The spread of COVID-19 infections has shown a slight upward trend in some countries and regions recently, but there has been no significant change in clinical severity of the disease, said An Zhijie, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at a news conference held in Beijing on Tuesday.

Data from the World Health Organization shows that the recent numbers of COVID-19 cases in West Africa, Central America and the Caribbean, and parts of Europe and Asia are on the rise.

An suggested outbound travelers learn about the epidemic situation in their destinations beforehand and wear masks when taking planes or trains.

It is also important to maintain hand hygiene and keep good ventilation, he said.

Children, the elderly and people with chronic diseases should get vaccinated. Their families should also keep an eye on their health condition and take them to hospital promptly if they show symptoms such as fever and coughing, An added.