As many countries have lifted the COVID-19 mandates, the number of infected people has risen abruptly—the WHO criticized several European countries' decision on hastily lifting COVID-19 restrictions.
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The WHO disclosed that the cases continue to increase in 18 of the 53 European countries. The WHO director for Europe, Dr. Hans Kluge, appointed that he keeps on watching over the pandemic situation in the region, but he remains "optimistic."
"The countries where we are seeing a particular increase are the UK, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, France, Italy, and Germany," said Dr. Kluge during a press conference in Moldova. "These countries have lifted restrictions abruptly from 'too much to 'not enough," he stated.
WHO data pointed to a fall in the number of infected people due to COVID-19 by the end of January, but a rebound was recorded since the beginning of March. According to epidemiologists, the rebound has been caused by the new Omicron sub-variant BA.2, which is about 30 percent more contagious but not more dangerous.
The WHO indicated that more than 5.1 million new cases had been reported and 12 496 deaths in Europe during the last seven days. Kluge remarked that "there is a very high level of immunity" against the virus due to vaccinations rates and previous infections.
"We will have to live with COVID for some time to come, but that doesn't mean we can't get rid of the pandemic," he noted.