Covid 19 third wave? Europe sees sharp increase in infection cases and deaths

The World Health Organisation said that cases in its 53-country European region recorded an 18% increase in COVID-19 cases over the last week.

Geneva: Europe stood out as the only major region worldwide to report an increase in both coronavirus cases and deaths over the last week, with double-digit percentage increases in each, the United Nations' health agency said on Wednesday.

The World Health Organisation said that cases in its 53-country European region, which stretches as far east as several former Soviet republics in central Asia, recorded an 18% increase in COVID-19 cases over the last week, a fourth straight weekly increase for the area.

In WHO's weekly epidemiological report on COVID-19, Europe also saw a 14% increase in deaths. That amounted to more than 1.6 million new cases and over 21,000 deaths.