The International Health watchdog, World Health Organization (WHO), has noticed the rising cases of the deadly coronavirus in the European continent and has warned it of becoming the epicentre of the pandemic for the second time. WHO Europe Head Hans Kluge addressed the press conference and said that the continent could see another half a million deaths by February 2022. He blamed insufficient vaccination for the sudden spike in the number of cases.
Only 32% Russians Vaccinated
In recent months, the European continent has witnessed a considerable slowdown in the vaccination rate. While 80 per cent of the people in Spain have received their second dose of the vaccine, the rate is staggering at 66 per cent in Germany, and the rate in Eastern European countries is far lower. By October 2021, only 32 per cent of Russians had received their vaccination.
1.4 Million Deaths In Europe
Kluge blamed simple public health measures for the rising number of COVID cases in the European region, covering 53 countries of Central Asia. So far, the international health organization has recorded 1.4 million deaths in the region. International news publication BBC quoted Maria Van Kerkhove, the technical head for WHO in Europe, saying that in the past four weeks, the number of cases in the continent has soared 55 per cent, despite "ample supply of vaccines and tools". Her colleague Dr Mike Ryan said that Europe's experience was a warning shot for the world.
On Friday, Germany recorded more than 37,000 new cases, a record high for the second day in a row. The incidence rate per 1,00,000 people is higher than in April but well below the United Kingdom. German public health officials are now worried that a fourth wave is on its way and could lead to an increased number of deaths, and the pressure would be impossible for the health infrastructure.
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