According to the latest figures, in the third week of October the WHO European Region accounted for 57 per cent of new global cases.
While the WHO’s five other global regions reported a decline in Covid-19 case numbers, more than half of the countries in the European Region registered a marked increase in infection rates with new cases soaring by 18 per cent across all age groups.
According to the WHO, the increases have already triggered an immediate response from national and local governments to protect the schools across the region that stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
“A total of 45 countries and territories recommended that schools remain open for in-person learning with infection prevention and control.
“Seven countries opted for full or partial school closures, either at a national or sub-national level, and two countries recommend distance learning,” the WHO statement said.
According to WHO Europe, “interrupting children’s education should be a last resort”.
To date, 76 million Covid-19 cases and 1.4 million deaths have been reported in the WHO European Region.
Source: IANS
