According to WHO information, the XBB.1.5 subline of the omicron variant is also on the rise in Europe. Recent data from some countries in the Region are beginning to point to the increasing presence of XBB.1.5, Director of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Hans Kluge, said today at an online press conference in Copenhagen. Cases would be discovered in small but growing numbers. We are working to assess the potential impact of this.
WHO: Wave in China has no significant impact on Europe
After three long years of the pandemic, more pressure on health systems cannot be allowed. With regard to the worsening situation in China, Kluge shared the current assessment of the EU health authority (ECDC) that the increase in the number of cases is unlikely to have a major impact on the epidemiological situation in Europe. According to available information, the variants circulating in China are the ones that have been seen in Europe and elsewhere.
However, one should not be complacent, Kluge said. It is unreasonable for countries to take precautionary measures to protect their populations. However, states that introduce preventive travel measures must ensure that they are science-based, appropriate and non-discriminatory.