22 May,2021 05:42 AM IST | Geneva | Agencies
Guests enjoy their drinks during sunny weather at a beer garden near the Chancellery in Berlin on Friday. Pic/AFP
Europe has recorded a 60 per cent drop in new Coronavirus infections over the past month, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, while cautioning that the progress may be fragile, the media reported.
The WHO's announcement comes as the European Union (EU) plans for reopening its borders for fully vaccinated tourists and other non-essential travellers.
The weekly number of new cases across Europe dropped to nearly 685,000 last week from 1.7 million in mid-April, the New York Times reported, Hans Kluge, the WHO's European director as saying.
However, as regulations get relaxed, social gatherings and travel during the summer holiday season will rise, and could result in more transmission of the virus, Kluge said, adding that deadly variants spreading within the bloc remained a cause for concern.
"This progress is fragile, we have been here before," Kluge told reporters at a news conference, advising vigilance over outbreaks "that could quickly evolve into dangerous resurgences."
The B1617 variant, first identified in India and has been deemed a variant of concern by the WHO, has now spread to 26A countries in the European region.
A Japanese government panel of experts approved two Covid-19 vaccines developed by the US drug maker Moderna Inc. and the UK-based AstraZeneca Plc, with the Health Ministry expected to formaliae the approval of the use of the two jabs on Friday.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that restrictions along the country's border with the United States against non-essential travel has been extended another month until June 21 to stem the spread of Covid-19. "To protect your health and limit the spread of COVID-19, we're extending the measures currently in place by another 30 days. Non-essential travel between our two countries remains restricted until June 21," the Prime Minister tweeted on Thursday.
Also Read: Cyclone Tauktae raises lake levels in Mumbai
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
