ECDC: Europe virus cases go back to March figures

Cases of the coronavirus in Europe were "almost back" to the same levels seen in March, the head of the European Centre for Disease and Control said on Wednesday.

ECDC director Andrea Ammon told the European Parliament virus cases across the continent have been increasing for more than five weeks.

"The virus has not been sleeping over the summer, so it did not take vacation," she told EU lawmakers.

The rate of increase up to the current level of 46 cases per 100,000 people had been slower than when the pandemic first hit Europe in March, Ammon said.