Covid infections in Europe rise for 5th week in a row

Copenhagen, Aug 6 (EFE).- Coronavirus infections have risen in Europe for the fifth consecutive week, although hospitalizations remain stable and the situation remains of “moderate concern”, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said Friday.

The incidence of new cases in the last seven days (up to August 1) in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) stood at 214 per 100,000 inhabitants, up 6 % from the previous week, while the mortality rate rose 30 % to 4.7 per 1 million.

Cyprus has the highest number of cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days, with 1,241.77, followed by Spain (720.71) and France (414.27), while Poland (4.29), Hungary (8) and Romania (9.31), have the lowest figures.

The ECDC considers the situation in two countries (France and Iceland) to be of major concern, moderate in 12 (including Spain), and low or very low in 16 other countries.

Forecasts for the next two weeks indicate a “stable” trend in both infections and deaths, with rates reaching 224 cases per 100,000 population and 6.9 per one million, respectively.

The agency’s weekly monitoring report forecasts an upward trend in new cases in 17 countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Romania and Sweden) and in deaths in three (France, Greece and Spain).

The ECDC highlights that the highest rates of new cases are in the younger age groups, although increases in cases in older people and hospitalizations have been observed in several countries. EFE

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