A World Health Organization Director has warned that a second deadly wave of coronavirus could hit Europe in coming months.
The WHO’s Director for Europe, Dr Hans Kluge said he is also ‘very concerned’ about seasonal flu happening at the same time as a surge in coronavirus infections.
Despite the daily record of deaths falling across Europe, Dr Kluge noted that now is the time for ‘preparation, not celebration’.
The director stated that countries all over the continent can learn from the first wave of infections by increasing hospital capacity and strengthening health care systems.
On Sunday, the UK’s coronavirus death toll rose to 34,636 after another 170 people died – the lowest daily death record since March 24.
But the UK Government has expressed fears that easing the lockdown too soon could cause a jump in figures.
Badly-hit countries like Spain, Italy and France are showing signs of recovery, but Dr Kluge stressed it did not mean the pandemic was coming to an end.
He explained;
Singapore and Japan understood early on that this is not a time for celebration, it’s a time for preparation. That’s what Scandinavian countries are doing – they don’t exclude a second wave, but they hope it will be localised and they can jump on it quickly.
Dr Kluge added;
I’m very concerned about a double wave – in the fall, we could have a second wave of Covid and another one of seasonal flu or measles.’
Other scientists have confirmed Dr Kluge’s warnings, saying coronavirus will re-emerge if a vaccine is not found quickly.
During the Government’s daily briefing on April 29, deputy chief medical officer for England, Professor Jonathan Van Tam warned the virus will ‘absolutely come back’.
Professor Robin Shattock, from Imperial College, noted that a re-appearance of coronavirus in the winter could be disastrous for the National Health Service (NHS).
He told The Times;
The real big danger is if we see the kind of number of cases of Covid-19 that we’re seeing now next winter — and we also have a seasonal flu. That could be a double whammy for the health service.
Regardless of these warnings, Europeans are begin to return to their normal activities as the pandemic begins to slow down.
Greeks flocked to the seaside when more than 500 beaches reopened and thousands returned to church on Sunday after weeks of ban on mass gatherings.
Spain’s daily death toll fell below 100 for the first time in two months, the health ministry said on Sunday, as some parts of the country prepared for a further loosening of lockdown measures.
According to worldometers, coronavirus has infected over 4.7 million people and killed more than 315,000 worldwide, a toll which experts say are under counted.
The US has reported over 89,000 deaths and Europe has seen at least 160,000 fatalities.
