Europe at the start of a ‘widespread wave’ of Covid-19, ECDC says

Cases of Covid-19 have been consistently increasing in Europe for the past five weeks in the “start of a widespread wave”, according to the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC).

The notification rates of Covid-19 cases in the European Union and European Economic Area “remain high” and have been increasing for the past five weeks.

The rates among people aged 65 years and over increased in 23 of the 27 reporting countries.

Though these increases are still relatively recent, they signal “the start of a widespread wave driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of concern”, the ECDC said. These variants are also known as the Omicron variant.

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Currently, there is “no evidence” of increased severity of disease caused by these variants compared with others, but increasing transmission among older age groups is starting to result in severe disease, it said.

At this stage of the pandemic, the objective of Covid-19 vaccination campaigns should be to reduce hospitalisation, severe disease and death, and to protect healthcare systems, the ECDC recommended.

People over the age of 60 years and with underlying comorbidities remain at the greatest risk of severe disease. Modelling by the ECDC suggests “clear benefits of an early second booster roll-out for protecting people over the age of 60 years”.

Therefore it recommended an early second booster roll-out to be considered not only for the population aged 80 years and above but also for adults between the ages of 60 and 79 years and individuals with underlying conditions regardless of age

The death rates in the European Union have remained stable for the last five weeks but 12 countries have reported an increasing trend in other hospital or ICU admissions as of July 10th.

Stella Kyriakides, European commissioner for health and food safety, said it was “important to act now” to address ICU and other hospital admissions and to anticipate autumn and winter waves.

“Vaccination remains our strongest protection against hospitalisation, severe disease and death. I once again reiterate my call on everyone who has not yet had all recommended doses to take them urgently, including first boosters for all, and second boosters for those 60 years or older as well as those who are vulnerable,” she said.

ECDC director Andrea Ammon said now, at the “beginning of a new wave”, is the time to make a “concerted effort to put every piece into place”.

“There is an urgent need to establish robust, integrated surveillance systems that are sustainable and resilient should a new pandemic arrive, and the availability of several safe and effective vaccines means every single Covid-19 infection prevented now is a potential life saved.”