Western Europe: Countries and territories continue to report COVID-19 disease activity through April /update 6

Event

Several countries and territories in Western Europe have continued to report COVID-19 transmission through April. According to data through April 20 from the World Health Organization (WHO), the following countries and territories have identified confirmed COVID-19 cases:

Community transmission

• France: 5,214,493 cases

• UK: 4,390,787 cases

• Spain: 3,428,354 cases*

• Germany: 3,163,308 cases*

• Poland: 2,704,571 cases

• Czech Republic: 1,606,030 cases

• Netherlands: 1,410,950 cases*

• Romania: 1,031,072 cases

• Belgium: 951,626 cases

• Sweden: 900,138 cases*

• Hungary: 754,833 cases

• Serbia: 664,972 cases

• Switzerland: 634,394 cases*

• Austria: 592,052 cases

• Greece: 316,879 cases

• Croatia: 310,306 cases

• Ireland: 243,911 cases

• Denmark: 243,374 cases*

• Lithuania: 235,383 cases*

• Bosnia and Herzegovina: 191,154 cases

• North Macedonia: 147,229 cases

• Latvia: 111,536 cases*

• Norway: 107,510 cases*

• Kosovo: 101,751 cases*

• Finland: 84,287 cases*

• Luxembourg: 65,144 cases

• Andorra: 12,805 cases

• Iceland: 6,329 cases*

• San Marino: 5,040 cases

• Jersey: 3,232 cases

• Guernsey: 822 cases

Clusters of cases

• Italy: 3,878,994 cases

• Portugal: 831,221 cases

• Bulgaria: 388,815 cases

• Slovakia: 376,709 cases*

• Slovenia: 232,313 cases

• Albania: 129,694 cases

• Estonia: 118,317 cases

• Montenegro: 95,693 cases

• Cyprus: 57,081 cases*

• Malta: 30,026 cases

• Gibraltar: 4,291 cases

Sporadic cases

• Liechtenstein: 2,910 cases*

• Monaco: 2,404 cases

• Faroe Islands: 663 cases

• Vatican City: 26 cases

No cases

• Isle of Man: 1,578 cases ( last reported case April 10, 2020)

• Greenland: 31 cases ( last reported case March 5, 2021)

*As of April 21, these countries are reporting an increase in active COVID-19 cases.

Context

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral respiratory disease caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets from infected individuals or contact with contaminated surfaces or objects. Symptoms occur 1-14 days following exposure (average of 3-7 days). These symptoms typically include fever, fatigue, and dry cough; less common symptoms include headache, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell, reddening of the eyes, skin rash, or discoloration of the fingers or toes. Symptoms may worsen to difficulty breathing, pneumonia, and organ failure - especially in those with underlying, chronic medical conditions. Some infected individuals display no symptoms. Multiple variants of COVID-19 have been identified globally, some of which spread more easily between people. COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed to frontline workers and the elderly in some countries, while other vaccines are in varying stages of development and clinical trials; more data is required to determine the efficacy of vaccines against COVID-19 variants.

Older individuals and people of any age with chronic medical conditions or compromised immunity should consider postponing nonessential travel, including domestic travel, and take special precautions to avoid becoming ill, especially where sustained community transmission of COVID-19 is ongoing. All individuals should monitor their health and limit interactions with others for 14 days after returning from travel.

Advice

Emphasize basic health precautions, especially frequent handwashing with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are unavailable. Practice good coughing/sneezing etiquette (i.e., covering coughs and sneezes with a disposable tissue, maintaining distance from others, and washing hands). There is no evidence that the influenza vaccine, antibiotics, or antiviral medications will prevent this disease, highlighting the importance of diligent basic health precautions.

Resources

WHO Coronavirus Knowledge Base
WHO: Public health considerations while resuming international travel
US CDC: Guidance for Businesses and Workplaces
US CDC: Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities
Mental Health Considerations during COVID-19 Outbreak
US CDC: Manage Anxiety and Stress
US CDC Global COVID-19 Pandemic Travel Notice
WHO: Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19
New England Journal of Medicine: COVID Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions