Like what the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over in the world, many countries, especially in Europe, are facing an upsurge in cases as health measures fall. Here are 6 places where the virus is experiencing an outbreak:
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UK
After a strong wave at the end of December, anti-COVID restrictions have all been lifted in recent weeks in England, including the obligation to self-isolate. They have been considerably reduced in other nations, but wearing a mask indoors remains compulsory in Scotland and Wales.
But since early March, the number of cases has started to rise again in the country, approaching 100,000 a day, particularly in Scotland, where the number of hospitalized patients (2,221) broke a record on Tuesday for the second day in a row.
In Scotland, one in 14 people were infected in the week ending March 12, while in England, one in 20 people had COVID in the same period, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Friday.
Scottish Health Minister Humza Yousaf told the BBC on Wednesday that the situation could stabilize in Scotland after one of the “toughest” weeks for the health system since the start of the pandemic.
Greece
Greece is also not immune to a new outbreak of the coronavirus when 21,996 new infections are recorded on average each day. Since the start of the pandemic, 2,838,891 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country. The virus claimed 27,029 victims. According to local media, the country is currently considering the idea of eliminating the essential sanitary measures in place by the Easter holiday.
France
In France, as elsewhere in Europe, the fifth wave of COVID-19 does not end: what is now worrying are hospitalizations, which are no longer falling, reviving criticism of a premature lifting of measures by the government.
Did the French drop the mask too soon? For several weeks, the average number of positive COVID cases, calculated over one week, has continued to increase: the daily average stood at 89,002 on Sunday against 65,251 a week earlier.
A rise which is also illustrated in schools: 3,184 classes were closed on Friday in France, against 2,693 a week before.
More worrying, “for two days, the number of hospitalizations has not been falling,” noted the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, on Monday.
Italy
While the state of health emergency is due to end on March 31, Italy is experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases. On average, the country reported 70,326 new infections every day. The country also began a gradual deconfinement last week. Most of the health measures should be lifted by May 1, according to Italian media.
Germany
Since the start of the new year, COVID-19 has been on the rise again in Germany. The country hit a record number of new cases on March 17, when nearly 300,000 new infections were reported in 24 hours. Despite everything, Berlin is moving forward with the lifting of all the health restrictions in place. As of March 22, the average number of new cases over the past 7 days was 189,402 infections.
China
Chinese authorities on Tuesday decreed the confinement of a city of 9 million people, as China faces its worst epidemic outbreak since 2020, putting a strain on its zero COVID strategy.
The industrial city of Shenyang (northeast) now confines its inhabitants to their residences and has launched a new general screening of the population.
The city is the capital of Liaoning province, bordering that of Jilin, which is by far the epicenter of the current epidemic wave, due to the Omicron variant.
China’s Health Ministry announced 4,770 new positive cases nationwide on Tuesday. Very low figures in comparison with other countries in the world, but high for China and its zero COVID strategy.
In Shanghai, where the number of new positive cases is nevertheless several hundred per day, the authorities are thus opting for very targeted confinements of buildings, instead of a general confinement of the whole city.
In Jilin, the worst-hit province, authorities said on Monday that 10,000 doses of Pfizer’s anti-COVID drug had arrived. This is believed to be the first time Paxlovid has been used in China.
Since last week, the province has imposed travel restrictions. The inhabitants cannot leave their commune and several cities confine the population to their homes.
– With Agence France-Presse and Reuters