WHO: "Europe Becomes COVID-19 Epicenter Again... Easing of Quarantine Measures Is the Cause"

"Up to 500,000 More Deaths May Occur by February Next Year"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Europe has once again become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, with up to 500,000 more deaths possible by February next year.

On the 4th (local time), Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said at a press conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark, that the number of confirmed cases in the region has begun to approach record levels again, and the speed of transmission is very concerning, according to The Guardian.

WHO classifies the European region as 53 countries, including Russia and some Central Asian countries.

Kluge said, "We are once again at a critical point of a pandemic resurgence," adding, "Europe has returned to being the epicenter of the pandemic."

He explained that the easing of COVID-19 preventive measures and low vaccination rates in some areas are behind the recent surge in infections.

Kluge requested health authorities in each country to reconsider easing quarantine measures, noting that even in countries with high vaccination rates, there are limits to preventing all new infections.

He added, "Vaccines are reducing the severity and fatality rates as originally intended, but social and health measures must be implemented together for vaccines to achieve maximum effectiveness."

Catherine Smallwood, WHO’s senior health official for the European region, also warned that confirmed cases surged in countries that lifted quarantine measures.

According to The Guardian, Germany recorded a daily new case high of 33,949 on the day, while Bulgaria and Romania reported their highest daily death tolls ever.

Kluge also stated that hospital admission rates due to COVID-19 in the 53 countries classified as the European region by WHO more than doubled over the past week.

He warned that if this trend continues, there could be an additional 500,000 COVID-19 deaths in the region by February next year.

Kluge explained that weekly new COVID-19 cases in the European region are nearly 1.8 million, a 6% increase from the previous week, and weekly deaths are 24,000, a 12% increase from the previous week.

He said that new cases in Europe and Central Asia account for 59% of new cases worldwide, and deaths in these regions approach half of the global death toll.

Kluge emphasized, "Mask mandates and social distancing are essential," adding, "There is analysis showing that wearing masks alone can reduce the number of deaths by half."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.