Covid, WHO shock: in Europe there is the risk of another half million deaths

WHO has expressed concern at the pace at which the Covid pandemic has started to spread again in Europe, estimating that between now and February another half a million deaths could be recorded in the Old Continent. "We are, again, at the epicenter," said the director for Europe of the World Health Organization, Hans Kluge. "The current rate of infections in the 53 countries of the European region is of great concern". He criticizes the situation in particular between Bulgaria, Romania and Russia, where there is a low vaccination rate.

Coronavirus cases have increased in Europe for the fifth consecutive week, explains the World Health Organization in its weekly report. In the Old Continent, the data on new patients has registered an increase of 6% in the last 7 days, the highest figure globally. The most significant drops in infections are recorded in the Middle East (-12%) and in Southeast Asia and Africa (-9%). Europe is also the region with the highest rate of infections in the world, with 192 cases per 100,000 people, followed by the Americas with 72 cases per 100,000 people. Globally, deaths from Covid-19 also increased by 8%, with the highest figure in Southeast Asia (+ 50%) and the largest decline in Africa (-13%).