World Health Organization says Europe seeing a surge as a result

A surge of novel coronavirus cases in Europe is linked to the new, more transmissible BA2 sub-variant, with the numbers exacerbated by restrictions being eased too soon, according to the World Health Organization.

Infections have been rising in 18 out of the region's 53 countries, said WHO Europe director Hans Kluge.

Kluge noted that the BA2 variant is less dangerous than other variants but more transmissible.

"The countries where we see a particular increase are the United Kingdom, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, France, Italy, and Germany. Those countries are lifting the restrictions brutally from too much to too few," he said.

He added that he was "optimistic but vigilant" about the European situation, noting that "there is a very large capital of immunity… either thanks to the vaccination or due to the infection".

After peaking toward the end of January, cases in Europe dropped abruptly, according to WHO figures.

But infections have been increasing since early March, and more than 5.1 million new cases and 12,496 deaths were reported in the last seven days, reported the Agence France-Presse.

There have been a total 194.4 million cases recorded across the region and more than 1.92 million fatalities since the start of the pandemic. Countries that have reported the most cases are France, UK, Russia, Germany, and Turkey.

Most restrictions were officially lifted across Germany last Sunday, a day dubbed "Freedom Day", although the country's regional authorities remain cautious and continue to enact measures. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach warned "the situation is much worse than the mood".

Waning immunity from vaccines is likely another contributor to the surge in cases, along with the easing of measures, and easier transmission of the new strain, according to health experts.

Research suggests that a fourth COVID-19 booster vaccine dose gives increased protection for elderly people and those with health problems, but there are doubts about revaccinating younger, healthy people, reported the Financial Times.

The European Medicines Agency has said there is a lack of evidence on the need for a fourth jab. It cites concerns that repeated boosters "could overload people's immune systems".

France, Germany, the UK, and Sweden are among countries already offering fourth doses. The FT noted findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week, said that, for young and healthy people, a fourth vaccine offered "little protection" above three doses.

Penny Ward, a professor at King's College London, was quoted by the paper as saying boosters are important to help protect health systems from being overloaded.

"Allowing the situation to continue where the health service is completely overwhelmed with disease, now we have the tools to prevent it, is irrational," Ward said.

Meanwhile, the UK government has announced that free lateral flow tests will no longer be available, and those who want to check whether they have COVID-19 will have to pay. Critics warn that ending free testing will make it difficult to monitor the spread of the virus.

The updated guidance states: "Most people without COVID symptoms no longer need to take rapid lateral flow tests. Most tests are now needed for people at higher risk in England".