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 330,408
COVID-19 hit New Zealand for the first time in February 2020. As of 2023, the country has an overall total of 2,387,858 cases. Hence, New Zealand is one of the countries with the most COVID-19 cases in 2023.
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE), AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN), and Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) are some of the leading vaccine makers in the world.
14. Austria
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 357,108
In February 2020, a pair of COVID-19 cases were recorded in Austria. The country has a cumulative total of 6,081,287 cases of the pandemic, as of 2023. These statistics make the country one of the countries with the most COVID-19 cases in the world in 2023.
13. Mexico
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 384,031
COVID-19 was confirmed to reach Mexico in February 2020. The country has one of the highest COVID-19 cases in the world in 2023 as mentioned above. As of 2023, the cumulative number of Coronavirus cases in Mexico is 7,692,369.
12. Singapore
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 402,438
Singapore is another country hit most by COVID-19 in the world in 2023. The country first witnessed COVID-19 in January 2020. As of 2023, the cumulative total of COVID-19 cases in Singapore is 2,610,108.
11. The United Kingdom
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 549,245
The United Kingdom witnessed the presence of Coronavirus in early 2020. Since then, the country has recorded a total of 24,743,787 cases of the pandemic. Thus, the United Kingdom is one of the 20 countries with the most COVID-19 cases in 2023.
10. Australia
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 763,333
COVID-19 was first verified in Australia in January 2020. Australia is one of the countries with the most cases of COVID-19 in the world. The country has a cumulative total of 11,613,411 cases of the virus, as of 2023.
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE), AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN), and Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) are some of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world.
9. Italy
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 914,207
Italy is another country with a significant number of COVID-19 cases in the world in 2023. As of 2023, Italy has a total of 26,082,645 cases of the global pandemic, which reached the country first in January 2020.
8. France
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 1,007,943
COVID-19 was first confirmed in France in January, 2020. Since then, the country has witnessed a total of 38,997,490 cases of the virus. France is one of the countries with the largest number of COVID-19 cases in the world in 2023.
7. Russia
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 1,247,324
The first cases of Coronavirus were confirmed among two Chinese citizens in Russia in January 2020. The country has reported a total of 23,045,833 cases of the pandemic, as of 2023. Hence, Russia is one of the countries with the most COVID-19 cases in the world in 2023.
6. Brazil
Number of COVID-19 cases as of 2023: 1,419,334
Brazil is another country with a major share of COVID-19 cases in the world in 2023. As of 2023, Brazil has a cumulative total of 37,721,749 cases of Coronavirus which was first confirmed in the country in February 2020.
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Disclosure: None. 20 Countries with the Most COVID-19 Cases in the World in 2023 is originally published on Insider Monkey.