why the epidemic is skyrocketing in several countries

Covid-19, the never-ending epidemic? For nearly six consecutive weeks, the indicators have started to rise again in Europe, with 250,000 new cases and 3,600 deaths recorded every day, according to official data by country compiled by AFP on Thursday, November 4. If the situation is particularly dramatic in Eastern countries, the epidemic rebound is also worrying in the West, with a sharp rise in cases in Germany and the Netherlands. Only the south of Europe (Spain, Italy, Malta, France …) seems for the moment more preserved.

The World Health Organization (WHO) was also alarmed on Thursday at the rate “very worrying” transmission of Covid-19 currently observed in Europe, which could lead to half a million additional deaths on the continent by February. “We are, again, at the epicenter”, lamented the director of WHO Europe, Hans Kluge. Review of several particularly affected countries, and the factors that may have contributed to this new epidemic rebound.

In the UK, increasing pressure on hospitals

What is the situation ? The United Kingdom still records around 40,000 contaminations daily. Admittedly, this figure is down from the peak of 50,000 cases recorded for the day of October 21 alone, but the country still sees the pressure on its hospitals increase, with a thousand hospitalizations per day. In total, nearly 9,000 patients with Covid-19 are currently hospitalized.

What are the possible explanations? The British government’s decision to end the wearing of masks in mid-July in closed places and to lift most of the anti-Covid restrictions has often been singled out, even though specialists report that the causes of a rebound epidemics are often multiple and complex. “Although it is not easy to attribute the totality of the deterioration of their situation to the sole lifting of the wearing of the mask, it is likely that it played a role”, underlines the epidemiologist and professor of public health in Geneva Antoine Flahault, interviewed by AFP.

In Germany, a sharp rise in cases

Qhat is the situation? Germany has seen Covid-19 cases skyrocket since the end of the fall break. She beat her record for daily infections on Thursday, dating from December 2020, with 33,949 new infections in 24 hours. In Germany, 19,702 daily cases have been recorded on average over the last seven days, a number that had not been reached since the end of April.

What are the possible explanations? The lack of vaccination of part of the population and the relaxation of barrier gestures are incriminated. According to the latest figures from the Robert-Koch Institute (RKI), 55.6 million Germans have received two doses of the vaccine, or 66.8% of the population, against 75% of the French. “We are currently experiencing a pandemic mainly unvaccinated and it is massive”, assaulted the Minister of Health on Wednesday Jens Spahn, by pointing out that intensive care beds were again starting to run out. “The fourth wave of the pandemic is developing, unfortunately, as we feared because the number of vaccinated is not sufficient”, added RKI President Lothar Wieler. He also regretted that the rules of access to public places, restaurants or theaters are not always sufficiently applied..

In the Netherlands, a spectacular increase

What is the situation ? The rise in cases is also spectacular in the Netherlands. In the last week of October, they recorded an average of 7,711 new cases per day, a figure up 39% from the previous week, according to health authorities. “It will not surprise anyone that we have a difficult message tonight. The number of infections and hospital admissions is increasing rapidly,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Tuesday when announcing the reinstatement of health restrictions.

Wearing a mask has become compulsory again in closed public establishments such as shops. The government has also reintroduced the 1.50 meter social distancing rule and the extension of the obligation to present the health pass at places such as museums and restaurant terraces. The Prime Minister also advises his fellow citizens to favor teleworking and to avoid using transport during rush hour.

What are the possible explanations? The relaxation of the health protocol, leading to the abandonment of the wearing of masks and barrier gestures, is seen as one of the main factors of the epidemic rebound in the Netherlands. Because vaccination coverage is extensive there: nearly 84% of all people aged 18 and over are fully vaccinated.

In Belgium, an outbreak of

What is the situation ? Ebetween October 25th and 31st, 7 758 new coronavirus infections were detected on average every day, an increase of 36% compared to the previous week, reports RTBF. Belgian public television also reported on Wednesday that “236 Covid patient admissions” were registered within 24 hours in Belgium, i.e. a “a figure that had not been known since April, at the time of what was called the third wave”. According to her, “all the indicators remain in an upward trend, even if in the case of contaminations, this increase seems to be slowing down slowly”.

What are the possible explanations? THEHis suspicions relate above all to the absence of barrier gestures and the wearing of a mask. Faced with the exponential increase in new cases, the Belgian consultation committee, which brings together federal, regional and community ministers, has also introduced the return of the wearing of masks in indoor places open to the public as well as the generalization of the health pass. Belgian (Covid Safe Ticket), details France 3 Hauts de France. More than 74% of the Belgian population is vaccinated, according to data from Our World in Data.

In Greece, a new wave

What is the situation ? Greece recorded 6,700 cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours on Tuesday, a record for a day since the onset of the pandemic in February 2020. Faced with this increase, the government announced the strengthening of measures for the unvaccinated, who must now present negative PCR or antigen tests in public administrations, banks or stores. However, access remains free to supermarkets, pharmacies and churches, according to the Ministry of Health.

What are the possible explanations? It is first of all the non-vaccination in a part of the country that poses a problem. The epidemic outbreak is picking up again in the north of Greece, owhere a third of the population lives. Yet less than half of the 3.1 million inhabitants of this region have been fully immunized, well below the national average at 63%. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called again on Wednesday“skeptics about getting vaccinated to reduce pressure on hospitals.” In the North, intensive care is nearing maximum capacity and a growing number of unvaccinated patients refuse to be intubated there.

Second reason put forward: the wearing of a mask is not respected everywhere in closed places, and in particular in religious places, while part of the powerful Orthodox Church continues to defy measures against Covid-19. Public television ERT thus reported that monks asked pilgrims to remove their masks before entering their monasteries. But the Conservative government exempted churches from the new health measures put in place on Wednesday with the upsurge in cases. For the Minister of Health, Thanos Plevris, “going to a place of worship is not the same as going to a tavern or buying shoes”.

In the Czech Republic, Hungary and Eastern Europe, an alarming situation

What is the situation ? The last week of October was marked by the very strong acceleration of the pandemic in eastern Europe: in the Czech Republic (+ 101%, with 4,100 daily contaminations), in Hungary (+ 92%, with 2,600 contaminations per day), in Poland (+ 70%, with 6,100 contaminations per day), in Croatia (+65 %, 3,100 daily cases) or in Slovakia (+ 63%, 3,400), according to AFP. The Baltic countries are also strongly affected, to the point that Latvia, with a daily rate of contamination of more than a thousand, declared a three-month state of health emergency on Monday due to the resurgence of Covid-19 infections at levels record. According to the new rules, the mask becomes compulsory in all buildings open to the public, and any employee in the public domain must be vaccinated by November 15. All Latvians are encouraged to telecommute whenever possible.

What are the possible explanations? The low vaccination rate seems to explain this catastrophic situation. As an example, sonly 48% of Latvians are fully vaccinated, which is one of the worst vaccination rates in the European Union after Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia.