China COVID-19 cases not expected to significantly impact Europe: WHO

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The World Health Organization has cooled concerns in Europe regarding the impact of a surge in COVID-19 cases in China. /Denis Balibouse/Reuters

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it does not expect a surge of COVID-19 cases in China to "significantly impact" the situation in Europe.

Speaking on Tuesday, the WHO's Europe director Hans Kluge said: "The ongoing surge in China is not anticipated to significantly impact the COVID-19 epidemiological situation in the WHO European Region at this time."

But Kluge later stressed at the press conference that Europe "cannot be complacent."

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."

A passenger arrived at Madrid Barajas Airport by plane from Chongqing, China. /VCG

Kluge urged countries to step up surveillance efforts such as sequencing variants, adding that many had "greatly reduced" their capacities.

His comments come just days after more than a dozen countries introduced fresh travel regulations on travelers from China. France, Italy, UK, Germany and the Netherlands are among those to have brought in new rules amid concerns of a fresh outbreak.

Last week, the European Commission released an opinion document for a common EU approach in response to the COVID-19 situation in China. It advised member states to step up or introduce wastewater monitoring with a particular focus on passenger flights arriving from China.

It also advised member states to consider introducing a traveler-based genomic surveillance programme on a random basis at international airports, with a particular focus on passenger flights arriving from China.

Source(s): AFP