With an Omicron offshoot spearheading a burgeoning Covid-19 wave in Europe, countries need to accelerate vaccine uptake and bring back measures such as mask wearing to avoid stricter measures as autumn and winter approach, a senior World Health Organization official has warned.
WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge urged countries to take action now to avoid overwhelming health systems as the spread of the Omicron subvariant, BA.5, gathers steam.
Close to three million new Covid-19 cases were reported in the European region last week, which accounted for nearly half of all new cases globally.
Hospitalisation rates have doubled over the same period, and close to 3,000 people die of the disease every week, Dr Kluge said. "There is a rise in cases ...