EU raises COVID-19 risk level, insists not to close interior borders

BRUSSELS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The risk for people in Europe to be infected with the COVID-19 was leveled up by the European Center for Disease Prevention Control (ECDC) on Monday, but the European Union (EU) insisted not to close the borders between its member states.

According to the daily ECDC risk assessment, the risk associated with COVID-19 infection for people in the EU/EEA(European Economic Area) and UK is currently considered "moderate to high". In its previous assessment published on Feb 23, the assessment was "low to moderate".

"In other words the virus continues to spread," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a press conference in Brussels.