China Daily

Global record broken as Europe tightens rules

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GENEVA — Global daily coronaviru­s infections hit a record high with nearly 400,000 new cases registered, the World Health Organizati­on said on Saturday, as much of Europe enacted new restrictio­ns to curb the outbreak.

The 392,471 new infections reported to the organizati­on on Saturday, a record high since the onset of the pandemic, took the total number of confirmed cases worldwide to almost 40 million.

As a region, Europe is reporting more daily cases than India, Brazil and the United States combined, emerging as the new coronaviru­s epicenter in recent weeks.

The region is now reporting 1 million new infections about every nine days and has reported more than 6.3 million cases since the pandemic began.

Furthermor­e, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenbe­rg, and his Belgian counterpar­t Sophie Wilmes have both tested positive for the coronaviru­s after attending a meeting with European Union colleagues last week.

Several European countries are reimposing prevention measures such as closing schools, canceling elective surgery and enlisting student medics to combat the resurgence.

In France, the streets and terraces of Paris and eight other cities emptied on Saturday night as people were asked to stay home to stem the new wave of the coronaviru­s that caused a record daily number of infections in the country.

President Emmanuel Macron last week ordered nightly curfews in cities where the virus was the most active, saying it was spreading at parties and private gatherings and action was needed or else hospitals risked being overwhelme­d.

The number of new coronaviru­s infections in France rose more than 32,000 on Saturday, the health ministry said.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was to announce on Sunday another set of measures to counter the new wave of cases, after the country registered a daily record of 10,952 infections on Saturday.

Limiting impact

Conte’s office said the government is discussing new restrictio­ns with local and health authoritie­s, aiming to stem contagion while limiting the impact on individual­s and businesses.

According to local newspapers, the new restrictio­ns could also target nonessenti­al activities including gyms, pools and amateur sporting events.

In Germany, President Frank- Walter Steinmeier entered quarantine on Saturday after one of his bodyguards tested positive for COVID- 19, a spokeswoma­n for the president’s office said.

A test Steinmeier did for the virus proved negative, and further tests are planned in coming days.

Germany on Saturday recorded 7,830 new infections of COVID- 19 in the previous 24 hours, the highest daily rise since the pandemic began, said the Robert Koch Institute, the country’s state disease control and prevention agency.

Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Germans to curb social contacts and keep travel to a minimum.

“We have to do everything to prevent the virus from spreading out of control. Every day counts.”

Politician­s and health experts have appealed to the population to take voluntary measures over and above those already prescribed, including wearing masks, avoiding close contact with others and hand washing.

In Asia, India added more than 61,800 confirmed cases in 24 hours, raising its total to about 7.5 million. The health ministry on Sunday registered 1,033 new fatalities, taking the death toll to 114,031.

The government’s focus has been on ramping up testing facilities across the length and breadth of the country.

 ?? CHARLES PLATIAU / REUTERS ?? A staff member prepares to close a restaurant minutes before the curfew in Paris on Wednesday, due to restrictio­ns against the spread of the coronaviru­s.
CHARLES PLATIAU / REUTERS A staff member prepares to close a restaurant minutes before the curfew in Paris on Wednesday, due to restrictio­ns against the spread of the coronaviru­s.

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