Coronavirus infections are hitting record levels in many countries across Europe as winter takes hold prompting a call for action from the World Health Organisation (WHO) which described the new wave as a grave concern. In Eastern Europe, the soaring the numbers of cases have prompted debate on whether to reintroduce curbs on movement before the Christmas holiday season and on to persuade more people to get vaccinated.
Daily Covid infections hit an all-time high in Germany Thursday as the World Health Organization warned that another 500,000 people could die across Europe, with cases once again on the rise.
But with rising infections in Europe, WHO Emergencies Director Michael Ryan cautioned: “I think it’s a warning shot for the world to see what’s happening in Europe despite the availability of vaccination.”
The EU’s most populous country Germany set a new record for daily infections, with nearly 34,000 news cases over the past 24 hours, according to the Robert Koch Institute.
That conversation comes as some countries, in Asia, with the exception of China, reopen their tourism sectors to the rest of the world. Regional WHO head Hans Kluge stated, “The current pace of transmissions across the 53 countries of the European Region is of grave concern.” The virus spreads faster in the winter months when people gather indoors. He added, “We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of COVID-19, to preventing them from happening in the first place.”
