With the new Covid-19 strain Omicron surging, the overall number of coronavirus cases is fast approaching 279 million, causing nearly two years of collective trauma, UNB reported.

According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 278, 866,214 while the death toll from the virus reached 5,392,020 on Saturday morning.

The US has recorded 51,962,787 cases so far and more than 816, 362 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.

Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January, registered 22,234,623 cases as of Friday, while its Covid death toll rose to 618,655.

India’s Omicron tally crossed 350 on Friday, with the health ministry on Christmas Eve recording over 120 fresh cases of the new Covid strain in 24 hours.

Bangladesh reported 342 fresh Covid-19 cases with one more death in 24 hours till Friday morning.