newer SARS -CoV-2 variants from these data.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
17 
 Figure 8. COVID -19 ICU -to-hospitalization ratio and death -to-hospitalization ratio, from 27 April  2020 to  7 January 
2023  (A), and 22 May  to 7 January  2024 (B) 
 
A 
 
 
B 
 
 
 
 
 
Note: Recent weeks are subject to reporting delays and should not be interpreted as a declining trend. The ICU ratio figure is created from the data of the countries 
reported both new hospitalizations and new ICU admissions. The d eath ratio figure is created from the data of the countries that reported both new hospitalization 
and new deaths.  
Source : WHO COVID -19 Detailed Surveillance Dashboard  
 
18 
 SARS -CoV-2 variants of interest  and variants under monitoring  
 
Geographic spread and prevalence  
Globally, during the 28 -day period from 11 December 2023 to 7 January 2024, 33 659 SARS -CoV-2 sequences were 
shared through GISAID. In comparison, in the two previous 28 -day periods, there were 112 909 and 192 222 
sequences shared, respectively. The data are periodically retrospectively updated to include sequences w ith earlier 
collection dates, so the number of submissions in a given time period may change.  
 
WHO is currently tracking several SARS -CoV-2 variants, including:  
•  Five variants of interest (VOIs): XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, EG.5, BA.2.86 and JN.1  
•  Five variants under monitoring (V