- WHO does not expect China's Covid surge to significantly impact the epidemiological situation in the WHO European Region at this time.
- But the WHO warned against complacency and urged countries to remain vigilant.
- China's hospitals have been overwhelmed since Beijing began easing strict controls, triggering a large increase in cases.
- Precautionary measures are reasonable, but should be rooted in science, proportionate and non-discriminatory.
- WHO urged countries to strengthen surveillance and sequencing of variants after many reduced their capacities.
The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it did not expect a surge of Covid-19 cases in China to “significantly impact” the situation in Europe.
“The ongoing surge in China is not anticipated to significantly impact the Covid-19 epidemiological situation in the WHO European Region at this time,” Hans Kluge, WHO’s Europe director, told a press conference.
But, he stressed, “we cannot be complacent”.
China’s hospitals have been overwhelmed by an explosion in cases since Beijing began unwinding hardline controls that had torpedoed the economy and sparked nationwide protests.
The WHO’s European region comprises 53 countries and includes Russia and countries in Central Asia.
The regional director also said it was “not unreasonable for countries to take precautionary measures to protect their populations” but called for such measures “to be rooted in science, to be proportionate and non-discriminatory”.
More than a dozen countries have slapped fresh travel regulations on travellers from China.
A group of European Union experts last week “strongly encouraged” the bloc’s 27 member states to demand Covid tests from people on flights from China and conduct random tests on arrivals.
Kluge also urged countries to step up surveillance efforts such as sequencing variants, noting that many had “greatly reduced” their capacities.
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