COVID-19 pandemic

===2022===
[[File:Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (Omicron) (52665469105).jpg|thumb|250px|Scanning electron micrograph (colorized) of cell infected with the Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles ''green'']]
{{Hatnote|Timelines of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022 by month: [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2022|January]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2022|February]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2022|March]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2022|April]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2022|May]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2022|June]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2022|July]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in August 2022|August]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2022|September]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in October 2022|October]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2022|November]], [[Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2022|December]]}}

On 1 January, Europe passed 100 million cases amidst a surge in the [[SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant|Omicron variant]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=Europe Tops 100 Million Coronavirus Cases in Pandemic |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/omicron-coronavirus-variant-sweeps-across-the-globe/6377972.html |website=VOA |date=January 2022 |access-date=2 January 2022 }}</ref> Later that month, the WHO recommended the [[rheumatoid arthritis]] drug [[Baricitinib]] for severe or critical patients. It also recommended the monoclonal antibody [[Sotrovimab]] in patients with non-severe disease, but only those who are at highest risk of hospitalization.<ref>{{#invoke:cite journal ||last1=Kmietowicz |first1=Zosia |title=Covid-19: WHO recommends baricitinib and sotrovimab to treat patients |journal=BMJ |date=13 January 2022 |volume=376 |pages=o97 |doi=10.1136/bmj.o97 |pmid=35027362 |s2cid=245907930 |url=https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o97 |access-date=29 May 2023}}</ref>

On 24 January, the [[Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation]] estimated that about 57% of the world's population had been infected by COVID-19.<ref name="57percent1">{{#invoke:cite web ||title=COVID-19 Results Briefing |url=https://www.healthdata.org/sites/default/files/files/1_briefing_Global_5.pdf |website=healthdata.org |access-date=7 February 2022}}</ref><ref name="57percent2">{{#invoke:cite web ||title=COVID Evaluation Model Estimates 57 Percent of World Population Infected at Least Once |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/covid-evaluation-model-estimates-57-percent-of-world-population-infected-at-least-once/ar-AAT6yyz?ocid=BingNewsSearch |website=MSN |access-date=7 February 2022}}</ref> By 6 March, it was reported that the total worldwide death count had surpassed 6&nbsp;million people.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||first=Deidre |last=McPhillips |title=Global Covid-19 deaths surpass 6 million |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/07/health/global-covid-deaths-surpass-six-million/index.html |website=CNN |date=7 March 2022 |access-date=9 March 2022}}</ref> By 6 July, Omicron subvariants [[BA.4]] and [[BA.5]] had spread worldwide.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=BA.5, now dominant U.S. variant, may pose the biggest threat to immune protection yet |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/omicron-ba5-ba4-covid-symptoms-vaccines-rcna36894 |website=NBC News |date=7 July 2022 |access-date=13 August 2022 }}</ref> WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus stated on 14 September 2022, that "[The world has] never been in a better position to end the pandemic", citing the lowest number of weekly reported deaths since March 2020. He continued, "We are not there yet. But the end is in sight—we can see the finish line".<ref>{{#invoke:cite news || url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1126621 | title=The end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight: WHO | date=14 September 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite news || url=https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-chief-says-end-sight-covid-19-pandemic-2022-09-14/ | title=End of COVID pandemic is 'in sight' -WHO chief | newspaper=Reuters | date=14 September 2022 | last1=Mishra | first1=Manas }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite news || url=https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-pandemic-who-says-end-in-sight-deaths-drop-rcna47680 | title=WHO says 'end is in sight' for the Covid pandemic as global deaths hit lowest since March 2020 | website=[[NBC News]] }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite news || url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/14/health/pandemic-end-in-sight-who/index.html | title=The end of the pandemic is in sight, WHO director-general says, 'so let's seize this opportunity' | website=[[CNN]] | date=14 September 2022 }}</ref>

On 21 October, the United States surpassed 99 million cases of COVID-19, the most cases of any country.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=Coronavirus Morning News Brief – Oct. 21: More Americans Are Getting the Updated Vaccine, BA.5 Continues Dominance in U.S. |url=https://www.frequentbusinesstraveler.com/2022/10/coronavirus-morning-news-brief-oct-21-more-americans-are-getting-the-updated-vaccine-ba-5-continues-dominance-in-u-s/ |website=Frequent Business Traveller |access-date=21 October 2022}}</ref> By 30 October, the worldwide daily death toll was 424, the lowest since 385 deaths were reported on 12 March 2020.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=COVID-19 world weekly cases down 19% but new subvariant spreading |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2022/10/30/COVID-19-world-weekly-cases-down-19-but-new-subvariant-spreading/8241667141393/ |website=UPI |access-date=2 November 2022 }}</ref> 17 November marked the three-year anniversary since health officials in China first detected COVID-19.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=What day is the real anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic? |url=https://theweek.com/articles/971043/what-day-real-anniversary-covid19-pandemic |website=The Week |date=9 March 2021 |access-date=5 November 2022 }}</ref>

On 11 November, the WHO reported that deaths since the month of February had dropped 90 percent. Director-General Tedros said this was "cause for optimism".<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=WHO reports 90% drop in global COVID-19 deaths since February |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/who-reports-90-25-drop-in-global-covid-19-deaths-since-february/ar-AA13ZU6n |website=MSN |access-date=11 November 2022}}</ref> On 3 December, the WHO indicated that, "at least 90% of the world's population has some level of immunity to Sars-CoV-2".<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=WHO estimates 90% of world have some resistance to Covid |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/03/who-estimates-90-of-world-have-some-resistance-to-covid |website=The Guardian |access-date=3 December 2022 |date=3 December 2022}}</ref> In early December, China began lifting some of its most stringent lockdown measures. Subsequent data from China's health authorities revealed that 248 million people, nearly 18 percent of its population, had been infected in the first 20 days of that month.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||title=China Estimates Covid Surge Is Infecting 37 Million People a Day |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-23/china-estimates-covid-surge-is-infecting-37-million-people-a-day |website=Bloomberg |date=23 December 2022}}</ref> On 29 December, the US joined Italy, Japan, Taiwan and India in requiring negative COVID-19 test results from all people traveling from China due to the new surge in cases. The EU refused similar measures, stating that the BF7 omicron variant had already spread throughout Europe without becoming dominant.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web ||title=US will require COVID-19 testing for travelers from China |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/us-will-require-covid-19-testing-for-travelers-from-china/ar-AA15KHjS |website=MSN |access-date=29 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||title=EU calls screening of travellers from China 'unjustified' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64119080 |access-date=29 December 2022 |publisher=BBC News |date=29 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229164230/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64119080 |archive-date=29 December 2022}}</ref>