Paris under curfew as Europe fights rising virus cases

PARIS France – Millions of Europeans faced new coronavirus restrictions on Saturday as governments stepped up efforts to curb the rise in infections after the World Health Organization reported a “very worrying” 44 percent increase in European cases. for a week.

Starting Saturday night, Paris and several other French cities go through a night curfew that will last at least a month. England is banning co-ed family gatherings in the capital and other areas, and Italy’s most populated region is limiting the opening of bars and suspending sporting events.

The need to act in France was underscored, as the country recorded another record of new cases, with more than 32,000 registered in 24 hours.

Global cases of the disease, which has killed more than 1.1 million people worldwide, have skyrocketed beyond the levels seen in the first wave earlier this year, when many countries resorted to national closures. to control the crisis.

In addition to the death toll, the pandemic has caused social and economic havoc around the world.

The United States, which has suffered the worst death toll with more than 218,000 deaths, on Friday revealed a record deficit of $ 3.1 trillion in the fiscal year that ended September 30.

He also announced that the number of cases had exceeded eight million, while global daily infections also reached a new record.

In an attempt to stem the worrying rise in infections and in hopes of preventing a return to full closures, many governments have tightened measures to control the spread of the pandemic, even if some dissidents are fighting in court.

– Curfews, closings, legal battles –
About 20 million people in the Paris region and eight other French cities were facing a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew since Saturday after cases spiked in what has once again become one of the main hot spots in Europe.

Many restaurant owners are unhappy with the blow to their businesses.

“Closing at 9:00 pm will have no effect (on the epidemic),” said Gerard, the manager of a Toulouse restaurant. “They are not attacking him in the right way.”

Britain is the worst affected country in Europe, with more than 43,000 deaths out of almost 700,000 cases.

But as the government increased restrictions, banning indoor gatherings between members of different households in London and several other English cities, there was mounting criticism from some quarters.

Under the new measures, around 28 million people, half of England’s population, are now subject to strict social restrictions.

Some North West England officials have opposed their cities being placed at the highest level of a new three-tier alert system.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has acknowledged that local restriction policies cannot be “painless.”

But the hope is that these measures are enough to avoid another total lockdown.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland closed pubs and restaurants on Friday for a month and extended school holidays.

– Increase in cases, stricter measures –
German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged citizens to stay home whenever possible after 7,830 cases emerged in 24 hours.

“What will determine winter and our Christmas will be decided in the coming weeks” by how people react now, he said in his weekly podcast address.

But on Friday, a Berlin court struck down an order for the early closure of restaurants and bars, the latest legal setback for efforts by Germany’s national and local governments to restrict the transmission of the coronavirus.

In Italy, the wealthy northern Lombardy region hardest hit by the first wave of the virus in February, ordered all bars to close at midnight.

Slovakia announced on Saturday that it would screen everyone 10 and older for the virus, as infections increased there.

“The tests will be free,” Prime Minister Igor Matoviche told reporters in the country of 5.4 million people, without specifying whether it will be mandatory or voluntary.

Poland, the Czech Republic and Belgium have announced a daily record number of cases.

In the Czech Republic, with a record number of registered cases, the government has asked the army to establish a 500-bed field hospital on the outskirts of Prague.

Belgium will impose its own curfew, from midnight to 5:00 am, starting Monday, and will also close cafes and restaurants for four weeks.

And Poland has closed schools and colleges in major cities, while restaurants will have to close from 9:00 pm.

Austria, Slovenia and Hungary have announced an increase in cases: in Slovenia, the mandatory use of masks in public outdoor spaces came into force on Saturday.

The death toll in Iran from the new coronavirus pandemic has passed the 30,000 mark, the Health Ministry announced on Saturday.

By contrast, Israel is preparing to ease some lockdown restrictions since Sunday in the first phase of reduction measures imposed last month to halt rising rates of infection from the new coronavirus.

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Belgian Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes became the latest politicians to test positive for Covid-19. And the Vatican announced that a case had been registered in the residence of Santa Marta, where Pope Francis lives.

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