German Uptick fuels fear European virus removal

Photographer: Sascha Schuermann / Getty Images

Germany registered the highest number of new cases of coronavirus in almost four months, raising concerns about a recurrence of infections in Europe.

Officials are already reintroducing restrictions on movement in an effort to prevent summer holidays and travel from spreading the disease. Spain and Italy have restricted nightclubs and Greece to limited hours for bars and restaurants to try to prevent more drastic measures after the holiday season falls.

Governments are desperate to promote a recovery period after second-quarter activity collapsed, but a failure to act decisively to prevent a widespread downturn could later mean more pain for the economy. Officials in Austria and Ireland will discuss possible new restrictions later on Tuesday, while the Netherlands may reintroduce limits on group meetings.

Tourist-relative Croatia feels the sting of an uptick in Covid infections, which worries about further countries introducing quarantine for those returning from holidays there. The latest figures show the nation of the Adriatic with 85 new cases on Monday after a record 208 on Friday.

Following an exodus of Austrian guests over the weekend, who want to effectively warn of virus travel on Monday, neighboring Slovenia could be next to measures. A major road route for residents of the European Union to the sunny coast of Croatia, Slovenia has taken over the border regime and ministers have suggested that citizens return as soon as possible.

“We agree that quarantine should be imposed on all returning people,” said Slovenian Health Minister Tomaz Gantar on Monday. The government in Ljubljana is expected to take a decision within days.

German spread

Germany remains a primary concerns. Credit risk is advanced, with investors worried about the recovery in Europe’s largest economy and most populous nation. An index of standard risk on Europe’s highest quality companies has been increased as well as an equivalent measure for junk bonds.

There were 1,693 new German cases in the 24 hours through Tuesday morning, the most since April 25, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The number of daily cases reached nearly 7,000 at the height of the pandemic in the spring.

There have been a number of outbreaks in recent weeks in institutions such as larger family homes and frying activities, as well as in educational and professional facilities, according to the RKI Institute of Public Health.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a meeting of her CDU party in Berlin on Monday that emerging infections are a concern, although managed, and there is currently no room for loosening curbs. The government may move to restrict social gatherings for family members for the time being.

There are more stimulating signs elsewhere in Europe. Italy – the original epicenter of the outbreak on the continent – reported 320 new coronavirus cases on Monday, the lowest increase in a week.

France registered 493 new infections on Monday. Although that was a sharp drop from a day earlier, the rise in new cases in recent weeks has prompted authorities to consider new measures, such as wearing masks in offices.

President Emmanuel Macron on Monday urged French citizens to remain vigilant. “In the coming weeks, we will have to continue to fight a health crisis that is taking a different form,” Macron said. “The virus is accelerating again, so a lot of waiting is required.”

During the summer, local authorities sealed off some public areas, such as beaches, to prevent parties. Nightclubs have been closed since mid-March and a ban on gatherings of more than 5,000 people was extended until the end of October.

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‘In the first two weeks of August, activity declined in countries with renewed outbreaks, such as Italy, France and Spain. Recovery remains slow in Germany, Sweden and Norway. ”

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Spain, where there has been a steady increase in new infections since late July, reported 1,833 more cases on Monday. The Ministry of Public Health last night accused socialization of fueling new outbreaks and endangering the government’s danger of rebuilding the $ 175 billion tourism sector.

Indicators of daily activity

Austria discusses changes to its border regime after holidaymakers returning from the former Yugoslavia and Turkey were one of the factors driving daily infections up to four months high. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz may announce new measures after meeting with his health and interior ministers later on Tuesday.

Austria registered 295 new infections on Tuesday, keeping it at the average level of mid-April for seven days. More than 2,200 Austrians currently have the virus, most since the end of April and about six times more than in June.

In Ireland, government officials will meet to decide on new recommendations from health authorities. Elderly and vulnerable people should be told to limit their time outside, the Irish Independent reported on Tuesday. Inside family gatherings will be limited to six people, and open-air home gatherings up to 15 in an effort to accommodate parties, the newspaper said.

Amsterdam is expected to announce stricter measures on Tuesday, Dutch news agency ANP reported last Monday, quoting the Minister of Public Health.

Romanian restrictions

In Eastern Europe, Romania continued to struggle to contain the spread of the virus, as social-distancing rules were largely ignored during the summer holidays. Romania has turned 3,000 deaths from Covid-19 after a record number of new cases last week.

The government expanded restrictions to a total of 13 counties and the capital Bucharest, ordering open restaurants and casinos to close at midnight. Romania recorded 1,014 cases on Tuesday, about two-thirds from last week’s peak.

Poland also sees a slow decline in infections after a spike earlier in the month, with 597 new cases on Tuesday, while Ukraine registered 1,616.

Even in the Baltic states, which are relatively less affected by the virus, authorities are cracking down. Estonia is imposing strict rules on alcohol sales in a city that saw an outbreak, while the Lithuanian government is talking about reintroducing mandatory masks in public open spaces.

In the Czech Republic, whose capital Prague is another tourist magnet, face masks will be required by September 1 in public covered areas.

– With the help of Rodrigo Orihuela, Boris Groendahl, Dara Doyle, and Joost Akkermans

(Updates with details about Croatia and other Eastern European countries)