Europe is the ‘epicentre of the pandemic’ says WHO chief

WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that Europe is now “the epicentre of the pandemic”.

The continent now has more reported cases of the virus, and deaths than the rest of the world combined apart from China, said Dr Tedros in a press conference on Friday.

Dr Tedros added that more cases of Covid-19 were now being reported every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic, and urged countries to be “comprehensive” in their measures.

“Our message to countries continues to be, you must take a comprehensive approach. Not testing alone, not contact tracing alone, not quarantine alone, not social distancing alone – do it all,” he said.

“Any countries that looks at the experience of other countries with large epidemics and thinks ‘that won’t happen to us’ is making a deadly mistake – it can happen to any country.”

Dr Tedros reiterated that countries should “prepare and be ready”, and urged people to act rather than “let this fire burn”.

“Every person must know the signs and symptoms and how to protect themselves and others,” he said.

“Reduce transmission, do not just let this fire burn. Isolate the sick and quarantine their contact. In addition that increase in social distancing such as cancelling sporting events may help to reduce transmission.”