France announced a daily record for coronavirus infection and Italy imposed the toughest sanctions on its population after ending its lockdown, as Europe’s second wave of coronavirus epidemics was gaining momentum.
Italy, struggling with an explosive increase in infections and approaching 20,000 confirmed cases a day, announced the closure of all bars and rest restaurants at 6pm on Sunday, suspending many sports and recreational activities and high-school lessons online lessons Students returning home.
The aim is not to bring the contagious curve down to zero, but to bring it under control, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told a news conference. He appealed to the people of Italy to follow the new rules next week so that the December holiday season, as an important time for both family life and the economy – could approach daily life as normal. Mr Conte acknowledged public frustration but said the new measures were the only option in a repeat lockdown that would not sustain Italy’s economy.
The French national police spoke to the cyclist as the curfew began on Saturday in Toulouse, France.
Photo:
Fred Schneiber / Agence France-Presse / Getty Images
The confirmed infection in France reached 45,422 on Saturday, making it the second most affected country in Europe. In France alone the average daily cases have increased by almost 50% in the last week alone. Although recent deaths are much lower than this spring, according to French health officials, about half of the country’s intensive care beds are now occupied by Covid-19 patients.
“The epidemic is intensifying,” French President Emmanuel Macron said during a visit to a hospital in the Paris suburb on Friday.
Spain, which has also been at the forefront of the second wave, declared a state of emergency on Sunday, as in March, giving national authorities more power to impose social-distance and emergency health-care policies. The government also announced a nationwide curfew between 11pm and 6am and a limited social gathering for six people. Socialization and nightlife have been among the main reasons for the resurgence of Spain in cases of the virus. “The situation we are living in is very dire,” said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
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There has also been an increase in cases investigated in the UK, Poland and Germany, which until recently had more control over the virus than other major European countries. The sheer volume of cases around Europe is threatening to overwhelm the ability of many countries to test, contact-trace and isolate virus carriers.
However, this spring’s strict lockdown in Europe has reduced the level of contamination to potentially controllable levels, easing public behavior and the limited effectiveness of public policies have facilitated a steady decline in infections since this summer, once again turning Europe to its main centers. Global epidemic.
Italy’s new measures, which take effect from Monday and run until November 24, include restrictions on all bars and rest restaurants rent every day except withdrawal meals at 6 p.m. The gym, swimming pool, movie theaters and concert halls should close again, as they did this spring. Group sporting activities are suspended except for elite level sports such as professional soccer, for which spectators are prohibited from participating. At least 75% of high school students will receive their lessons op online, partly due to the resumption of schools in Italy in September. The opposite is true.
European governments are working to prevent a fully developed lockdown, including the closure of stay-at-home orders and unavoidable businesses across the country. They rely on measures such as early closing hours for bars and restaurants in an effort to limit gatherings. But many countries are struggling with increasing public fatigue with anti-epidemic policies.
“There is a lot of fatigue in the country. This epidemic is very challenging for us, ”said Mr. Conte. “People are more frustrated than the first wave.” He appealed to Italians to refrain from traveling unless it was for work or other necessary reasons, but he did not reintroduce the mandatory stay-at-home order in Spring Italian which has emptied the streets of Italian cities this spring.
“The epidemic is challenging us a lot,” Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Sunday.
Photo:
Yara Nardi / Reuters
So far, hospital admissions have not increased due to the second wave of infection in Europe and deaths during the second wave in Europe are not comparable to this spring. But public health experts warn that widespread infectious return could put pressure on hospitals if it is not controlled.
The second wave of infection, coupled with the short-lived reversal of social-distance restrictions on everyday life, this spring is already slowing Europe’s economic recovery from its deep, lockdown-induced recession.
Write to Marcus Wacker at [email protected] and Noemie Biserbe at [email protected]
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