WHO Europe: Kids in 5-14 age group show highest COVID rates

By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization’s office for Europe says that children in the 5 to 14 age group now account for the highest rates of reported COVID-19 infection in the region. WHO Europe regional director Dr. Hans Kluge also argued Tuesday that vaccine mandates should be “an absolute last resort” and said that COVID-19 deaths remain “significantly below previous peaks.” But he said that coronavirus cases and deaths have more than doubled in the last two months in the 53-country region stretching to central Asia. He stressed the continued threat from the widespread delta variant. And he noted the new omicron variant has so far accounted for 432 confirmed cases in 21 countries in the region.