GENEVA, April 10 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) noticed a "welcome slowing" of COVID-19 infections in some of hardest-hit countries in Europe, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday.

"In the past week, we've seen a welcome slowing in some of the hardest-hit countries in Europe, like Spain, Italy, Germany and France," the WHO chief told a regular press briefing.

However, the WHO also witnessed an "alarming acceleration" in other countries, especially in Africa, where the virus is spreading to rural areas.

"We are now seeing clusters of cases and community spread in more than 16 countries," said Tedros, adding that there would be "severe hardship for already overstretched health systems, particularly in rural areas."

Countries need to localize the response by urgently strengthening the existing public health and primary health care infrastructure, he urged.

The WHO chief called on the G20 to expedite their support to Africa, where the cases are "still relatively small but accelerating."

Globally, nearly 1.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now been reported to the WHO, as well as more than 92,000 deaths.