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NEW YORK: Global coronavirus cases rose by more than 400,000 for the first time on Saturday (October 17), a record one-day increase as much of Europe enacts new restrictions to curb the outbreak.
Europe, which successfully suppressed the first wave of infections, has become the new epicenter of the coronavirus in recent weeks, reporting an average of 140,000 cases a day in the last week.
As a region, Europe reports more daily cases than India, Brazil and the United States combined.
Of every 100 reported infections worldwide, 34 were from European countries, according to a Reuters analysis. Currently, the region is reporting one million new infections every nine days and has reported more than 6.3 million cases since the pandemic began.
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Major European countries – the United Kingdom, France, Russia, the Netherlands and Spain – accounted for about half of new cases in Europe in the week to October 18, according to Reuters tally.
France is reporting the highest average new cases in seven days in Europe with 19,425 infections per day, followed by the UK, Russia, Spain and the Netherlands in the worst affected European countries.
Several European countries are closing schools, canceling elective surgeries and recruiting medical students as authorities face a resurgence of COVID-19.
Russia is shifting students to online learning and Northern Ireland is closing schools for two weeks and restaurants for four.
In Spain, the Catalan authorities ordered the closure of bars and restaurants for 15 days and limited the number of people allowed in stores.
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The Czech Republic has also switched schools to distance learning and plans to recruit thousands of medical students. Hospitals are cutting non-urgent medical procedures to free up beds.
Polish health officials have warned that the country is on the brink of disaster, as a record 6,526 new coronavirus infections and 116 deaths were reported this week. Poland is increasing the training of nurses and is considering the creation of military field hospitals.
Latin America is the worst affected region with about 27 percent of total COVID-19 cases, followed by Asia, North America and Europe, according to a Reuters analysis.
India reports fewer cases this month compared to September, with 69,000 cases a day, according to a Reuters analysis. The numbers have fallen by more than 20,400 in the last three weeks, down 22 percent from their previous peak.
India reported 55,342 cases on October 13, its lowest daily increase since August 18.
READ: India’s coronavirus infections rise to 7.43 million
In the United States, which has the highest total number of cases and deaths in the world, new infections are increasing along with the most hospitalized COVID-19 patients since early September.
Efforts to develop a vaccine had snags, and Johnson & Johnson paused its trial after an unexplained illness in a study participant. The AstraZeneca trial in the United States has been on hold for more than a month.
Russia, which saw a record daily increase in cases, has granted regulatory approval to a second vaccine.
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