EU health agency warns of “true resurgence” of Covid-19

The European Union’s health agency has called on member states that are seeing an increase in cases of coronavirus to reinstate control measures, while it warned of a “true resurgence” in several countries.

In a “rapid risk assessment” published on Monday, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) warned of a “risk of further escalation of Covid-19” across the continent. In its statement, it said: “While many countries are now testing mild and asymptomatic cases, which has resulted in increased case reports, there is a true resurgence in cases in several countries as a result of physical distancing measures being relaxed.”

The Stockholm-based agency added that the Covid-19 pandemic continued to “pose a major public health threat”. Since the relaxation of restrictions to travel and re-opening certain activities, the spread of the virus had resumed, it said.

“Further increases in the incidence of Covid-19, and associated hospitalisations and deaths, can be mitigated if sufficient control measures are reinstalled or reinforced in a timely manner,” the agency remarked.

For those countries seeing an increase “the risk of further escalation of COVID-19 is high.” If those countries fail to implement or reinforce restrictions, the risk was “very high,” it warned.

The agency conceded that as the pandemic wears on “it is natural for people to become fatigued and reduce compliance with public health measures.”