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WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: "There is no question that the European region is an epicenter for the disease at the moment" (picture from July 2020)
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POOL New / REUTERS
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Slovakia wants to test almost the entire population for Corona in four days
12.30 a.m.: Over
the next two weekends, the Slovak government wants to test almost the entire population of the country for the
corona virus
.
Prime Minister Igor Matovic announced on Monday evening that the national crisis team had approved the plan after a pilot phase had been successful last weekend.
The founder of the populist-conservative election platform "Ordinary People and Independent People" (Olano) announced the plan just a week ago.
From Friday to Sunday, four areas on the Polish border that were particularly badly affected by the pandemic were tested.
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In the next two phases, all residents over ten years old in the rest of the country are to be subjected to a rapid antigen test within four days, on Saturdays and Sundays.
The fact that the Fridays, which were also initially planned, were canceled, is obviously related to a staff shortage that health experts had warned about.
Health Minister Marek Krajci told journalists that it was easier to find enough helpers on the two days off than on Friday.
On Sunday, Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad, who was responsible for the organization, did not rule out the possibility that the tests of almost five million people would have to be canceled due to a lack of staff.
Matovic expected that the project could set an example for all of Europe.
Chancellor Angela Merkel also showed great interest in talking to him, reported the head of government.
WHO urgently warns against surrender in the fight against coronavirus
12:15 a.m.:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an urgent warning against
stopping
efforts in the fight against the coronavirus.
It is "dangerous" to "give up" on fighting the virus, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Geneva on Monday.
The day before, US President Donald Trump's chief of staff caused a stir with a statement that was considered a surrender to the virus.
Presidential candidate Joe Biden then accused Trump of giving up the fight against the virus.
Tedros admitted that after months of fighting the virus, a certain amount of "pandemic fatigue" had set in.
"But we mustn't give up," he appealed to the international community.
The virus can be contained by acting quickly.
Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows caused a sensation on Sunday with a statement about the health crisis.
"We cannot control the pandemic," Meadows told CNN.
Rather, it is crucial that vaccines and drugs against the virus are used.
So far, more than 225,000 people have died in the USA as a result of corona disease - it is the most severely affected country in the world.
The WHO is also currently concerned about the situation in Europe: "There is no question that the European region is an epicenter for the disease at the moment," said WHO Director for Medical Emergencies, Michael Ryan.
In the past week alone, 46 percent of new corona infections worldwide and almost a third of deaths occurred on the European continent.
The Czech Republic imposes nocturnal curfew
00.10 a.m.:
In view of the dramatically increasing number of corona infections, the Czech government has imposed a night curfew.
From Wednesday, people will no longer be allowed to leave their homes between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., as the outgoing Health Minister Roman Prymula announced after a cabinet meeting.
The previous measures had shown little effect, said the 56-year-old.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, a total of 263,572 corona infections and 2,337 deaths have been registered in the Czech Republic.
Another measure stipulates that shops that are still open, such as supermarkets, have to close on Sundays.
For a week and a half, people have been asked to stay at home if possible.
However, there are numerous exceptions to the exit restrictions, such as the way to work, sports and shopping.
The state of emergency has been in effect in the Czech Republic since the beginning of October.
It enables the government to restrict civil rights.
The Czech Republic with its almost 10.7 million inhabitants is currently particularly badly affected by the corona pandemic.
According to the EU health agency ECDC, 1,284.4 people per 100,000 inhabitants became infected within 14 days.
That was the highest value among all EU member states.
In the same period, 10.2 people per 100,000 people died.
Denmark has more than a thousand new infections for the first time
00:05:
In Denmark, for the first time since the pandemic began, more than a thousand new infections were recorded within one day.
As the Danish health authority announced, 1056 new corona cases were registered within 24 hours.
At the beginning of the week, new restrictions also came into force in Denmark.
Since Monday, alcohol has not been allowed to be sold in Denmark after 10 p.m.
Meetings with more than ten participants are prohibited.
From Thursday, the mask requirement, which has already applied in public transport, bars and restaurants, will be extended to all public spaces.
In total, in Denmark with its 5.8 million inhabitants, more than 41,000 people have so far been infected with the coronavirus, more than 700 of them have died.
Compared to the rest of Europe, Denmark is one of the countries less affected by the corona pandemic.
The country closed its borders last week.
More new admissions in France's clinics than since April
00:01:
In French hospitals, 1307 Covid 19 patients were admitted in just one day.
This is the highest number on a day since April 2, when 1,607 Covid-19 patients were admitted.
A total of 17,784 infected people are currently being treated in French clinics.
This value is well below the previous high on April 14 of 32,292 patients.
On Monday, the Ministry of Health also reported 26,771 confirmed new infections.
That is only a little more than half of the value on Sunday (52,010).
On Monday, however, the numbers are usually always lower because there are sometimes no reports over the weekend.
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