The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated on Tuesday that the outbreak of covid-19 cases in China will not have a significant impact on Europe, as the variants circulating there already exist on the European continent.
“The current surge in China is not expected to have a significant impact on the epidemiological situation of Covid-19 in the European region,” WHO regional director Hans Kluge said during an online press conference.
Kluge further urged European countries to take “proportional and non-discriminatory” measures against travelers from China.
Several countries, including Portugal, the United States, Japan, France and Germany, began requiring negative tests for travelers from China and others advised against unnecessary travel to China.
Last week, the European Union encouraged its member states to impose pre-flight screening in China and supplement the negative test with “random testing” upon arrival on European soil.
“It is unreasonable for countries to take precautions to protect their populations while we wait for more detailed information” from China, as “these measures must be scientifically sound,” Kluge said.
According to the WHO, the 53 countries in the region that extends to Central Asia are well protected against covid, mainly thanks to high vaccination rates.
“At the beginning of 2023, the region (…) is in really good shape. We have strong population protection, partly due to the waves of natural contagion that have occurred, but above all due to excellent overall vaccination compliance,” said Catherine Smallwood, WHO Europe Emergency Manager.
However, according to the organization, it is important to maintain a high degree of vigilance.
“After three long years of pandemic, in which many countries struggle with overburdened health systems, shortages of essential medicines and a depleted health workforce, we cannot afford to put more strain on our health systems,” he insisted.
“This threat could come from a worrying new variant anywhere, anytime, including here in Europe and Central Asia. Based on the lessons learned, we should be able to anticipate, detect and respond in a timely manner,” he added.
Several provinces and cities in China, meanwhile, announced that the wave of covid-19 infections has already reached its peak, including Henan (center), Jiangsu (east), Zhejiang (southeast), Guangdong (south) and Sichuan (west).
Beijing Mayor Yin Yong said in an interview with state television CCTV that the city had overcome the peak of infections and achieved a “new immunity”, although he acknowledged that the city still faces a “difficult task” in the treatment of serious cases.
Authorities in other cities such as Chongqing, in the center, ensured that the number of hospitalizations due to Covid-19 “dropped dramatically from Dec. 20,” and that the municipality surpassed its peak of infections between Dec. 12 and Dec. 23, the official newspaper said. Global Times.
However, Chinese experts expect the virus to reach rural areas now, during the Lunar New Year holiday, the world’s largest annual migration, taking place between January 21 and 27 this year.
Source: DN
