STOCKHOLM, Aug 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The EU’s health agency urged countries seeing an increase in cases of COVID-19 to reinstate some curbs, warning of a resurgence of cases in parts of Europe.
In its latest risk assessment, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said there was evidence that the novel coronavirus was picking up speed.
“While many countries are now testing mild and asymptomatic cases, which has resulted in increased case reports, there is a true resurgence in cases in several countries as a result of physical distancing measures being relaxed,” the agency said.
The Stockholm-based agency said for those countries seeing an increase “the risk of further escalation of COVID-19 is high”.
If those countries fail to implement or reinforce restrictions, the risk was “very high”, it warned.
According to the ECDC, countries that had seen the increase after control measures were lifted, “should consider re-instating selected measures through a phased, step-wise and sustainable approach”.
The ECDC also said the total number of daily cases, as well as the 14-day incidence rate seemed to be increasing, “although it is currently lower than the first peak which occurred on Apr 9, 2020”.
In the two weeks leading up to Aug 2, most of the over 100,000 new cases were reported in Spain, Romania, France, the UK and Germany, it said.
Over 3.3 million cases of COVID-19 have so far been recorded in Europe and 213,353 deaths.
