Europe expects coronavirus cases to increase fivefold in next three weeks – Telam

Spain and Portugal are in the “high concern” category.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) expects the number of new coronavirus cases in the region to increase fivefold by August 1, compared to last week’s level.

According to the forecast released for its study area, which includes the European Union, the ECDC expects there to be 420 cases per 100,000 population during the week ending August 1, up from less of 90 registered last week.

For the week ending August 8, ECDC anticipates 620 new cases per 100,000 inhabitantsAll this linked to the advance of the Delta variant – more contagious than the others – and to the relaxation of restrictive measures.

These projections, which are currently assumptions, will be equal to the cases recorded in the fall (September-December) 2020 and in April 2021, when significant outbreaks were detected.

According to the ECDC, the number of hospitalizations will increase, but not significantly, thanks to the vaccination.

The number of deaths exceeded 10 per 100,000 inhabitants, against 6.8 last week. according to ECDC forecasts, published by the AFP news agency.

Currently, the trend is increasing in two thirds of the 30 countries studied by the European agency and the increase in cases is recorded especially among people between 15 and 24 years.

Two passes (Spain and Portugal) are in the category that raises a “high concern” and four (Holland, Luxembourg, Malta and Cyprus) in the group that generates a “moderate concern”. The other 24 represent a lower risk, but their situation is also deteriorating.

Last week (5-11 July), the number of new cases in the EU increased by 60%, due to “the easing of measures and the advance of the Delta variant”.

Last month, the Stockholm-based agency predicted that this variant would account for 90% of new cases by the end of August.

Regarding vaccination, ECDC estimates that 63% of the population of its study area over 18 years of age received at least one dose of the vaccine and 47.8% were fully vaccinated on July 11.