Europe Can See Another Half Million COVID-19 Deaths by February: WHO

"We are at another critical point of pandemic resurgence," WHO Europe director Hans Kluge said.

Dubbing the rising number of COVID-19 cases as of “grave concern”, the World Health Organization on Thursday, 4 November, warned that Europe could see another half a million deaths by early 2022.

"We are at another critical point of pandemic resurgence.”

Hans Kluge, WHO Europe director, according to AFP

According to news agency AFP, WHO Europe director Hans Kluge said in a press conference on Friday that the current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the European region is of grave concern. He also said that one reliable projection would mean "another half a million COVID-19 deaths" by February if the present trajectory went unchecked.

According to news agency AP, Kluge also said that Europe is back at the epicentre of the pandemic, where they once were. The only difference, as per him, is that health authorities now know more about the virus and are better equipped with tools to combat it.

Stating that hospitalisation rates due to COVID-19 more than doubled over the last week in Europe, Kluge pointed out that the relaxed prevention measures and low vaccination rates are behind the surge.

AP cited the WHO’s headquarters in Geneva as reporting that cases had risen in Europe for the fifth consecutive week.

The WHO’s European region covers 53 countries and territories. It also includes many nations in Centra Asia.

(With inputs from AFP and AP.)