Many countries have registered record rates of coronavirus infections as the omicron variant takes hold across the world.
France, Britain, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Malta, the United States, Bolivia, Australia and other nations all recorded a record surge in cases on either Tuesday or Wednesday.
The dramatic rise prompted a warning from World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
"Delta and omicron are now twin threats driving up cases to record numbers, leading to spikes in hospitalization and deaths," Tedros told a press briefing.
"I am highly concerned that omicron, being highly transmissible and spreading at the same time as Delta, is leading to a tsunami of cases."