[ad_1]
Dark spots indicating areas of high coronavirus contagion stain the maps of Europe blood red as governments fight to avoid another round of total lockdowns, even making unpopular decisions to close schools, bars and gyms.
The Czech Republic, Belgium and the Netherlands have joined Spain as the current hot spots in Europe during the resurgence of Covid-19. Russia and many other countries are following the same puzzling trend. France has declared a curfew in Paris and other regions and will restore the state of health emergency, making it easier to apply more controls if necessary.
Medical centers are generally better prepared than during the first wave of the pandemic. But many medical workers are demoralized by what they see as ineffective leadership from authorities who have tried to protect public health and ailing economies.
European countries, and even regions within countries, are applying drastically contrasting strategies. In one area, bars are considered breeding ground for sprouts, while across the border or city limits, schools are considered viral cauldrons.
READ MORE:
* Covid-19: UK at ‘tipping point’ as Covid-19 resurfaces and restrictions are reintroduced in Europe
* Covid-19: ‘Computer problems’ responsible for the high record of coronavirus cases in the UK
* Coronavirus: the WHO warning on the rise of Covid in Europe, but countries are learning to deal with the virus.
Early evening in France
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday that millions of French citizens must respect the 9:00 p.m. curfew from this Saturday to December 1. The curfew will apply to the Paris region and eight other regions: Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, Aix-Marseille, Toulouse. , Montpellier, Saint-Etienne.
“We will not go to restaurants after 9 pm, we will not see friends, we will not celebrate, because that is how the virus is transmitted,” Macron said.
Macron’s office also said the government will restore a state of health emergency that expired in July. There are no additional measures that go into effect with this measure, but it will allow the government to enforce stricter measures in the future.
Lewis Joly / AP
People walk in the empty gardens of the Tuileries in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron announced that millions of French citizens will have to respect the curfew at 9 p.m.
Hurry to get the last pints in the north of England
In England, the northern city of Liverpool on Wednesday became the first city to come under the toughest government restrictions in a new three-tier system that forces pubs and bars that do not serve meals to close.
The looming restrictions led to some rebel parties in Liverpool on Tuesday night, when pub goers took to the streets to dance and taunt the police as the pubs closed. Images of the gatherings surfaced on social media, including a video of a crowd of partiers hitting a police car as it crawled through the crowd.
“These images put our city to shame, attacking our brave police officers is unacceptable,” Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson wrote on Twitter. “Our health service is screeching, 300 in the hospital and 30 people dead in the week. Ignoring these facts is why we are at Level 3 measures. “
Additionally, indoor social gatherings with people from other households are prohibited and residents are advised not to travel outside the area. The measures will be reviewed periodically, but could last up to six months.
Liverpool City Council’s Paul Brant told the BBC that around 90 percent of the city’s intensive care and intensive care beds are already taken.
Russia hits daily record for new infections
Russia, which has the fourth highest number of coronavirus cases in the world with more than 1.3 million people, has been reporting more than 10,000 new cases for 11 consecutive days. The 14,231 new infections reported Wednesday is the highest number since the start of the pandemic.
Most of the virus restrictions in Russia were lifted during the summer. Despite the worsening situation, the Russian authorities have rejected suggestions for a second shutdown and have not introduced major restrictions.
Moscow officials have urged the elderly to isolate themselves and have extended school holidays by one week. Students in the capital from sixth to eleventh grade will now transfer their studies online for two weeks.
“Older students are more susceptible to the risk of contracting the coronavirus,” said Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. “They represent two-thirds of infected children.”
Italy records the largest increase in a single day
Italy has recorded 7,332 coronavirus cases, its biggest increase in a single day since the outbreak began.
The previous record was 6,557 cases on March 21 when Italy became the European epicenter of the pandemic. However, there are more tests, with 152,000 performed in the last day.
Another 43 people died, bringing Italy’s confirmed figure to 36,289, the second highest in Europe after Britain.
Luca Bruno / AP
People wear face masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19 while waiting at a bus stop in Milan, Italy.
Public health officials warn that hospitals are filling up and that Italy’s contact tracing is overwhelmed by the number of new infections. Virologist Andrea Crisanti says the resurgence threatens to create a “vicious cycle” of too many infections to track.
Speaking with RAI TG24 on Wednesday, he suggested that a Christmas lockdown would help stop the chain of transmission and help “reset” the overwhelmed contact tracing system.
Intensive care patients on the rise in Romania
Romania recorded a record number of new coronavirus infections with 4,016 on Wednesday, as the number of patients in intensive care also increased.
Romania, a nation of 19 million, has a total of 164,477 confirmed cases and 5,601 deaths. More than two-thirds of confirmed cases have been reported since the end of July.
The rise in new infections comes as Bucharest authorities are considering a partial reopening of cinemas, theaters and restaurants following the recommendations of the National Center for Infectious Disease Supervision and Control (CNSU).
Romanian authorities ordered the closure of all restaurants, theaters, cinemas, arcades and dance halls in the capital in early October. If the recommendations are approved, cinemas, theaters and restaurants will reopen Thursday with reduced capacity, depending on the number of cases registered in their areas.
City officials have banned larger gatherings, such as weddings and christenings, and can enforce the mandatory use of outdoor masks.
A fight as schools close in the Czech Republic, Northern Ireland
The Czech Republic chose to close schools on Wednesday to reduce a cumulative rate of 521 virus cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 14 days, the highest national level in Europe.
“I apologize to the school principals. I apologize to the parents for the ongoing uncertainty. But it is necessary to do it and to do it quickly, ”said Czech Education Minister Robert Plaga.
Petr David Josek / AP
The Czech Republic is imposing a new series of restrictive measures in response to a record increase in coronavirus infections.
The unpopular measure was necessary to prevent the health system from collapsing, Health Minister Roman Prymula said in Tuesday’s televised address, which was watched by nearly a third of the nation.
Prymula said the number of infected teachers and education employees has skyrocketed since September, reaching 4,500, more than the number of health personnel who are sick from the virus. Students account for 16 percent of infections, more than any other group, he said.
Patients in Czech hospital beds have doubled in two weeks and Interior Minister Jan Hamacek has warned that hospitals could reach their limits by the end of October.
Northern Ireland also focused on education by introducing the strictest Covid-19 restrictions in the UK on Wednesday, closing schools for two weeks and pubs and restaurants for a month.
Brian Lawless / AP
Northern Ireland is introducing the UK’s strictest Covid-19 restrictions.
In the Spanish region of Granada, authorities ordered all university classes to go 100 percent online without touching the night light.
“It saddens me deeply that bars are more important than university education,” said Pilar Aranda, dean of the University of Granada. The country Newspaper. “They leave the bars open and close classrooms, seminars, laboratories and libraries.”
Belgium concerned about the capacity of the UCI
Belgium’s intensive care units will reach capacity in mid-November if contagion is not controlled, according to health authorities.
Belgium is the second worst European country with 429 cases per 100,000 inhabitants for 14 days. All virus indicators have deteriorated in recent weeks, as hospital admissions and virus deaths rise.
Last week, Belgium introduced local curfews and closed bars in Brussels for at least a month.
RNZ
France has declared a state of emergency when a second severe wave of Covid-19 sweeps across Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron has announced night curfews in Paris and eight other major French cities. Italy has recorded 7,332 cases in a single day, its highest daily count.
Increase in infections in Spain, Germany, Switzerland; The Pope remains aloof
Spain became the first country in the European Union to exceed 900,000 cases on Wednesday. Germany surpassed 5,000 new daily cases for the first time since mid-April, while Switzerland reported a new daily record for confirmed coronavirus cases, with young adults hit the hardest.
Pope Francis apologized to worshipers on Wednesday for not being able to greet and shake hands after a spike in infections in Italy and the small state of Vatican City that led to new restrictions.
At 83 years old and with part of a lost lung, the Pope would be at high risk of suffering complications from Covid-19.
Still, he has been reluctant to wear a mask and showed up without one again on Wednesday, despite the fact that many of his entourage and all the Swiss Guards were wearing them.
He told the crowd, “I’d like to come down as usual and come up to you to greet you, but with new recipes, we better keep our distance.”
