GENEVA -- A top official from the World Health Organization says Europe has surpassed 1 million deaths from covid-19 and the situation remains "serious," with about 1.6 million new cases reported each week.
The comments by Dr. Hans Kluge on Thursday aimed to emphasize that Europe must keep up its guard with social distancing and speed up vaccinations as virus variants drive new infections to record levels in some nations.
Overall, a tally by Johns Hopkins University shows nearly 3 million deaths have been linked to covid-19 worldwide -- with the Americas hardest-hit, followed by Europe. The United States, Brazil and Mexico have reported the highest number of deaths, collectively at more than 1.1 million.
The U.S. has recorded more than 31,491,000 covid-19 cases and more than 565,000 deaths.
Worldwide, the virus is claiming about 12,000 lives each day.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Greece, Kluge did point to "early signs that transmission may be slowing across several countries" in agency's 53-country European region, which stretches into Central Asia --and cited "declining incidence" among the oldest people.
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He said the proportion of covid-19 deaths among people older than 80, who have been prioritized for vaccines, had dropped to nearly 30% -- the lowest level in the pandemic.
Britain in particular has seen new infections and deaths drop dramatically since January, because of a successful vaccination program and a prolonged national lockdown that is being reversed only in stages.
Addressing recent concerns about vaccines, Kluge also said the risk of people suffering blood clots is far higher for people with covid-19 than for people who receive AstraZeneca's vaccine.
"Let there be no doubt about it, the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective in reducing covid-19 hospitalization and preventing deaths," he said, adding that the health agency recommends its use for all eligible adults.
![Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic poses with a vial of the Sputnik V in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Serbia has announced it will begin packing and later producing Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, which would make it the first European state outside Russia and Belarus to begin manufacturing the jab. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)]()
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic poses with a vial of the Sputnik V in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Serbia has announced it will begin packing and later producing Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, which would make it the first European state outside Russia and Belarus to begin manufacturing the jab. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
![A member of the medical staff prepares a dose of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, also know as CoronaVac, during a mass vaccination program at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Albania has made virus slabs to almost 300,000 people, starting with the medical personnel, eldest people and schoolteachers to achieve a mass inoculation campaign ahead of the summer tourism season. (AP Photo)]()
A member of the medical staff prepares a dose of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, also know as CoronaVac, during a mass vaccination program at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Albania has made virus slabs to almost 300,000 people, starting with the medical personnel, eldest people and schoolteachers to achieve a mass inoculation campaign ahead of the summer tourism season. (AP Photo)
![Vials of the Sputnik V vaccine placed on a table prior to the visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Serbia has announced it will begin packing and later producing Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, which would make it the first European state outside Russia and Belarus to begin manufacturing the jab. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)]()
Vials of the Sputnik V vaccine placed on a table prior to the visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Serbia has announced it will begin packing and later producing Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, which would make it the first European state outside Russia and Belarus to begin manufacturing the jab. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
![Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic holds a vial of the Sputnik V in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Serbia has announced it will begin packing and later producing Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, which would make it the first European state outside Russia and Belarus to begin manufacturing the jab. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)]()
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic holds a vial of the Sputnik V in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Serbia has announced it will begin packing and later producing Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, which would make it the first European state outside Russia and Belarus to begin manufacturing the jab. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
![A Torlak Institute's employee waits for the visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Serbia has announced it will begin packing and later producing Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, which would make it the first European state outside Russia and Belarus to begin manufacturing the jab. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)]()
A Torlak Institute's employee waits for the visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Serbia has announced it will begin packing and later producing Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, which would make it the first European state outside Russia and Belarus to begin manufacturing the jab. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
![A woman receives the first dose of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine during a mass vaccination program at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Albania has made virus slabs to almost 300,000 people, starting with the medical personnel, eldest people and schoolteachers to achieve a mass inoculation campaign ahead of the summer tourism season. (AP Photo)]()
A woman receives the first dose of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine during a mass vaccination program at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania, Thursday, April 15, 2021. Albania has made virus slabs to almost 300,000 people, starting with the medical personnel, eldest people and schoolteachers to achieve a mass inoculation campaign ahead of the summer tourism season. (AP Photo)
