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EU Health Chief Warns of ‘Second Coronavirus Wave’ in Europe

Dr Ammon, director of European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), said a second wave of the coronavirus is no longer a theory.

Dr Andrea Ammon urged the continent to prepare for another crisis, which she said was inevitable because so few people will have developed COVID-19 immunity.

Studies suggest less than 15 per cent of the population in Europe’s worst-hit nations have already been infected, leaving the majority vulnerable in the future.

Dr Ammon warned the virus – scientifically known as SARS-CoV-2 – is not going away any time soon because it is ‘very well adapted to humans’.

Almost all scientists agree the infection is bound to re-emerge in a second wave in the absence of a vaccine or cure for the coronavirus.

The biggest fear is the second wave will occur during the winter and coincide with flu season, which could overwhelm already swamped hospitals.

Europe has become the centre of the coronavirus crisis, with more than 164,350 deaths and 1.74million cases.

Europe has seen its number of daily deaths dropping across the board for the past few weeks, figures show, after a peak in April.

Figures show dwindling outbreaks across Europe – Spain, Italy, France and even the UK, all of which have been severely impacted by the deadly virus, are now showing positive signs of recovery.

But experts have warned against slacking virus defences now.

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