The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is strongly urging Brits to wear face masks following a resurgence of Covid cases in the UK.

Two European countries have made it mandatory to wear masks which will affect British holidaymakers.

Hospital admissions across England for flu and Covid are now running at their highest this winter, and people are being advised to go back to social “distancing” to reduce “exposures.”

Professor Christina Pagel, of University College London, has warned that due to the new JN.1 sub variant that has not yet peaked, the UK could see its highest-ever rate of Covid cases.

The JN.1 sub-variant has now become the new dominant strain over the Christmas period.

In some regions of Spain and across Greece it is now compulsory to wear masks and in other countries Covid cases are starting to rise rapidly.

The Spanish government are to meet next week with health authorities as popular holiday destinations have seen a spike in cases over the festive period, as of 20 December 2023, Spain recorded 13, 914811 cases.

Galicia, Aragon, Murcia, Valencia and Catalonia in Spain have all seen a rise in Covid cases.

Greece which is a popular holiday destination for Brits had a Covid outbreak in November 2023, which has not yet peaked.

The Greek government has now made it mandatory to keep to social distancing guidelines and to wear masks indoors.

The Epidemiology professor Demosthenes Sarigiannis has warned Greece could see daily cases of 9,000 by then end of January.

Cyprus has now made Covid testing and the wearing of mask compulsory in hospitals, dentists, nursing homes and vulnerable groups.

The WHO chief wrote a message on X urging people to “continue to use masks, ventilation, and distancing to reduce exposures, and make sure you and your loved ones are up to date on your COVID-19 and flu shots.”

The WHO are expecting that Covid-19 spread will continue “for some time.”