The World Health Organization (WHO) warns of a new corona wave in Europe. These are the current hotspots.
Geneva – summer, European football championship and easing – many people in Europe just want to press the Corona break button. The number of corona cases in Germany is on a downward trend, vaccination is progressing – to finally relax is hardly difficult in view of this situation. In view of this carelessness, the WHO warns of the fourth corona wave.
For the first time in ten weeks, the number of new infections is increasing in Europe *. Driven by “travel, get-togethers and relaxation of social restrictions”, the number of new corona infections rose by ten percent last week in his reporting area, said the Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Europe, Hans Kluge, in Copenhagen. Europe is threatened with a new wave of pandemics, “unless we remain disciplined”.
Delta variant: These are the corona hotspots in Europe
According to the European Disease Agency (ECDC), the 7-day incidence in Europe is 46.80. But differences in the countries are immense. In Great Britain the value is highest at 150.45. For comparison: Germany is doing very well with a weekly value of 5.53 *.
| country | 7 day incidence |
|---|---|
| Great Britain | 150.45 |
| Cyprus | 128.60 |
| Portugal | 93.66 |
| Russia | 106.98 |
| Gibraltar | 71.24 |
| Spain | 59.14 |
| Belarus | 48.97 |
| Ireland | 47.80 |
| Turkey | 46.57 |
Source: ECDC (most recent data: June 21-27, 2021)
Portugal imposes curfew due to the spread of the Delta variant
In Portugal, night curfews have been introduced again to get the corona numbers under control. In the capital Lisbon and 44 other municipalities, residents have to stay at home from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. In Germany, Portugal is considered a virus variant area (since June 29). Returners now have to be in quarantine for 14 days. There are no exceptions for vaccinated and convalescent people. However, there should be a revaluation in the next few days.
Delta variation in Great Britain: will the EM become a superspreader event?
Great Britain will soon no longer be considered a virus variant area and will be downgraded to a high incidence area if the proportion of the delta variant in Germany is comparable.
The WHO also called for better protective measures around the European football championship. “We have to look much further than just the stadiums,” said WHO Europe Emergency Advisor Catherine Smallwood in Copenhagen. The arrival of the fans in buses, for example, and their celebrations in bars should also be taken into account. When asked whether the EM was a “superspreader” event, Kluge replied that this “cannot be ruled out”.
In the past few weeks, hundreds of corona infections have already been registered among visitors to the EM stadium, including Scots after their return from London and Finns from St. Petersburg. Despite the currently strong expansion of the Delta variant in the two cities, the European Championship quarter-finals between Switzerland and Spain will take place in St. Petersburg on Friday and the semi-finals and the final in London. (afp / ml) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
Header list image: © NIKLAS HALLE’N / afp
