简体中文
TOP HEADLINES
·France's daily COVID-19 death toll has risen by 854 , the highest since 15 April, while the number of people hospitalized for the disease went up by more than 1,000 for the fifth time in nine days. President Emmanuel Macron will meet senior cabinet colleagues later on Wednesday to consider imposing a night-time curfew on Paris.
· A further 397 people have died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19, the highest daily increase since 27 May. It brings the country's toll to 47,250.
· The UK government is to vote on Prime Minister Boris Johnson's proposed second lockdown in England later today. **If approved, the strict new measures ** – enforcing the closure of pubs, restaurants, gyms and non-essential shops – will come into force from midnight .
· The Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte has ordered extra lockdown measures and said the government is also considering curfews and school closures. The new measures include a ban on public meetings of more than two people not in the same family and the closure of theaters, cinemas and other entertainment venues.
· The COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford could present late-stage trial results before the year's end. Andrew Pollard , the chief trial investigator for the vaccine, said "there is a small chance" the vaccine would be ready by Christmas.
· Russia has recorded a daily high of 19,768 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, including 5,826 in Moscow. The country also reported a record 389 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing total fatalities to 29,217.
· Poland will announce more restrictions on Wednesday to slow the virus's spread. The country – which reported a record 24,692 new coronavirus infections and 373 deaths on Wednesday, with 18,654 hospital beds out of 27,143 occupied by COVID-19 patients – has already closed bars and restaurants, limited operations of swimming pools and asked the elderly to stay at home.
· **Hungary will close bars and entertainment venues and impose a midnight curfew **to curb a fast spread of coronavirus infections. From Monday, those violating rules on wearing face masks risk stiff fines, with offending restaurants and shops to be closed by authorities if necessary.
· A further 17,214 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Germany in the past 24 hours , according to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases. Meanwhile, state officials are scouting exhibition halls and airport terminals to use as 60 potential mass vaccination centers, once the first coronavirus shot gains European approval.
· **Sweden has introduced its "rule of eight" – the maximum number of people sitting together in cafes and restaurants – **amid a sharp rise in infections. The country, which has more relaxed restrictions than many European nations, has reported 31 COVID-19 deaths since Friday, taking its death toll to 5,969 – far higher than its Scandinavian neighbors Finland, Norway and Denmark.
French President Emmanuel Macron will meet leaders today to discuss additional lockdown measures for Paris as cases and deaths rise. /Thibault Camus/AP Photo
CLICK: HOW AUSTRIA'S CAPITAL FACED UP TO TERROR - PICTURES AND VIDEO
ACROSS EUROPE
Guy Henderson in the UK
The UK's weekly average of deaths linked to coronavirus has risen by 46 percent, according to the latest figures released on Tuesday by the Office for National Statistics. More than 20,000 new cases were registered on Tuesday.
England heads back into lockdown from a minute after midnight to try to bring the infection rate back under control. In contrast to the spring restrictions, though, the government will keep more businesses open and will not place a time limit on outdoor exercise.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a parliamentary vote on the latest measures on Wednesday. Opposition parties are expected to back Johnson, meaning there's little to no chance of defeat. We wait to see how many of his own Conservative MPs will rebel, though, potentially asking questions of his authority within his own party.
Lockdown critics say there's no clear exit plan. Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, insists the month-long shutdown could bring the infection rate down sufficiently for a gradual reopening on December 2. Dido Harding, the head of the National Health Service's much-criticized Test-and-Trace program, said people must follow the rules for them to work.
Trent Murray in Frankfurt
The Robert Koch Institute has recorded 17,214 new COVID-19 cases in Germany. It brings the country's total to 577,593 since the start of the pandemic earlier this year. The reproduction, or R, rate in Germany has dropped to 0.94, from 1.07 on Monday. However, 89 percent of districts are now considered virus hotspots. German health authorities define a hotspot as having 50 new cases per 100,000 people.
The latest figures come as Chancellor Angela Merkel has met with members of her cabinet in Berlin. The partial lockdown, which came into force on Monday, was one of the main agenda items discussed with senior lawmakers as they prepare to review the effectiveness of the measures early next week.
The vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford could show late-stage trial results by the end of 2020. /Luca Bruno/AP Photo
Mark Webster in Budapest
The Hungarian government has announced its latest round of pandemic restrictions after a two-day cabinet meeting. The measures were less harsh than some had predicted, as the government hopes to contain the recent rapid rise in new infections.
Effective immediately, there will be a curfew from midnight to 5 a.m.: theaters, cinemas, cultural and sports venues will only be able to use every third seat and mask wearing will be compulsory. Nightclubs are to close and public transport will run more frequently at rush hours to avoid overcrowding.
The government has said it does not want to hurt the country's economy, so all shops, schools and food outlets will remain open for now.
Ross Cullen in Paris
France registered more new deaths on November 3 than at any point since April, a worrying trend that underlines the health secretary's remarks that the current tension in the hospital system is "very strong."
Olivier Veran said the "pressure on the health system is increasing" and sounded a note of caution over families' hopes for Yuletide dinners, saying that "coronavirus won't just stop in time for Christmas."
There were 426 COVID-19 fatalities in hospital in the past 24 hours and another 428 in nursing homes, the latter figures backdated to October 30. France is approaching the mark of 40,000 deaths from the pandemic.
There are currently 26,265 people being treated in hospital for the disease, with 1,122 new admissions in the past 24 hours. The government's special "health defense council" meets again on Wednesday, being chaired by President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace. It is believed that a curfew could be reimposed in places such as Paris, which would mean that essential shops that are allowed to be open during lockdown, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, would have to close by 9 p.m. and remain shut until 6 a.m. the next day.
Coronavirus won't just stop in time for Christmas
- Olivier Veran, France's health secretary
Toni Waterman in Brussels
There is a glimmer of hope that Belgium may have turned a corner in its battle against an uncontrolled resurgence in coronavirus cases. For the first time in months, the average number of new daily infections dipped slightly, falling 4 percent to an average of 14,235 a day last week, compared with the previous seven days. But the number of hospitalizations and deaths continues to rise. The country averaged 136 deaths a day in the past week, up 75 percent from the week before.
But even if the numbers are brought under control in the coming weeks, a normal Christmas is off the table. The City of Brussels has officially canceled its "Winter Wonders" event, normally a major draw for domestic and international tourists.
FROM OUR GLOBAL COLLEAGUES
**CGTN Europe: **
Mass funeral for Montenegro's cleric could cause steep rise in new COVID-19 infections
**CGTN China: **
Chinese mainland reports 17 new COVID-19 cases, 15 from abroad
**CGTN America: **
Over 850,000 children in U.S. test positive for COVID-19
**CGTN Africa: **
653 health workers infected with COVID-19 in Zimbabwe
Sign up
here
to get the COVID-19 Europe bulletin sent directly to your inbox
CGTN Europe has been providing in-depth coverage of the novel coronavirus story as it has unfolded.
Here
you can read the essential information about the crisis.
Source(s): AFP ,Reuters ,AP
