JAKARTA - The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), said countries should provide free COVID-19 tests for Ukrainian refugees to avoid an outbreak as more than three million people leave their homeland.
Infectious diseases and conflict often go hand in hand and the risk of disease transmission could be exacerbated as the comprehensive COVID-19 vaccination rate in Ukraine is low at 35 percent compared to the EU average of 71.7 percent.
Ukrainian refugees should be given a complete COVID-19 vaccine as well as a booster if they do not have a primary vaccination card, especially for people who are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19, the ECDC said.
A number of Ukrainian refugees fled to neighboring countries in Europe such as Poland, Slovakia and Romania. Meanwhile, other refugees headed west to avoid the Russian invasion.
Refugee reception centers are known to be at great risk of becoming hotbeds of disease outbreaks.
The ECDC said states should test for COVID-19 at these centers and work to isolate those showing symptoms.
Data showing an increase in global COVID-19 cases could indicate a much bigger problem as countries also report declining rates of COVID-19 testing, the WHO said on Tuesday.
The UN agency also warned countries to remain vigilant against the virus.
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