Europe has recorded a 60 percent drop in new coronavirus infections over the past month, the World Health Organization (WHO) said while cautioning that the progress may be fragile. The WHO's announcement comes as the European Union plans for reopening its borders for fully vaccinated tourists and other nonessential travelers.

The weekly number of new cases across Europe dropped to nearly 6,85,000 last week from 1.7 million in mid-April, the WHO's European director, Hans Kluge said.

However, as regulations get relaxed, social gatherings and travel during the summer holiday season will rise, and could result in more transmission of the virus, Kluge said, adding that deadly variants spreading within the bloc remained a cause for concern.

The B1617 variant first identified in India and has been deemed a variant of concern by the WHO, has now spread to 26A countries in the European region. Kluge said that although most cases of the variant were connected to international travel, the transmission of the variant was occurring within Europe, the report said.

While vaccines had so far been effective against the Covid variants, it has only reached a small percentage of people in Europe, and that precautions like social distancing and wearing masks were still necessary, Kluge said.

People in Britain want an elected head of state not monarchy

New York City Times Square face a clash between pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian protestors

AstraZeneca Vaccine dose gives more protection from virus : UK study report