Loey Felipe

The WHO Regional Office for Europe stresses the importance of prioritizing coronaviruses such as coronavirus, influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus, as these viruses pose a serious threat to high-risk groups such as the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases. To this end, the organization has launched a conservation operation covering the entire region.

Be wary of the fading memory of the epidemic

Kruger, director of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, said the collective forgetfulness of the pandemic was worrying. While it is legitimate for individuals, communities, and countries to want to emerge from the gloom of the pandemic, the coronavirus is still spreading intertwined with other respiratory viruses.

Krueger noted that 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia still have up to 72,000 deaths due to seasonal influenza each year, accounting for about 20 percent of global influenza deaths, most of which could have been prevented. He called for the protection of vulnerable populations through vaccination to prevent the spread of the disease and its serious consequences.

COVID data

In the 28 days to 22 September, more than 278,000 COVID-19 cases and 748 deaths were reported in the WHO European Region, both of which are among the highest among WHO regions in the world, and the reality is likely to be even more dire.

More than 7 million people have died from the virus globally since the start of the pandemic in late 2019, with United States (1.2 million), Brazil (702,000), India (534,000) and Russia (403,000) reporting the highest number of deaths.

New challenges from the global pandemic

Krueger pointed out that the pandemic has caused enormous global damage, while the monkeypox type II virus, which emerged unexpectedly in Europe in 2022, continues to spread, while the monkeypox type I outbreak in the Middle East and Africa has been classified as a public health emergency of international concern. In addition, as the weather gets colder and people gather more indoors, RSV and influenza viruses will spread simultaneously at higher intensities in the coming months.

He called on health authorities to take responsibility for protecting vulnerable populations and to invest more in public health to alleviate the enormous pressure on health care workers.

Preventive measures and social responsibility

Kruger warned that emerging and pre-existing viruses could have serious consequences for health systems, economies and societies. Regular and continuous monitoring is therefore essential to ensure that global health systems are ready to respond to the next major health emergency.

According to WHO, key protection measures against influenza and other respiratory illnesses include home isolation when sick, hand and cough hygiene, and good ventilation.

WHO also recommends that vulnerable populations, including those with weakened immune systems and those suspected of being infected with respiratory viruses, wear appropriate masks in crowded or closed settings.

Kruger stressed that protecting the public from respiratory viruses is a shared responsibility of the government and society as a whole, and that everyone should contribute to caring for vulnerable groups and promoting a culture of solidarity.