Europe faces multiple health crises this summer: WHO expert

COPENHAGEN - Europe is facing a multitude of health crises this summer, with long COVID, escalating temperatures, and a re-emergence of MPOX infections taking center stage, warned the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe on Tuesday.

The persistent impact of Long COVID on the European population is particularly alarming, WHO said.

"Nearly 36 million people across the WHO European Region may have experienced Long COVID in the first three years of the pandemic," said Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe. "This number equals approximately 1 in 30 Europeans."

Nearly 1,000 new COVID-19-related deaths are still being reported in the region each week.

"Unless we develop comprehensive diagnostics and treatment for Long COVID, we will never truly recover from the pandemic," he said.

Vaccination remains pivotal in the fight against the disease, said Kluge, adding: "The best way to avoid Long COVID is to avoid COVID-19 in the first place."

Vulnerable populations should be prioritized for vaccination, including the elderly, those with underlying medical conditions, and the immuno-compromised.

Alongside the lingering COVID-19 crisis, Europe is also grappling with the issue of extreme heat. A report from the European Union and the World Meteorological Organization recently said that Europe is warming at twice the average global rate.

Extreme heat claimed 20,000 lives from June to August last year alone, Kluge said, and temperatures in Spain and Portugal have already exceeded 40 degrees this year.

In a further blow to the region, the WHO official noted the resurgence of MPOX infections across various countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands. To mitigate this situation, vaccination and precautionary measures are critical, he said.

"Get vaccinated against MPOX if vaccines are available and you are eligible. If you have symptoms, limit contact with others," Kluge emphasized.

A comprehensive and collaborative approach is required to tackle these health emergencies, Kluge said.

"All three of these health emergencies-COVID-19, MPOX, and extreme heat-call for a change in our collective approaches, in our allocation of resources, and also in our individual behaviors," he concluded.