Covid-19: WHO fears 700,000 additional deaths in Europe by spring – LCI

The WHO forecasts darken. On November 4, the United Nations specialized agency was worried about the current rate of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 on the Old Continent. “If we stay on this trajectory, we could see another half a million deaths from Covid-19 in the region by February”, warned WHO director for Europe, Hans Kluge, calling it “very worrying“the number of new daily cases “in the 53 countries of the European region”.

The situation has not improved since then. It even got worse. The World Health Organization spoke on Tuesday, November 23, of the“hold” of the Covid-19 epidemic. “Hospital beds can be expected to be under high or extreme pressure in 25 countries and high or extreme pressure in intensive care units in 49 out of 53 countries by March 1, 2022 “, announced the WHO. This strong tension in hospital services should be reflected in deaths.

By the spring, the WHO fears that this will lead to an additional 700,000 deaths on the continent. “Cumulative reported deaths are expected to reach over 2.2 million by next spring, based on current trends.”, explained the organization in a statement. Currently, more than 1.5 million people have died in Europe. According to these data, Covid-related deaths have more than doubled since the end of September, from 2,100 to nearly 4,200 per day.

For the agency attached to the United Nations, the increase in cases is explained by the combination of the prevalence of the Delta variant, insufficient vaccination coverage and the relaxation of anti-Covid measures. “The situation across Europe and Central Asia is very serious. We are facing a winter full of challenges.”, warned the WHO director for Europe, calling for an approach “vaccine plus”, combining vaccination, wearing a mask, hygiene measures and distancing.

According to the WHO, wearing a mask reduces the incidence of the disease by 53%. A generalization of its use up to 95% could prevent more than 160,000 deaths by March 1. Besides, “It is increasingly evident that the protection induced by vaccination against infections and mild forms is declining”, noted the World Health Organization. The institution therefore recommends a booster dose for the most vulnerable, including the immunocompromised.