EU raises risk level of COVID-19 infection

The risk for people living or travelling in Europe to be infected with the COVID-19 has been leveled up by the European Center for Disease Prevention Control (ECDC), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday.

According to the daily ECDC risk assessment published on Monday, the risk associated with COVID-19 infection for people in the EU/EEA and UK is currently considered "moderate to high". In its previous assessment published on Feb. 23, the assessment was low to moderate.

"In other words the virus continues to spread," von der Leyen told a press conference in Brussels.

The ECDC has made the assessment on a daily basis for more than a week, since the outbreak of the epidemic in northern Italy. So far more than 20 European countries have reported COVID-19 infection cases.

Praising the efforts made by the European Commission to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, von der Leyen also announced the establishment of a COVID-19 response team that comprises high-profile commissioners.