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Europe braces for second wave of coronavirus Europe braces for second wave of coronavirus
(about 2 hours later)
Outbreaks in Spain, France and Belgium raise prospect of a return to lockdown Belgium raises prospect of ‘complete lockdown’ as Spain and France report spikes in infection rate
Europe is bracing for a second wave of coronavirus as continuing outbreaks raise the prospect of reimposed restrictions at a time when millions of people are travelling across the continent for their summer holidays.Europe is bracing for a second wave of coronavirus as continuing outbreaks raise the prospect of reimposed restrictions at a time when millions of people are travelling across the continent for their summer holidays.
The Spanish region of Catalonia may have to reintroduce lockdown measures if outbreaks there are not brought under control within 10 days, while France has called on its young people to be more vigilant after a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in young people. The Belgian government has warned that country could be put into a second “complete lockdown” following a significant spike in infections, while the Spanish region of Catalonia may also have to reintroduce lockdown measures if outbreaks are not brought under control within 10 days.
Last week, Spanish health authorities acknowledged that the country may already be experiencing a second wave of infections following the lifting of the strict, three-month lockdown at the end of June. In France, the health minister has called for greater vigilance after a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in young people, and Germany’s public health advisory body has said it is “deeply concerned” about the rise in cases over the past few weeks.
On Monday, the regional president of Catalonia – one of the areas hardest hit by the virus’s resurgence – said the situation was similar to that before the national lockdown was introduced in March. On Monday, Belgium’s prime minister, Sophie Wilmès, announced a series of further restrictive measures but said a second lockdown may be inevitable.
“If we cannot reduce the coronavirus, it will be a collective failure,” Wilmès said at a press conference following a meeting of the country’s national security council.
“Experts say it is possible to avoid another lockdown. But it must be remembered that the world’s leading scientists are incapable of knowing how the situation will develop. We must not frighten people, but neither should we abuse them by pretending to know everything.”
There was a 71% increase in the seven-day average number of infections in Belgium between 17 July and 23 July in Belgium, up from 163 new cases a day to 279. At the height of the pandemic in April, Belgium had more than 1,000 cases a day.
The prime minister said the start of the school year could be undermined without a drastic intervention and said she “very strongly recommended” the return of home working for those who are able to do so. For four weeks from Wednesday, each household may only have social contact with a further five people.
People must go shopping alone and they will need to restrict themselves to 30 minutes in a shop.
Group outings will be limited to 10 people, except for children of 12 and older. The city of Antwerp will also take extra measures in an attempt to reduce the spread of the disease following a 500% week-on-week rise in infections.
On Monday, the regional president of Catalonia – one of the areas of Spain hardest hit by the virus’s resurgence – said the situation was similar to that before the national lockdown was introduced in March.
“We’re in the 10 most important days of the summer and during that time, we’ll see whether we’re capable of sorting out the situation through solidarity, cooperation and a collective effort,” said Quim Torra.“We’re in the 10 most important days of the summer and during that time, we’ll see whether we’re capable of sorting out the situation through solidarity, cooperation and a collective effort,” said Quim Torra.
“But the situation is critical and if we don’t manage to, then we will have to go backwards.”“But the situation is critical and if we don’t manage to, then we will have to go backwards.”
Nearly 8,000 cases have been diagnosed in Catalonia over the past 14 days – accounting for almost half of the 16,410 detected across Spain. In the neighbouring region of Aragón, where there has also been a rise in infections, 738 new cases were recorded on Friday and Saturday.Nearly 8,000 cases have been diagnosed in Catalonia over the past 14 days – accounting for almost half of the 16,410 detected across Spain. In the neighbouring region of Aragón, where there has also been a rise in infections, 738 new cases were recorded on Friday and Saturday.
Many outbreaks have originated in bars and clubs, but other clusters have been traced to seasonal fruit and vegetable pickers, whose poor living and working conditions often make social distancing difficult.Many outbreaks have originated in bars and clubs, but other clusters have been traced to seasonal fruit and vegetable pickers, whose poor living and working conditions often make social distancing difficult.
On Friday, the Spanish health ministry reported 922 new Covid cases, down from 971 the previous day. When the pandemic was at its peak on 31 March, Spain had 9,222 new infections in a single day.María José Sierra, the deputy head of Spain’s centre for health emergencies, noted last week that the incidence of the virus had tripled in just two weeks, from 8.76 cases per 100,000 people on 3 July to 27.39 per 100,000. Last week, Spanish health authorities acknowledged the country may already be experiencing a second wave of infections following the lifting of the strict, three-month lockdown at the end of June.
On Friday, the Catalan government ordered all nightclubs to close for a fortnight and placed a midnight curfew on bars in and around Barcelona and Lleida, both of which have reported a rise in the number of new cases. It has also advised people in Barcelona to stay at home, but the advice has been ignored as many people flock to beaches. On Friday, the Spanish health ministry reported 922 new Covid cases, down from 971 the previous day. When the pandemic was at its peak on 31 March, Spain had 9,222 new infections in a single day.
Faced with the closures and curfews, some young people have taken to holding botellónes, or drinking parties, in the streets. The Catalan government has ordered all nightclubs to close for a fortnight and placed a midnight curfew on bars in and around Barcelona and Lleida, both of which have reported a rise in the number of new cases. It has also advised people in Barcelona to stay at home, but the advice has been ignored as many people flock to beaches.
Torra called for an end to such behaviour, saying: “Today, a botellón isn’t a party; it shows a lack of solidarity.” Faced with the closures and curfews, some young people have taken to holding botellones, or drinking parties, in the streets. Torra called for an end to such behaviour, saying: “Today, a botellón isn’t a party; it shows a lack of solidarity.”
The message was echoed by the French health minister, who urged youngsters to be vigilant and maintain coronavirus safety measures including keeping their distance, washing hands and wearing masks.The message was echoed by the French health minister, who urged youngsters to be vigilant and maintain coronavirus safety measures including keeping their distance, washing hands and wearing masks.
“When we carry out mass testing we are seeing a lot of young patients … more youngsters than during the previous wave,” Olivier Véran said at the weekend.“When we carry out mass testing we are seeing a lot of young patients … more youngsters than during the previous wave,” Olivier Véran said at the weekend.
“This is particularly the case in the Île-de-France (Paris) region where we are seeing young people who are infected without knowing how it happened. Clearly, older people are still being very careful, while young people are paying less attention.” “This is particularly the case in the Île-de-France [Paris] region where we are seeing young people who are infected without knowing how it happened. Clearly, older people are still being very careful, while young people are paying less attention.”
Jérôme Marty, the president of a French GPs’ union, said the summer holidays would be a crucial point in the coronavirus crisis. Jérôme Marty, the president of a French GPs’ union, said the summer holidays would be a crucial point in the coronavirus crisis. “There’s everything at risk in the next three weeks because we’re entering the dangerous period,” he told Europe 1 radio.
“There’s everything at risk in the next three weeks because we’re entering the dangerous period,” he told Europe 1 radio.
“This is the time when there’s the most movement and concentration of population. There are areas where there are normally 10,000 inhabitants and suddenly there are 60,000 or 80,000. From one day to the next it can tip to a corresponding rise in the number of hospital admissions.”“This is the time when there’s the most movement and concentration of population. There are areas where there are normally 10,000 inhabitants and suddenly there are 60,000 or 80,000. From one day to the next it can tip to a corresponding rise in the number of hospital admissions.”
In Quiberon, in Brittany, where there has been a rise in coronavirus cases, the local authority closed the beaches from 9pm to 7am after 54 young people were diagnosed with Covid-19. Fear is growing in Germany of a second coronavirus wave, with some experts saying the country is on the cusp of it, others saying it has already begun, and some referring to a “permanent wave” that will last until a vaccine arrives.
Officials have warned more bars and beaches will be shut if the number of cases continues to rise. Outbreaks in urban areas and among holidaymakers and abattoir and harvest workers have demonstrated how quickly the virus can flare up, placing whole regions at risk of being put under lockdown conditions once again.
Meanwhile, Belgium’s government is expected to tighten restrictions designed to reduce the spread of Covid-19 after a sharp increase in the national number of infections and a 500% week-on-week rise in the city of Antwerp. The country’s public health advisory body, the Robert Koch Institute, has said it is “deeply concerned” about the rise in cases over recent weeks. The new number of new cases climbed past 800 on Friday after several weeks of hovering between 300 and 400. At the pandemic’s height, Germany saw over 6,000 cases a day.
The country’s national security council (NSC) led by the prime minister, Sophie Wilmès, will meet on Monday afternoon to decide whether to to enact local lockdowns and reduce the permitted size of “social bubbles” in the face of a second wave of the disease. The health minister, Jens Spahn, has warned that partying holidaymakers on Mallorca or Ibiza are in danger of forgetting rules such as physical distancing and hand-washing, contributing to the threat of a second wave. He announced he is planning to introduce obligatory testing for travellers returning from areas considered high risk because of their level of coronavirus cases.
Marc Van Ranst, a member of Belgium’s coronavirus advisory committee, said the meeting was “the most important … to be held since March”, when the national lockdown was imposed. Michael Kretschmar, the leader of the eastern state of Saxony, has said he believes “the second coronavirus wave is already there”, telling the Rheinischen Post: “On a daily basis we’re dealing with new infection herds which can quickly produce very high numbers.”
“We are acting earlier than during the first wave; we also want to stop [a new wave] earlier,” Van Ranst said. But Gerd Antes, a medical statistician in the southern city of Freiburg, said the concept of the “second wave” created a false impression and that it was more likely the virus would continue to rise and ebb. The challenge, he added, was be to extinguish the “hot spots” or risk seeing them grow into one large wildfire.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, an EU health agency, an increase in the 14-day period notification rate has been observed in Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain and the UK.
Germany has about 6,100 active cases of the virus. The government’s disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), has expressed its concern in recent days that the number of cases was growing.
Over the weekend, 500 people were placed under quarantine in Mamming, eastern Bavaria, after 170 harvest workers on a vegetable plantation were tested positive for coronavirus.
In neighbouring Austria, at the Wolfgangsee, a popular lakeside resort frequented by German tourists, authorities were tackling an outbreak of 53 cases thought to have been spread by young hotel staff, who were reportedly living in close quarters. Seven hotels, a pizzeria and two bars in St Wolfgang, the main town, were affected and have had to close.