Brussels, November 24 (BNA): The European Union’s Economy Minister said on Wednesday that the massive rise in novel coronavirus cases in recent weeks threatens the European Union’s recovery from the deep economic stagnation caused by the beginning of the pandemic last year.
Medical experts have warned that the public health situation could worsen, according to an Associated Press report.
Just two weeks ago, an EU executive raised his growth forecast for an economy recovering from the worst of the pandemic.
But EU Commissioner for the Economy Paolo Gentiloni said on Wednesday the optimistic picture was now again in doubt amid rising infections and with restrictions being reimposed in a growing number of member states.
The fear is that a projected 5% drop in growth this year in the 19-nation eurozone could be hit by the virus crisis at the end of the year.
“Our only message is: Take the situation seriously, but without thinking that the economic impact will be the same as a year ago,” Gentiloni said.
Medical experts have warned of more difficulties ahead, and called for urgent measures that could affect important sectors such as the restaurants, bars and tourism industries, which were already hard hit by the virus last year.
The burden from the highly contagious delta variant first detected in India is “expected to be very high in December and January”, unless strict government action and increased vaccinations, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said in a report on Wednesday. .
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