Europe recorded a rise in weekly COVID-19 cases for the first time in months as restrictions are being eased across the continent, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported.
"Last week, Europe saw an increase in weekly cases for the first time in months," Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said at a weekly press briefing.
"Globally, with more than 9 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 400,000 deaths reported to WHO, the pandemic continues to accelerate, and a record number of new coronavirus cases were reported on Sunday, with 183,020 confirmed in 24 hours," he stressed.
More than 2.5 million cases have been recorded in Europe, said the WHO director.
While the European region now accounts for a decreasing proportion of global cases than earlier in the year, it continues to report close to 20,000 new cases and more than 700 new deaths every day.
"For weeks, I have spoken about the risk of a resurgence as countries adjust measures. In several countries across Europe, this risk has now become a reality – 30 countries have seen increases in new cumulative cases over the past two weeks," Kluge said, without naming the countries.
"In 11 of these countries, the accelerated transmission has led to very significant resurgences that, if left unchecked, will push health systems to the brink once again in Europe," he noted.
"Where new clusters of cases appeared, these have been controlled through rapid and targeted interventions. This is very good news," Anagolu Agency cited the WHO regional director as saying.
WHO: Europe records uptick in weekly COVID-19 cases
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