WHO warns of serious COVID-19 surge in Europe as global cases pass 30 million

Europe’s weekly COVID-19 infections are now higher than the continent’s first coronavirus peak in March, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
“We have a very serious situation unfolding before us,” said Dr Hans Kluge, WHO’s regional director for Europe.
Weekly cases have now exceeded those reported when the pandemic first peaked in Europe in March.
Last week, the region’s weekly tally exceeded 300,000 cases, while in late Spring (March 30) it stood at 264,675.
The WHO’s warning came as new figures said the global number of coronavirus cases worldwide has surpassed 30 million.
Almost a million people – over 940,000 -have died around the world since the Covid-19 outbreak began in China last year.
More than half of European countries have reported a greater than 10 per cent increase in cases in the past two weeks.
In Europe 4,893,614 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded and 226,524 deaths but there has also been the impact on our mental health, economies, livelihoods and society has been monumental, the organisation said.
The public health agency called for regional coherence in efforts against COVID-19 and an amplified collective effort by all European Member States.
It also warned against “COVID-related fatigue” and said this was being reported in populations across the bloc.
Source : Euronews Sept. 20 , 2020
Image : People sit outside on a street closed to traffic to try to reduce the spread of coronavirus in London – AP