Given the rapidly increasing number of infections, the European office of the World Health Organization (WHO) expects a challenging coronavirus situation in the coming autumn and winter. It is very clear that the situation is similar to last summer, WHO regional director Hans Kluge said in Copenhagen on Tuesday.
Only the situation is now driven by the Omikron variants BA.2 and BA.5, which are easier to transfer than the previous ones. With the increasing number of cases, an increase in hospital admissions can also be observed. According to the regional director of the WHO, this is already the case in Austria.
Kluge warns that this situation will worsen as the new school year begins, travelers return from vacation and people begin to meet again indoors as the weather gets colder and colder.
The number of cases has tripled in the past six weeks
According to Kluge, the number of new corona cases in the WHO Europe region with its 53 countries has tripled in the past six weeks. In the past week alone, nearly three million new infections have been reported, which corresponds to almost half of all new infections worldwide.
Governments and health authorities must act now to be prepared for the coming months, including when monitoring the pandemic, Kluge warned. If you wait until fall, it will be too late. Kluge revealed on Tuesday that he had contracted Corona for the first time two weeks ago. He spent three terrible days and nights with a high fever, chills and shortness of breath.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
