Covid-19 kills over 1 million people in Europe

The number of Covid-related deaths across the world has exceeded 1 million in Europe, of 47 million people infected.

Daniela Budu, 13.04.2021, 13:50

Europe has recorded over 1 million deaths from Covid-related conditions, since the virus was first reported in China in December 2019. Half of these deaths have been recorded in the last four months alone. According to France Presse, the 52 countries and territories in Europe together have thus recorded more casualties than Latin America, the Carabean, the United States and Canada, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The number of deaths reported in Europe accounts for one third of the of the total number of deaths worldwide. Also, as compared to its total polulation, the European countries are the most affected in the world.

The Czech Republic ranks first in Europe in terms of number of deaths, 261 to 100,000 citizens, followed by Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina. France Presse also reports that 6 in every 10 deaths in Europe have been registered in the UK, Italy, Russia, France, Germany and Spain. Nevertheless, official figures show that that the UK has seen a suden drop in the number of infections in the past week. The country started its immunisation campaign in early December and more than half of its adult population has already been vaccinated. Other countries, such as Russia and France are currently fighting the third wave of the pandemic. According to France Presse, the number of casualties has stabilised as of end-March. Europe recorded a little over 27,000 deaths last week, much less than the hardest week of January, when more than 40 thousand deaths were reported.

The World Health Organisation has warned that the pandemic has reached a critical point and the number of infections is huge. The coronavirus pandemic is far from over, says WHO Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, and this is due to confusion, self-sufficiency and inconsistency in fighting the disease. Nevertheless, the health official says, there are reasons for optimism. The decrease in the number of new infections and deaths in the first two months of the year proves that the virus and its strains can be kept in check. We also want to see our societies and economies reopened and trade and tourism resumed, but at this moment the intensive care units in a number of countries are overwhelmed and people die, and this is something completely avoidable, the WHO leader said.

The World Health Organisation has voiced hope, through its representatives, that the pandemic can be put under control in a few months if the necessary measures are taken. According to data supplied by the World Health Organisation, the number of infections has increased by 9% lately, and the death toll has gone up by 5%. All these, in spite of the fact that over 780 million vaccine doses have been received by people across the world. (EE)