Better coordination needed on virus: EU

Brussels, September 16

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European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that the bloc must rise above its fragmented approach on dealing with Covid by centralising more decision-making on health issues.

She also told EU legislators that Italy will host a global health summit next year, during its G20 presidency. Von der Leyen fully acknowledged the fragile state that the pandemic has left EU in, with the death toll closing in on 150,000 and the economy facing the worst slump in the bloc’s history.

Meanwhile, Spanish capital Madrid, the Covid hotspot of Europe, has planned to introduce selective lockdowns in urban areas where Covid is spreading faster, regional health authorities said. — Agencies