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The World Health Organization's (WHO) Europe director says the continent could soon enter a "long period of tranquillity" in the Covid-19 pandemic, BBC News reports.

Dr Hans Kluge cited high vaccination rates, the end of winter and the less severe nature of the Omicron variant.

Speaking to reporters, he said: "This period of higher protection should be seen as a 'ceasefire' that could bring us enduring peace."

It comes as a number of European nations end Covid-19 restrictions.

Denmark became the first nation in the European Union to lift all rules, including the wearing of face masks, earlier this week.

Norway has since announced its own relaxation, and Sweden announced on Thursday it would also lift almost all of its own domestic restrictions on 9 February.

"The pandemic is not over, but we are entering a whole new phase," Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told reporters.

Officials there vowed to remain "vigilant" against the virus, with some guidance remaining in place, such as staying home if you have Covid-19 symptoms. Unvaccinated people are also urged to avoid crowds, and some border entry restrictions are still in place.

Dr Kluge from the WHO on Thursday urged European nations to continue with their vaccination campaigns and surveillance of strains, despite his talk of a "ceasefire".

But he said he was confident the continent would be in a "better position... even with a more virulent variant" than Omicron.