A sharp increase in the number of cases has been observed throughout Europe. “European leaders prepare their countries for ‘difficult and gloomy weeks’, the World Bank allocates billions to vaccinate people in developing countries, and a proposal to reintroduce a curfew is being discussed in Paris. This and other news about the coronavirus situation around the world in our daily roundup.
In some European countries, schools are having unscheduled holidays, many hospitals are canceling scheduled surgeries, and owners of shops, restaurants and cafes, who have already suffered significant financial losses in recent months, are horrified at the thought of a new wave of closures on the eve of winter.
According to Johns Hopkins University, since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, 38.1 million people worldwide have been infected and nearly 1.1 million have died.
The World Bank has approved a $12 billion aid package to provide coronavirus vaccine to developing countries. The money will be used to procure and deliver the vaccines, as well as for direct vaccination, testing and patient monitoring. The World Bank hopes that the amount allocated will be enough to vaccinate approximately one billion people.
A group of scientists from France and Lebanon claim that dogs can detect people with Covid-19 almost 100% of the time by the smell of their sweat. Currently, 20 dogs from the Lebanese special services are being trained for their future work in the arrival hall of Beirut airport. If the experiment proves successful, the scientists will recommend a similar practice to all countries. A similar method was tested in Finland in September, but its effectiveness remains unclear.
In anticipation of the second wave of the epidemic, the Syrian authorities have ordered the establishment of a temporary hospital for the treatment of coronavirus patients in a sports complex in Damascus. The hospital has a capacity of 220 beds, including 120 for patients requiring supplemental oxygen. According to the country’s Ministry of Health, 4,774 people have been infected and 228 have died in Syrian government-controlled areas since March. However, experts believe the real numbers are much higher.
On Wednesday, a three-tiered system of restrictions comes into effect in the United Kingdom. The levels are: medium, high and very high risk. The severity of the measures is determined by the epidemiological situation in different regions of the country. The worst region at the moment is Liverpool, where pubs and bars are being closed if they do not serve hot food. According to the city council, hospital intensive care units are over 90% full.
Liverpool is currently the most infected region in the UK. Later on Wednesday, government officials will discuss the possibility of placing Manchester and surrounding areas, Lancashire and several other counties on the highest threat level. A similar tier system is in place in Scotland. Northern Ireland on Wednesday announced the complete closure of schools, restaurants and pubs as part of a partial lockdown that is currently expected to last a month. The sale of alcohol will also be banned after 8 p.m., as will indoor sporting activities and all close contact except for emergency medical assistance. Throughout the country, the rule of not gathering in groups of more than six people, unless they live together, remains in place.
Classes in Czech schools will continue in an online mode. We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. Episodes The end of the story – promotional podcasts. Czech Health Minister Roman Prymula warned the nation in a televised address that the next few weeks will be difficult and joyless. The country has been placed on partial lockdown, with schools, dormitories and bars closed. In recent days, the Czech Republic has seen a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases.
As of Wednesday evening, cafes and restaurants in the Netherlands will be closed and partial lockdowns will be imposed in several regions. The restrictions are expected to last four weeks, but may be extended, according to the government. The country is experiencing a spike in cases, surpassing the levels seen in the spring of this year. In addition, the Netherlands recently recorded the world’s first death from reinfection with Covid-19, killing an elderly woman.
In Germany, for the first time since April, more than 5,000 people fell ill in a single day, with 43 deaths. Leaders of several countries have decided that residents of the hardest-hit regions should not be allowed to stay in hotels in other parts of the country, and ideally travel outside those regions should also be restricted. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the situation across Europe was a cause for serious concern.
New rules have been introduced at airports in Germany. German airports are introducing mandatory coronavirus testing for passengers arriving from high-risk countries. Previously, such passengers were only required to self-isolate for 14 days. Penalties have been introduced for refusing to provide contact information in bars and restaurants. This information is used in many countries to track contacts of the sick.
French President Emmanuel Macron will make a televised address in the evening in which he will announce new restrictions. Among the possible measures mentioned is the introduction of a curfew in the cities with the worst situation, including Paris, Lyon and Lille.
Many cafes in Paris are closed again. Authorities in Catalonia, in northeastern Spain, are considering closing bars and restaurants until the end of October. The number of patients with severe forms of Covid-19 in the region’s hospitals is rising rapidly. In Bulgaria, 785 cases have been reported in the last 24 hours, with eight deaths. The situation is most serious in Sofia.