Argentina braces for new COVID wave as cases rise to highest in almost 6 months

A woman walks past a graffitti depicting a healthcare worker embracing a man, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Cordoba, Argentina, July 10, 2021. Picture taken July 10, 2021. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Argentina almost doubled on Monday from Friday to 20,263 new infections, according to the country's health ministry, the highest daily tally in almost 6 months as the Omicron variant spreads around the world.

On Friday, the government had registered 11,181 new cases of the virus. While it publishes daily case counts on weekends, those numbers tend to be lower than on weekdays.