A World Health Organization (WHO) director said someone in Europe dies every 17 seconds of the novel coronavirus and that in the last week alone deaths jumped by 18% during a press conference Tuesday, according to multiple reports. The announcement comes as the recent surge in cases continues to strain health care facilities throughout the region.
Europe makes up 28% of global cases and 26% of overall deaths in the region, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge also said, according to the Telegraph. “Last week, Europe registered over 29,000 new Covid-19 deaths,” he said, according to the outlet. “That is one person dying every 17 seconds.”
There have been a total of 353,520 reported COVID-19 deaths in Europe as of Nov. 19 according to the regional breakdown of data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The same data indicate that the UK has the highest COVID-19 fatality numbers of any European country, with more than 53,000 deaths. Italy and France are the runners-up, with 47,217 and 46,698 deaths recorded respectively. (RELATED: ‘A Tipping Point’: Europe Overtakes US In New Coronavirus Cases)
Kluge reportedly noted that weekly coronavirus cases in Europe had recently gone down for the first time in three months. He credited the reintroduction of strict lockdowns in several European countries including the UK, France and Spain, according to the Telegraph.
Head of the Nonprofit Organization SOS Jean-Marc Borello (R) speaks with medical staff at the Hotel-Dieu hospital in Le Creusot, central france, on Nov. 18, 2020. – Despite some exceptions, the private non-profit hospital has never imposed itself in France: a “French exception”, regrets SOS group, a heavyweight in the social and solidarity economy. (Photo by Philippe DESMAZES / AFP via Getty Images)
The regional director warned in the press conference of the dangers of hospitals being unable to care for the number of infected patients, cautioning countries against lifting restrictions too soon, according to the Telegraph.
“We are seeing increasing signals related to overwhelmed health systems with reports that in France, for example, intensive care wards have been at over 95% capacity for 10 days,” Kluge reportedly said. France was the first country European country to surpass 2 million cases, according to a Reuters tally.
Kluge emphasized the importance of keeping up safety measures such as wearing a mask, hand washing and social distancing until a vaccine is available, the Telegraph reported.
“Those of you with the strength and ability to do so, I urge you to continue to step up to the challenge [of following this] new way of life,” he said, according to the outlet. “Your country, community, family and friends, need you like they have never needed you before.”