Europe could see 500,000 more Covid deaths by early 2022, WHO warns
The rising number of cases of Covid-19 in Europe is of "grave concern" and the region could see another half a million
deaths by early next year, the World Health Organization warned on Thursday.
With 78 million cases in the WHO's European region -- which spans 53 countries and territories and includes several nations in Central Asia -- the cumulative toll now exceeded that of South East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean region, the Western Pacific, and Africa combined, the organisation said.
The warning came as Germany recorded its highest number of daily Covid cases since the beginning of the pandemic, whilst France recorded over 10,000 daily cases on Wednesday for the first time since mid-September.
New Covid cases have also undergone a dramatic rise in Switzerland, where vaccination rates are well behind those of its neighbours.
READ ALSO: Why are Covid-19 infections in Germany rising?
"We are, once again, at the epicentre," WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told a press conference.
Kluge noted that the "current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the European Region is of grave concern."
According to "one reliable projection" the current trajectory would mean "another half a million Covid-19 deaths" by February, Kluge added.
The increases were observed "across all age groups," he said.
Kluge blamed the soaring caseload on "insufficient vaccination coverage" and "the relaxation of public health and social measures."
Hospital admission rates were higher in countries with lower vaccination rates, he said.
Measures like testing, tracing, physical distancing and the use of face masks were still part of the "arsenal" in fighting the virus.
'Change tactics'
"We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of Covid-19, to preventing them from happening in the first place," Kluge said.
The number of new cases per day has been rising for nearly six consecutive weeks in Europe and the number of new deaths per day has been rising for just over seven consecutive weeks, with about 250,000 cases and 3,600 deaths per day, according to official country data compiled by AFP.
Over the past seven days, Russia has led the rise with 8,162 deaths, followed by Ukraine with 3,819 deaths and and Romania with 3,100 deaths, according to the data.
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With 78 million cases in the WHO's European region -- which spans 53 countries and territories and includes several nations in Central Asia -- the cumulative toll now exceeded that of South East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean region, the Western Pacific, and Africa combined, the organisation said.
The warning came as Germany recorded its highest number of daily Covid cases since the beginning of the pandemic, whilst France recorded over 10,000 daily cases on Wednesday for the first time since mid-September.
New Covid cases have also undergone a dramatic rise in Switzerland, where vaccination rates are well behind those of its neighbours.
READ ALSO: Why are Covid-19 infections in Germany rising?
"We are, once again, at the epicentre," WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told a press conference.
Kluge noted that the "current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the European Region is of grave concern."
According to "one reliable projection" the current trajectory would mean "another half a million Covid-19 deaths" by February, Kluge added.
The increases were observed "across all age groups," he said.
Kluge blamed the soaring caseload on "insufficient vaccination coverage" and "the relaxation of public health and social measures."
Hospital admission rates were higher in countries with lower vaccination rates, he said.
Measures like testing, tracing, physical distancing and the use of face masks were still part of the "arsenal" in fighting the virus.
'Change tactics'
"We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of Covid-19, to preventing them from happening in the first place," Kluge said.
The number of new cases per day has been rising for nearly six consecutive weeks in Europe and the number of new deaths per day has been rising for just over seven consecutive weeks, with about 250,000 cases and 3,600 deaths per day, according to official country data compiled by AFP.
Over the past seven days, Russia has led the rise with 8,162 deaths, followed by Ukraine with 3,819 deaths and and Romania with 3,100 deaths, according to the data.
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