Covid-19: WHO warn say Europe once again dey di epicentre of coronavirus pandemic

Covid: WHO warns Europe once again at epicentre of pandemic

Reuters

Europe don once again “dey di epicentre” of Covid pandemic, according to warning from World Health Organization (WHO) as cases dey plenti more-more fr di continent.

For one press conference, WHO Europe head Hans Klugetok say Europe fit see half a million more deaths by February.

E blame insufficient vaccine take-up for di increase.

“We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of Covid-19 to preventing dem from happening in di first place,” e tok.

Di rate of vaccination don slow across Europe in recent months.

Oga Kluge also blame di relaxation of public health measures for rising infections for di WHO European region, wey cover 53 kontries including parts of Central Asia.

So far, WHO don record 1.4 million deaths across di region.

WHO technical lead on Covid-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, tok say over di past four weeks, cases across Europe don climb over 55%, upon di plenti ” supply of vaccines and tools”.

Also Madam Maria colleague, Dr Mike Ryan tok say Europe experience na “warning shot for di world”.

Dis dey happun as Germany record more than 37,000 daily Covid cases on Friday, dis record dey high for di second day running.

Di incidence rate per 100,000 pipo now dey higher dan e dey for April, at 169,9, but e dey below di level for di UK.

German public health officials dey worried say a fourth wave of infection fit lead to large number of deaths and pressure on di health system.

For di past 24 hours, 154 deaths na im dem don record, up from 121 a week ago.

Lothar Wieler of Germany RKI institute speak on Thursday of numbers wey go make pesin fear.

“If we no take counter-measures now, dis fourth wave go bring more suffering,” e tok.

But as Hans Kluge point out, di rise in surge in cases no only dey happun for Germany.

Di most dramatic rises for death for di past week na for Russia where dem record more than 8,100 deaths, and Ukraine with 3,800 deaths.

Both kontries get very low rates of vaccination and Ukraine announce record of 27,377 new cases ior di past 24 hours.



Romania record dia highest number of deaths in 24 hours dis week at 591 while for Hungary, daily Covid infections don double for di past week to 6,268.

Mask-wearing dey only compulsory for public transport and inside hospitals.

Dis week, di Dutch goment tok say dem go re-impose mask-wearing and social distancing for many public settings as hospital admissions don go up 31% in a week.

Meanwhile Latvia dey impose three-month state of emergency from Monday sake of di record level of Covid infection.

Croatia record 6,310 new cases on Thursday, dia highest number so far. Slovakia report dia second highest number of cases and Czech infections don return to di levels wey dem see for spring.

England deputy chief medical officer Prof Jonathan Van-Tam tok on Wednesday say too many pipo believe say di pandemic don dey over.

However, for kontries with di highest vaccination rates, infection rates still dey relatively low.

Italy get one of di highest vaccination rates for over-12s but even here new cases dey up 16.6% for di past week.

Portuguese infections don rise 1,000 for di first time since September. Spain na one of di few kontries wey neva see rise in transmission with 2,287 cases reported on Wednesday.