Almost the entirety of the latest map issued every week by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on the spread of COVID-19 is now in the deep red category, as the number of cases continues to rise due in part to the spread of the Omicron variant.
Cyprus is in the deep red category along with most of the countries in the EU/EEA.
The only regions that remain in the red category are in eastern and western Poland, as well as areas in north-western Romania (with the exception of Bucharest which remains in the deep red category).
Hungary, where some regions were in the red category last week, is now entirely in the deep red category.
The map, which was published on Thursday, combines data on case notification rates per 100 thousand population and test positivity during the last 14 days.
The ECDC map does not record the number of deaths or hospitalisation, or the levels of vaccination. The map also does not account for the percentage of total cases caused by the Omicron variant.
According to a recent agreement in the Council of the EU, in the future the map of the ECDC will also include information on vaccination levels in each country and region. This change, which aims to contribute to a better understanding of how dangerous the virus is in each area, is expected to be applied when ECDC has two weeks worth of data available.
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.
