Europe continues to be in the deep red on the COVID-19 ECDC map

The epidemiological situation in the European Union and the European Economic Area remains serious and has not significantly changed, according to the latest epidemiological map on the spread of COVID-19 by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Most regions and countries in Europe are now in the deep red or red category. The only regions where the situation is relatively better are located in Italy and Romania.

Cyprus is in the deep red category this week as well due to the increased spread of the virus.

The ECDC map does not record the number of deaths or hospitalization, or the levels of vaccination, but only the number of new cases per 100 thousand people over the past 14 days. The map also does not account for cases caused by the Omicron variant.

The situation in Romania has slightly worsened since the northeastern region is now back in the orange zone, while Bucharest is now in the red category. However, the southwestern region of the country remains in the green category and is now the only region seen as safe in the EU and the EEA.

The northeastern regions of Italy and Sardinia in Italy remain in the orange zone. However, northern Italy is now in the deep red.

In the rest of Europe, Estonia and Latvia have returned to the deep red category, along with Iceland. The situation has worsened also in Spain and France while showing limited improvements in eastern Austria and eastern Poland.

Orange zone areas are defined as the areas where the 14-day cumulative COVID-19 case notification rate is below 50 and the test positivity rate of tests for COVID-19 infection is 4% or more, or the 14-day cumulative COVID-19 case notification rate is between 50 and 75 and the test positivity rate is 1% or more, or the 14-day cumulative COVID-19 case notification rate is between 75 and 200 and the test positivity rate is lower than 4%.

Red zone areas are defined as the areas where the 14-day cumulative COVID-19 case notification rate ranges from 75 to 200 and the test positivity rate of tests for COVID-19 infection is 4% or more, or the 14-day cumulative COVID-19 case notification rate is more than 200 but less than 500 (when the cumulative rate exceeds 500 the area enters the “deep red” zone).

ECDC publishes relevant maps and data every Thursday, in support of the Council recommendation on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The maps are based on data reported by the Member States to the European Surveillance System (TESSy) by midnight on Tuesday.