The exponential increase in infections from Covid-19 in many European countries is starting to cause serious concern in the EU institutions. There are countries where the health risk is high, too high, while in others it is considered moderate or low. To reveal it is a risk assessment document released today by ECDC, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
The report was accompanied by a cry of alarm from the EU Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides. “The situation in some EU countries is worse than in March", he has declared.
“We are worried, if we want to avoid a new generalized lockdown, governments must take measures”, continued the commissioner, inviting “governments as a matter of urgency to apply the measures recommended in July if they want to avoid being forced to decree new total closures. This is an alarm."
The reference is to the communication published two months ago by the European Commission, which listed the measures to be taken to avoid new closures. But the situation has once again exceeded the safety threshold: "in the summer, the easing of the measures led to new infections," explained Kyriakides.
COVID-19: HIGH RISK COUNTRIES
In document published today, 24 September, and updated to the data of 13 September, the ECDC draws up a list of low, medium and high risk countries.
Among the countries where the situation is now critical we find Spain, which in the last 24 hours has exceeded 11 thousand infections from Covid-19 for a total of over 693 thousand infected and 31 thousand deaths. High risk too Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Malta, Hungary and Romania. These are countries, explains the report, in which the contagion rates are high or increasing in the case of the elderly population and, consequently, "the increase in deaths has already been observed or could be observed soon".
For this reason, the eyes of the world have turned to Budapest, where tonight will be played the UEFA Super Cup between Bayern Munich and Sevilla with over 20 spectators at the Ferenc Puskas Arena. The decision to welcome fans back to the stadium, albeit within the limit of 20% of the capacity, has aroused discontent throughout Europe, prompting Germany to run for cover: whoever decides to go to Hungary to watch the match will have to undergo a swab or quarantine for 14 days.
COVID-19: COUNTRIES AT MODERATE RISK
Countries where the risk is considered moderate for the general population, but very high for vulnerable categories include Austria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia e UK.
“This group – reads the report – includes those countries where high and increasing infection rates have been reported due to the high number of tests carried out and widespread transmission mainly among young people”. However, these are countries where the risk is still considered moderate due to the low percentage of serious cases and a death rate of less than 10 per million inhabitants.
COVID-19: LOW-RISK COUNTRIES
The good news for us is that among the countries where the situation is still under control, the ECDC has included Italy which for the moment seems to be holding up well the impact of the second wave.
Joining us in the group of low-risk nations are Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden.
“In these countries, the overall probability of infection is rated as low“, reads the document which explains: “Due to the low percentage of cases in elderly people, the current low percentage of serious cases and low death notification rates, the impact of the disease is assessed as low. At this time, there is a low overall risk of Covid-19 for the general population and the health system,” adds the agency.
"As regards vulnerable individuals (individuals with risk factors for serious Covid-19 disease, such as the elderly) since the impact of the disease in these groups is very high, the overall risk is moderate", specifies the ECDC.
