LONDON -- The World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Office for Europe said drinking alcohol can make people more vulnerable to the coronavirus.
The WHO said in a news release that drinking alcohol is linked to a range of diseases and mental health disorders and those could increase a person's risk of getting the virus.
The organization also stated that the idea of consuming high-strength alcohol killing COVID-19 is a myth; drinking alcohol does not kill the virus.
In addition, drinking can have negative effects on the immune system. The WHO also encouraged European governments to enforce measures that would limit alcohol consumption. However, the effects of alcohol consumption outlined by the organization are not unique to the European region.
According to the WHO coronavirus dashboard, the European region has the most confirmed cases globally -- just over one million, followed by the Americas with just over 707,000