Over half of Europe could get COVID-19 in next 6 to 8 weeks, WHO warns


The World Health Organization's regional director for Europe is warning that more than half of the population there could be infected with COVID-19 in the coming weeks.
Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, made the warning at a briefing Tuesday discussing the "new west to east tidal wave sweeping across the region" amid the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, The New York Times and CNN report.
"Fifty of the 53 countries in Europe and central Asia have now reported cases of Omicron," Kluge said. "It is quickly becoming the dominant variant in western Europe and is now spreading into the Balkans. At this rate, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) forecasts that more than 50 percent of the population in the region will be infected with Omicron in the next six to eight weeks."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Kluge said Europe is "under intense pressure" as the Omicron variant surges and that there were more than seven million new cases in the region during the first week of the year, "more than doubling over a two-week period," and as of Monday, "26 countries report that over one percent of their population is catching COVID-19 each week." He also expressed concern that the "full impact" of Omicron hasn't yet been seen in countries with lower vaccination uptake rates, and he urged those countries that haven't yet experienced the surge to act now.
"For countries not yet hit by the Omicron surge," he said, "there is a closing window of opportunity to act now and plan for contingencies."
At the briefing, WHO senior emergency officer for Europe Catherine Smallwood also warned that COVID-19 shouldn't be treated like an "endemic" illness, Axios reports, noting, "We still have a huge amount of uncertainty and a virus that is evolving quite quickly, imposing new challenges."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Measles cases surge to 33-year high
Speed Read The infection was declared eliminated from the US in 2000 but has seen a resurgence amid vaccine hesitancy
-
Kennedy's vaccine panel signals skepticism, change
Speed Read RFK Jr.'s new vaccine advisory board intends to make changes to the decades-old US immunization system
-
Kennedy ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory panel
speed read Health Secretary RFK Jr. is a longtime anti-vaccine activist who has criticized the panel of experts
-
RFK Jr. scraps Covid shots for pregnant women, kids
Speed Read The Health Secretary announced a policy change without informing CDC officials
-
New FDA chiefs limit Covid-19 shots to elderly, sick
speed read The FDA set stricter approval standards for booster shots
-
US overdose deaths plunged 27% last year
speed read Drug overdose still 'remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44,' said the CDC
-
Trump seeks to cut drug prices via executive order
speed read The president's order tells pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, but it will likely be thrown out by the courts
-
RFK Jr.: A new plan for sabotaging vaccines
Feature The Health Secretary announced changes to vaccine testing and asks Americans to 'do your own research'