Europe in trouble as WHO warns of 7,00,000 Covid-related deaths by March

The Covid pandemic in Europe is showing no end in near sight, as several countries are battling the fourth wave outbreak. As the scare looms up, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Europe could witness more than 7,00,000 deaths by March 01. According to the apex health body, the continent's death toll could top 2.2 million this winter if current trends continue. 

Vaccination holds the key

As the Covid pandemic continues to wreak havoc in European countries, the WHO has warned people to get vaccinated at the earliest to combat the spread of the infectious disease. 

According to WHO, the death toll in European countries has already crossed 1.5 million, with the daily death rate doubling from late September to 4,200 a day. 

Medical experts believe that the presence of the highly contagious Delta variant of Covid and slow vaccination rates in several countries are causing the rise in fresh cases in Europe. As the number of fresh cases is rising drastically rising over the past few weeks, Austria has imposed a complete lockdown, while Germany and the Netherlands are expected to announce fresh restrictions. 

Vaccination rate is low in several countries

According to the latest statistics, more than 67.7 percent of the population in the European Union is completely vaccinated. However, the rate of vaccination in several countries is very low, especially in the eastern region. 

Statistics suggest that only 24.63 percent of Bulgarians are vaccinated. On the other hand, in Portugal, the vaccination program is rolling out at a quick pace, and more than 86 percent population in the country have already received the shots. 

In the meantime, several countries are planning to give booster shots of Covid vaccines to their citizens, as studies are suggesting a weakening immunity against the pandemic as time passes by.