New lockdowns, travel advisories and increased restrictions. In several European countries, the spread of Covid-19 appears to have picked up speed.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is expressing concern about the increasing spread of the infection in Europe - an increase that is believed to be due to reduced requirements for social distancing in several countries.
”If the situation warrants, a reintroduction of stricter, targeted interventions with the full participation of communities may be necessary,” a WHO spokesperson recently told AFP.
In total, Europe accounts for about a fifth of the world's nearly 17 million confirmed cases.
Here are some European countries where infection rates are increasing – and where governments have responded with new measures.
Spain
In recent weeks, the spread of the virus in Spain has picked up again. In Madrid, infection rates have risen by 413 percent in one week, the newspaper reports. El País. Starting Thursday, gatherings of more than ten people are discouraged in the capital, including in cafes and restaurants.
However, Madrid's regional leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso states that they want to avoid a strict lockdown and that the strategy "is not to go backwards.".
Most of the country's regions have now introduced new rules about wearing face masks, several areas have been closed to travel in and out, and people are once again being urged to stay at home to avoid the spread of infection.
In Barcelona, for example, nightclubs, cinemas, theatres and gyms have been ordered to close. Restaurants and bars are allowed to remain open, but with a limited number of guests allowed.
The cities worst affected by the new wave are Barcelona, Zaragoza and Lleida, while the Balearic and Canary Islands appear to have the situation under control.
Germany
Concern is rising in Germany after a rapid increase in virus cases. Over 550 new cases have been registered daily in Germany in the past week, compared to around 350 at the beginning of June.
German citizens are now being urged to keep their distance and wear face masks in public spaces. This applies both indoors and outdoors, unless it is possible to maintain the recommended distance of 1.5 meters.
”The increase has to do with the fact that we have become careless,” said Lothar Wieler at the Robert Koch Institute during a press conference on Tuesday.
Workplaces and outdoor gatherings are being blamed for the increase in infections in recent weeks, as well as Germans returning home from holiday trips. The country's citizens are now advised against traveling to the Spanish regions of Catalonia, Aragon and Navarre.
Starting next week, travelers from so-called high-risk countries must test themselves for the virus upon arrival in Germany, reports the Reuters news agency.
Belgium
Belgium, which has one of the world's highest per capita COVID-19 death rates, has slowed its reopening of society after a sharp increase in virus cases. In the past week, daily cases have risen to 279, compared with around 80 in early July.
On Monday, Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès announced that the previous social gathering rules of a maximum of 15 people will be reduced to five people from now on and for the next four weeks. Belgians are only allowed to shop with one person at a time and are also being urged to work from home as much as possible.
”"We are acting today, once again, to keep the situation under control and prevent a general lockdown," Wilmès said at a press conference this week, according to the Reuters news agency.
According to the prime minister, those who are now contracting the virus appear to be more contagious than those who fell ill earlier in the spring. The port city of Antwerp has been particularly hard hit, where authorities have now imposed nighttime curfews, stricter rules for bars and restaurants and encouraged people to work from home.
UK
Some areas of the UK have seen a sharp increase in virus cases in the past week, according to the NHS, with Manchester, Oldham, Leicester and the borough of Blackburn with Darwen among the worst affected.
The country has also been embroiled in a storm over recently introduced quarantine rules for Britons returning home from so-called high-risk countries. This weekend, the announcement came that British travelers to Spain must isolate themselves for 14 days after returning home, which created confusion among airlines and travel companies and was met with sharp criticism from Spain.
”"We cannot risk importing the virus from other countries where infections are rising," Culture Minister Oliver Dowden told BBC Radio.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that the country will continue with similar measures during the summer when deemed necessary, according to BBC.
France
After a calmer period, France on Tuesday recorded twice as many deaths as last week's average, with local outbreaks reported, including from the resort town of Quiberon in Brittany on the country's west coast.
Health Minister Olivier Véran states that the fight is far from over, but that a new total lockdown like the one imposed on March 17 is not desirable.
”"We are not in a second wave - the epidemic continues. Some do not respect the rules. We must not lower our guard," he tells the French television channel LCI.
”"We do not want to impose a new lockdown but are reviewing the situation on a case-by-case basis."”
France is also urging European governments to avoid closing border crossings ”as much as possible,” Reuters reports. However, travelers from 16 countries will have to be tested upon arrival in the country, according to Prime Minister Jean Castex, who is also advising against travel to the Spanish region of Catalonia.
Austria
Austria is also reporting an increase in COVID-19 cases. Residents of the tourist resort of Sankt Wolfgang are now being urged to stay home after 44 people tested positive for the virus.
Crowds at bars are being blamed for the increased spread of the virus. Bars and nightclubs must now close by 11 p.m.
Last week, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that face masks are once again mandatory when visiting grocery stores, post offices and banks.
Romania
Romania has registered more than 1,000 new cases of the virus a day in the past week. The increase comes after the government relaxed previous requirements for hospitalisation for infected people. In early July, the country's constitutional court ruled that the procedure was illegal, leading to almost 1,000 patients being discharged against medical advice and another nearly 4,000 never receiving treatment.
Authorities are now planning to introduce requirements for face masks in outdoor gatherings and to force bars to close by 11 p.m., Reuters reports. Several smaller towns and villages have been isolated.
According to government officials, large parts of Romanians have not followed hygiene and social distancing regulations and have defied the requirements for face masks on public transport.
Source: TT
