This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
Europe Faces Virus UpSurge Amid Rising Cases in Americas ¶
June 24, 2020 - The World Health Organization has warned of a coronavirus upsurge in Europe, as cases continue to soar in the Americas, with Brazil and the United States recording almost 80,000 infections between them on Wednesday.
According to the WHO, some European health systems risked being overwhelmed, yet officials have continued to rescind restrictive measures designed to combat the virus's spread. France, for instance, has reopened the Eiffel Tower to tourists for the first time in three months.
However, Europe's current caseload compares favourably with that of the Americas. While some US states have moved to reimpose restrictions, Brazilian expert Domingos Alves warned that his country was sending people 'to the slaughterhouse' by reopening too soon.
Governments are still struggling to balance public health needs with the damage that lockdown measures are doing to their economies. The International Monetary Fund has predicted that global GDP will plunge by 4.9 percent this year and wipe out $12 trillion over two years.
Until a vaccine or treatment is found, experts have warned that restrictions could be the norm. Several drugs have been tested, and the EU has given a boost to the prospects of anti-viral drug remdesivir by recommending it for use - the first treatment to be given the green light in Europe.
Despite the grim news, a few dozen mostly French tourists braved scorching heat in Paris to climb the Eiffel Tower's iron stairs as the lifts were deemed too small for social distancing.
WHO regional director Hans Kluge warned that some 30 European countries have seen increases in the past two weeks, with 11 of these countries experiencing accelerated transmission that could push health systems to the brink once again.
China, where the disease was first detected last year, declared that it had controlled an outbreak in Beijing that had briefly raised fears of a second wave.
The WHO has repeatedly urged governments not to give in to lockdown fatigue, but the decimated airline industry has illustrated how catastrophic the measures have been for some sectors. Australia's Qantas announced it was cutting 6,000 staff, and Germany's Lufthansa moved closer to a $10 billion state rescue.
Governments have been desperately trying to keep firms from laying off staff, with Spain extending its state-funded furlough scheme until the end of September.
The Americas are bearing the brunt of the virus at the moment, with total deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean passing 100,000. New cases are also on the rise in the south and west of the United States, with White House adviser Anthony Fauci warning the next two weeks would be 'critical'.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said his state, which was one of the most aggressive about reopening, could see new restrictions. 'If it's not contained in the next couple of weeks, it will be completely out of control, and Texas will have to ratchet back,' said Abbott.
