Former U.S. President Barack Obama revealed Sunday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 but was otherwise feeling well except for a sore throat.
"I've had a scratchy throat for a few days, but I am well... Even if the number of cases declines, it serves as a reminder to be vaccinated if you haven't already," the former commander in chief said.
Falling case rates in the U.S. have prompted localities, states, and the federal government to ease most public health regulations.
Over the previous week, there were approximately 35,000 infections on average, a significant decrease from mid-January, when the average was closer to 800,000.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the death toll from the two-year coronavirus pandemic was slightly more than 967,000 on Sunday, with around 79.5 million cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 75% of adults in the country are completely vaccinated, with 48% of those who are fully vaccinated receiving a booster shot.
The World Health Organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had previously warned that the pandemic was "far from ending," even as the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, stated the pandemic might continue owing to "outrageously uneven" vaccine distribution.
According to accounts, the virus has killed over 6 million people all over the world, but the WHO estimates that the true death toll is two to three times higher.
As the number of cases of the virus decreased in Europe, Austria decided to stop forced vaccinations for all adults, despite Hong Kong's leader, Carrie Lam, saying that mandatory testing is not a priority in the city-state.
In the midst of a virus outbreak, Hong Kong recorded 32,430 coronavirus infections on Sunday.
Over two years after Wuhan initially reported the virus case in December 2019, China is still grappling with the illness.
After cases were found from Hong Kong, Chinese officials placed Shenzhen under lockdown in the face of an Omicron outbreak, with the city recording 66 new infections on Sunday.
Republican-controlled states have a higher level of resistance to COVID-19 immunization and other public health interventions.
The Obamas have properties in Washington, DC, Massachusetts, and Hawaii, all of which have more than 70% of the eligible population fully protected.
However, in August, Obama was forced to cancel a 60th birthday celebration he had planned on Martha's Vineyard, a private Massachusetts island, after facing criticism for arranging a huge social gathering during a period of rising cases.
