More than 6 million coronavirus cases have now been confirmed in Europe

More than 6 million coronavirus cases have now been confirmed in Europe (Photo: Shutterstock)More than 6 million coronavirus cases have now been confirmed in Europe (Photo: Shutterstock)
More than 6 million coronavirus cases have now been confirmed in Europe (Photo: Shutterstock)

More than six million coronavirus cases have now been registered in Europe, according to news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP).

As of 7 October, the continent had seen 6,000,940 infections and 237,716 deaths. Russia has the most number of confirmed cases in the region with 1,248,619 infections. Spain is in second place, with 825,410, France in third with 669,235 cases, and the UK in fourth, with 544,275 confirmed cases.

Fast infection rate

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Last week saw 543,137 new coronavirus cases confirmed in Europe - a pace that was 26 per cent faster than that of the previous week.

The increase in the number of confirmed cases can partly be explained by much more widespread testing taking place in a number of European countries, such as in France where more than one million are now being carried out each week.

New restrictions across Europe

Scotland and Brussels became the latest to introduce curbs on alcohol consumption, with a two week pub closure in Central Scotland, designed as a “short, sharp action to arrest the worrying increase in infection,” First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.

In Brussels, bars and drinking alcohol in public places will be banned until 8 November, the regional government said. An 11pm bar curfew had already been announced for the rest of the country. It is the second time Brussels has imposed such a measure since the outbreak, and comes a day after the same order was imposed for bars and cafes in Paris.

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French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to lay out more detailed restrictions today, in addition to those introduced in Paris and three nearby regions.

Germany reported its infections had increased by 4,058 to 310,144 - the biggest jump seen in the country since April. Bars, restaurants and shops exclusively selling alcohol in Berlin will have to close from 11pm to 6am. This is the first time such a measure has been seen in the city for 70 years.