Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Europe at global epicentre as COVID deaths and cases continue to rise

Europe at global epicentre as COVID deaths and cases continue to rise

COVID-19 deaths have increased by 10% in the World Health Organization's Europe and Central Asia region over the last week.

The World Health Organization's (WHO) Europe and Central Asia region is the only one in the world where COVID-19 cases and deaths are rising.

It has seen coronavirus deaths increase by 10% over the last week, WHO said.

Nearly two-thirds of all global infections were in the region, where cases rose by 7%, the body added in its weekly report.

The number of weekly COVID-19 deaths fell by about 4% worldwide and declined in every region except Europe and Central Asia.

WHO’s Europe director Dr Hans Kluge said last week the region was "back at the epicentre of the pandemic".

Kluge warned that WHO's Europe and Central Asia region could see another 500,000 deaths by February if more actions weren’t taken to limit the spread of the virus.

Germany reports a new daily record of cases


Germany’s national disease control centre said it had recorded a record-high number of new coronavirus cases.

The Robert Koch Institute said 39,676 cases were registered on Wednesday, surpassing the previous daily record last Friday of 37,120 new cases.

Several hospitals have said in recent days that they are again working at their limits and have ICUs so full of COVID-19 patients that they cannot admit new patients.

"We have a real emergency situation right now," Christian Drosten, the head of virology at Berlin’s Charite Hospital.

Government officials have repeatedly said they do not intend to impose new lockdowns and have instead appealed to residents to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Around 67% of Germany’s population is fully vaccinated, according to official figures.

On Wednesday, Germany's standing committee on vaccinations published new recommendations, advising that citizens under the age of 30 should only receive the vaccine developed by Pfizer/BioNTech.

High infection rates in central Europe


Coronavirus cases have also soared to a new record high in Slovakia this week.

The Slovak Health Ministry reported that the daily increase of new infections hit 7,055 on Tuesday, surpassing the previous record last week.

The number of people needing hospital treatment also rose to a total of 2,478, with 370 admitted this week, the ministry said. About 80% of those hospitalised have not been fully vaccinated.

“We’re facing a catastrophic development in hospitals,” President Zuzana Čaputová said, adding that the vaccination rate needs to "significantly speed up".

In the neighbouring Czech Republic, new infections jumped to levels close to record numbers seen in January and March, authorities said.

Both Slovakia and the Czech Republic are below the EU average of citizens who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The two countries are each discussing additional measures to limit the spread of the virus.

More grim records in Russia


In Russia, new infections and deaths still remain at all-time highs. Around 40,000 cases and over 1,100 deaths have been registered every day in the country since late October.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova told a government meeting on Wednesday that nearly 83% of hospital beds reserved for coronavirus patients were filled.

Russia’s autumn surge in infections and deaths comes amid low vaccination rates, and the government’s reluctance to toughen restrictions.

Less than 40% of Russia’s population has been fully vaccinated, even though Russia has four domestically developed vaccines on offer.

Some Russian citizens have instead been travelling to Croatia and Serbia to be inoculated because the Sputnik V and other vaccines have not been approved by the WHO and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

In total, Russia’s state coronavirus task force has reported 8.9 million confirmed infections and 250,454 deaths since the start of the pandemic -- by far the highest death toll in Europe.

However, some experts believe the official tally is significantly higher.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
×