Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

External Situation Report #145

22 February 2023
Period of Report: As of 22 February 2023, 10:00 (GMT+8)

Overall strategy
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific (the Regional Office)
encourages Member States to continue to suppress transmission of COVID-19 in order to avoid exceeding
health system capacities and to protect vulnerable populations. A risk-based approach using the following
tools is recommended: COVID-19 vaccination, calibrated public health and social measures, strengthened
health system capacity, early detection and targeted response, and international border measures.

Regional overview
• As of 22 February 2023, 201 022 881 cases with 402 291 deaths (proportion of fatal cases (PFC) 0.2%)
have been reported. The overall trend has been decreasing for the fifth consecutive week (Figures 1 and
2).

• In the week from 16 to 22 February 2023, a total of 324 234 new cases with 1 623 new deaths (Table 1)
were reported in 17 countries and areas: Brunei Darussalam 551, Cambodia 7, China 113 3791, Cook
Islands 3, Fiji 12, Guam 36, Japan 126 518, Kiribati 1, the Republic of Korea 74 156, Lao People’s,
Democratic Republic (PDR) 12, Malaysia 1 508, Marshall Islands 10, Mongolia 2, Nauru 126, New Zealand
7 100, the Philippines 733, and Viet Nam 80.
• Omicron Variant of Concern (VOC), BA.5, and its descendent lineages remain dominant across the
Region.

Weekly country situation updates

• Decreasing trends in the number of severe cases and deaths continue in Japan. On 22 February 2023, a
total of 212 daily severe cases and 114 daily deaths reported, representing a 70% and 77% decrease
respectively from the peak in mid-January 2023. The proportion of the hospital bed occupancy for severe
COVID-19 has been decreased from 32% on 11 January 2023 to 12% on 15 February 2023.

• The number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths has continued to decline in China. On 16 February
2023, 62 deaths, 562 severe cases, and 20 0002 hospitalizations were reported, representing a 99.9%,
99.9%, and 98.8% decline respectively from the peak in early January 2023. The number of fever clinic
visits peaked nationally (2.8 million) on 23 December 2022 and decreased by 95.7% to 124 0002 visits
on 16 February 2023. As of 16 February, the number of fever clinic visits has decreased by 96.0% and
95.0% in urban and rural areas respectively. BA.5.2.48 (60.4%) and BF.7.14 (28.9%) Omicron lineages
have been predominant.

1
This number includes information from Hong Kong SAR China, Macao SAR China, and Taiwan, China only.
2 This number does not include information relating to Hong Kong SAR China, Macao SAR China, and Taiwan, China.

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 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
External Situation Report #145
22 February 2023
Period of Report: As of 22 February 2023, 10:00 (GMT+8)

SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern and Omicron lineages in the Region

• A total of 6 964 sequences from eight countries and areas were uploaded to GISAID from 6 to 12
February 2023.

• For week 6 (6 to 12 February 2023) the distribution of VOC or Variants of Interest (VOI) among the
eight countries and areas was 40.5% for BA.5, 18.8% for BQ.1, 16.7% for BF.7, 12.9% for BA.2.75 and
3.4% for XBF. (Table 2).

Deployments 564 534 18 1 16

COVID-19 total deployments actively supporting actively supporting currently supporting
response deployments completed country offices the Regional Office remotely

Supplies and logistics for health care workers shipped to 40 destinations in the Western
Pacific Region (as of 22 February 2023)

37 879 374 6 398 719 1 828 399 369 336 1 349 284 9 271 460 38 189
surgical masks particulate medical gowns goggles face shields pairs of gloves alcohol-based
respirators hand rub (100mL)

782 344 2 033 649 3 741 910 706 3 198 30 155 333 490
laboratory tests point of care tests swab kits ICU ventilators oxygen concentrators pulse oximeters rapid antigen tests

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 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
External Situation Report #145
22 February 2023
Period of Report: As of 22 February 2023, 10:00 (GMT+8)

Figure 1. Epidemic curve of confirmed COVID-19 cases in countries and areas with the highest number of
cases, as of 22 February 2023 10:00 (GMT+8)

Figure 2. Epidemic curve of confirmed COVID-19 cases in countries or areas with the lowest number of
cases, as of 22 February 2023 10:00 (GMT+8)

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 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
External Situation Report #145
22 February 2023
Period of Report: As of 22 February 2023, 10:00 (GMT+8)

Table 1. Countries or areas with reported laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths,
covering the period from 15 to 21 February 2023, as of 22 February 2023 (GMT+8)

New deaths Change

Country or area New cases (cumulative)
(cumulative) (7-day average of cases)
American Samoa 01 (8320) 01 (34) 0
Australia 01 (11 344 054) 01 (19 168) -2 574.57
Brunei Darussalam 551 (277 992) 1 (150) -9.29
Cambodia 7 (138 712) 0 (3 056) 0
China 113 379 (98 950 060) 533 (119 556) -3 109.71
Cook Islands 3 (7026) 0 (2) 0.14
Fiji 12 (68 876) 0 (883) -0.57
French Polynesia 01 (77 957) 01 (649) 0
Guam 36 (50 832) 2 (420) -0.71
Japan 126 518 (33 117 362) 886 (71 809) -8 464.86
Kiribati 1 (5 013) 0 (18) -0.43
Korea, Republic of 74 156 (30 458 857) 105 (33 887) -1 890
Lao PDR 12 (218 012) 0 (758) 0.29
Malaysia 1 508 (5 041 358) 4 (36 957) 1.71
Marshall Islands 10 (15 598) 0 (17) 1.43
Micronesia (Federated States of) 01 (23 671) 01 (60) 0
Mongolia 2 (1 007 896) 0 (2 136) -1.14
Nauru 126 (5 247) 0 (1) -25.71
New Caledonia 01 (80 007) 1
0 (314) -3.71
New Zealand 7 100 (2 158 638) 21 (2 534) -24.57
Niue 01 (747) 01 (0) 0
Northern Mariana Islands 01 (13 395) 01 (41) 0
Palau 01 (5 988) 01 (9) -0.14
Papua New Guinea 01 (46 792) 1
0 (670) -2.29
The Philippines 733 (4 075 611) 71 (66 039) -23.57
Pitcairn Islands 0 (4) 0 (0) 0
Samoa 01 (16415) 01 (29) -1.86
Singapore 01 (2 222 006) 01 (1 722) -277.71
Solomon Islands 01 (24 575) 01 (153) 0
Tokelau 0 (5) 0 (0) 0
Tonga 01 (16 801) 01 (12) -0.86
Tuvalu 01 (2 779) 01 (0) 0
Vanuatu 0 (12 014) 0 (14) 0
Viet Nam 80 (11 526 834) 0 (43 186) -11.86
Wallis and Futuna 01 (3 427) 01 (7) 0
Total 324 234 (201 022 881) 1 623 (404 291) -16 420.57
Note: Data continues to be collected and may change according to Member States’ reports.

1 Countries and areas not reported in the 7-day period.

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 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
External Situation Report #145
22 February 2023
Period of Report: As of 22 February 2023, 10:00 (GMT+8)

Table 2. Countries or areas in the Western Pacific Region that have reported
currently circulating Variants of Concern, as of 12 February 2023 10:00 (GMT+8)
Omicron Sub-lineage1

Country or area
BA.5* BA.2.75* BF.7* XBB* CH.1.1 BQ.1* XBF

American Samoa X X X
Australia X X X X X X X
Brunei Darussalam X X X X
Cambodia X X X X X X
China X X X X X X X
Cook Islands
Fiji
French Polynesia
Guam X X X
Japan X X X X X X X
Kiribati X
Lao PDR X
Malaysia X X X X X
Micronesia
X X
(Federated States of)
Mongolia X X
New Caledonia
New Zealand X X X X X X
Northern Mariana
X X
Islands
Palau X X
Papua New Guinea X X X X
The Philippines X X X X
Republic of Korea X X X X
Samoa X
Singapore X X X X X X X
Solomon Islands X
Tonga X
Vanuatu X
Viet Nam X X X X
*Includes sub-variants
Note: GISAID submission data is subject to change.

1 Based on sequences uploaded to Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID)

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 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
External Situation Report #145
22 February 2023
Period of Report: As of 22 February 2023, 10:00 (GMT+8)

Key information and announcements

Information and planning
• The Regional Office continues to monitor COVID-19 incidence in countries and areas across the
Region. Updated information is available on the dashboard for the Western Pacific Region.

Strategic Communication
• The Regional Office continues to provide support to WHO country offices to refine their
communication strategies and messaging based on the qualitative and quantitative research that has
been conducted.

Messages for the public

• On social media, the Regional Office published content on COVID-19 vaccine boosters, benefits of
vaccination and COVID-19 response updates from Member States in the Western Pacific Region.

• Top COVID-19 Facebook posts:

- WHO and partners are supporting the COVID-19 response in Cambodia for returning migrants.
- Young people joined a survey on COVID-19 in Lao PDR.
- Why should you complete the recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses?

• Top COVID-19 Twitter posts:

- WHO and partners are supporting the COVID-19 response in Cambodia for returning migrants.
- Assess your risk and apply appropriate COVID-19 protective measures.
- Vaccines work to protect against many diseases such as COVID-19.

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