European countries are introducing measures to tackle a surge in Covid-19 cases as the Omicron variant moves towards becoming the dominant strain of the virus.
Hans Kluge, the WHO regional director for Europe, sounded a somber note of caution.
"Within weeks, Omicron will dominate in more countries of the region, pushing already stretched health systems further to the brink. Omicron is likely to become the dominant variant circulating in our region," Kluge said.
Paris has already scrapped its New Year celebrations, and Germany slapped a limit of 10 people on private parties, closed nightclubs and banned spectators from major events including soccer matches.
"This is not the time for parties and cozy evenings with lots of people," Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday.
Bars in Finland will be forced to close at 9pm on Christmas Eve as part of new restrictions designed to fight record Covid infection levels, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said.
Spain's Catalonia region is considering a clampdown as well, while Morocco has announced a blanket ban on New Year's Eve celebrations. The Netherlands has already imposed a Christmas lockdown.
But in the sporting world, while some leagues have been forced to postpone matches due to Covid outbreaks, others moved full steam ahead.
African football chief Patrice Motsepe confirmed Tuesday that the Africa Cup of Nations will go ahead as planned in Cameroon next month, and the NBA says it has no plans to pause its season.
Scientists are racing to know more about the Omicron strain, first detected last month in South Africa, with infections reported worldwide among fully vaccinated people.
The WHO approved another coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday, from US firm Novavax.
The shot was authorised by the EU on Monday, the fifth in the bloc after vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
