World Health Organization says the lifting of the covid-19 ban by several European countries, including Germany, France, Italy and Britain, has led to a rise in cases.

WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told a press conference in Moldova that he was “optimistic but vigilant” about the pandemic’s development in Europe.

According him Covid is on the rise in eighteen out of fifty-three countries in the WHO European region.

He said the main reason behind the increase was likely the BA2 variant, which is more transmissible, but not more dangerous than other variants.