As new clusters emerge, WHO warns virus may be here to stay

Brussels, May 13 (AP) New coronavirus clusters have surfaced around world as nations struggle to balance reopening ecomies and preventing a second wave of infections, while a top global health official warned Wednesday that COVID-19 could be around for a long time.

Authorities in Chinese city of Wuhan, where pandemic first began late last year, reportedly were pressing ahe Wednesday to test all 11 million residents for virus within 10 days after a handful of new infections were found.

In Leban, authorities reinstated a nationwide lockdown for four days beginning Wednesday night after a spike in reported infections and complaints from officials that social distancing rules were being igred.

A top World Health Organization official, meanwhile, warned that it's possible new coronavirus may be here to stay.

“This virus may never go away,” Dr. Michael Ryan said in a press briefing Wednesday. Without a vaccine, he said it could take years for global population to build up sufficient levels of immunity.

“I think it's important to put this on table,” he said.

“This virus may become just ar endemic virus in our communities,” he said, ting that or previously vel diseases like HIV have never disappeared, but that effective treatments have been developed.

Despite risk that loosening restrictions could le to infection spikes, European nations have been seeking to restart cross-border travel, particularly as summer holiday season looms for countries whose ecomies rely on tourists flocking to ir beaches, museums and historical sites.

European Union unveiled a plan to help citizens across its 27 nations salv ir summer vacations after months of coronavirus lockdown and resurrect Europe's bly battered tourism industry. pandemic has prompted border closures across Europe and shut down lifeline of cheap local flights.

EU's executive arm, European Commission, laid out its vice for lifting ID checks at closed borders, helping to get airlines, ferries and buses running while ensuring safety of passengers and crew, and preparing health measures for hotels.

It's t clear wher EU nations will follow that vice, since y, t Brussels, have final say over health and security matters.

Some European countries have sought bilateral agreements with ir neighbors.

Austria said its border with Germany would reopen fully on June 15, and that border checks would be reduced starting Friday. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Austria was aiming for similar agreements with Switzerland, Liechtenstein and its eastern neighbors "as long as infection figures allow.” German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass said his country will lift a blanket warning against foreign travel for European destinations before or places, but didn't specify when. Germany's warning against all n-essential tourist travel abro runs until at least June 14.

tension in balancing people's safety against severe ecomic fallout is playing out across world. Italy partially lifted lockdown restrictions last week only to see a big jump in confirmed coronavirus cases in its hardest-hit region. Pakistan reported 2,000 new infections in a single day after crowds of people crammed into local markets as restrictions were eased.

European countries have begun slowly easing ir lockdowns, from barber shops reopening next week in Belgium to some schools starting up again soon in Portugal. But a raft of safety rules are being put in place, including reducing number of children in Belgian preschool classes and various forms of social distancing.

In Sweden, which has taken a relatively soft approach to fighting coronavirus, allowing primary schools and restaurants to remain open with some social distancing rules, officials urged Swedes t to travel abro for n-essential trips and to limit movement inside country.

Travel within Sweden “of up to one to two hours by car can be me,” Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said. “But it does t mean that everything is as it used to be — common sense and great caution apply.” situation remains unclear in some countries. U.S. says Tanzania has t publicly released any data on COVID-19 in two weeks.

World Health Organization also has expressed worry about Tanzania, whose president has questioned his own government's virus testing and refused to close churches in belief that virus can't survive in body of Christ. A new U.S. Embassy statement warns that risk of being infected in Tanzania's commercial hub, Dar es Salaam, is “extremely high” and says many hospitals in city have been overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, Ryan, World Health Organization's chief of health emergencies, h a grim warning about coronavirus: Even though an effective vaccine might be developed, it would require immense work to produce sufficient doses and distribute m worldwide.

“Every single one of those steps is fraught with challenges,” he said.

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical le for COVID-19, ded that she recognized some people were “in a state of feeling quite some despair,” but pointed out that stopping virus even without medical interventions was possible.

In United States, country's top infectious disease expert issued a blunt warning that cities and states could see more COVID-19 deaths and ecomic dam if y lift stay-at-home orders too quickly.