High-ranking in Europe urged the government on Tuesday to prepare for “significant surge” in the Coronavirus case on the continent because of the omicron variant, which has been dominant in several countries.
“We can see other storms come,” said European Regional Director Hans Kluge in Vienna.
“In a few weeks, Omicron will dominate in more countries, encouraging a stretched health system.” Omicron has been detected at least 38 of 53 European regional members, Kluge added, noting that it has become a dominant variant in the UK, Denmark and Portugal.
Last week, 27,000 people died because Covid in this region and an additional 2.6 million cases were reported, he said.
Although these cases include all strains, not just Omicron, he recorded this number 40% higher than during the same period last year.
In Geneva, the head of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged the new year’s event to be canceled because it was better to “celebrate it slower than celebrating it now and grieving later”.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Tuesday that the Eve New Year party Edinburgh had been canceled because it was soaring, just like PM PM Boris Johnson said England would not see a new pre-Christmatic truck.
However, he added: “If the situation deteriorates, we will be ready to take action if needed.” England reported 90,629 other cases on Tuesday