Holidaymakers are being warned about a rise in Covid cases in several countries across Europe.
The number of infections has doubled in a week in Greece, while cases have also doubled in Cyprus, Belgium and Ireland. Greece’s national health authority has reported a surge in Covid cases - three times higher than the same week last year, with 669 people hospitalised.
Masks have now been brought back to some hospitals around Athens. There has also been a sharp increase in cases in northern Greece.
Elderly and vulnerable people have been urged to seek help if they have Covid symptoms, reports BirminghamLive. And Malta has reportedly seen cases of Covid increase almost 400% in recent months.
The World Health Organisation also detected a similar surge in Luxembourg. While Portugal, the Netherlands, Poland and Norway have all seen significant increases in the disease.
In Portugal, the number of cases recorded surged by 700% between May and June, hitting 10,000 in July. Cases are also rising in the UK, with almost 18,000 new infections detected despite no routine testing.
The WHO has issued a stark warning to tourists heading abroad for the summer holidays. People are being urged to take Covid precautions including getting vaccinated, wearing masks and doing tests.
The WHO emphasised that the pandemic is far from over, with the virus still claiming 1,700 lives across the world each week. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern over the declining vaccine uptake among the over-60s and health workers - two groups particularly vulnerable to severe Covid outcomes.
In the UK, some hospitals have reinstated compulsory mask-wearing. Others are advising people with Covid symptoms, who do not require medical attention, to stay at home.
According to the WHO, travellers should wear well-fitted masks, maintain hand hygiene, get tested if they have any Covid-19 symptoms before they travel and consider staying home if unwell. Most countries and airlines no longer have mandatory vaccination as a requirement but advice from WHO is to ensure your vaccine is up-to-date before you travel.
The latest Covid symptoms include fatigue, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, headache, body aches, and cough - similar to symptoms seen earlier in the pandemic. Loss of taste and smell have become less common. Some people may get conjunctivitis (pink eye) or gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea - but these are more rare.
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