After months of decline, the epidemic is regaining ground in Europe.
Germany seems particularly affected: the health authorities recorded a record number of new Covid-19 infections in the country on Thursday, with 33,949 additional cases in 24 hours.
The previous record was reached on December 18, 2020, with 33,777 new infections, according to the Robert Koch health watch institute.
In total, more than 4.6 million people have been infected since the start of the epidemic by the virus in Germany, hit by a fourth "massive" wave affecting mainly the unvaccinated, according to the government of Angela Merkel.
The country has recorded an average of 19,702 daily cases over the last 7 days, a number that had not been reached ... since the end of April.
The all-time high for seven-day average daily cases stands at 25,524, during the week of December 16-22, 2020.
Die Zahl der dem RKI gemeldeten # Corona-Fälle in 🇩🇪lag gestern bei 33.949.
➡️ höchster Tageswert seit Pandemiebeginn:
➡️ höher als Spitzenwert in der 3. Welle (29.518 am 22. April)
➡️ höher auch als der bisherige Rekord vom 18. Dezember, als 33.777 Fälle erreicht wurden @ welt pic.twitter.com/c330tb6D
- Olaf Gersemann (@OlafGersemann) November 4, 2021
Some 165 new deaths in 24 hours were also recorded on Thursday by the institute, bringing the total number of Covid deaths in Germany to 96,192. Thus, the country's incidence rate reached 154.5 on Thursday, with peaks in the Länder of the former GDR such as Saxony (336.4) or Thuringia (357.4).
Towards new restrictions in Germany?
"The situation is serious", commented on the public channel ZDF Helge Braun, right-hand man of Angela Merkel in the chancellery.
"We are already seeing a massive load (in hospitals) in Thuringia and Saxony", two particularly affected regions.
"The important thing is that the citizens understand that winter will unfortunately be problematic again", added this trained doctor, calling on the Germans to "be careful".
Health ministers from the German federal government and regions are meeting Thursday and Friday in Lindau and may decide on further restrictive measures.
Health Minister Jens Spahn called on all regions to toughen the rules for the unvaccinated by denying them access to certain public places or by requiring an expensive PCR test.
A "very worrying" rate of transmission
This resumption of the epidemic in Germany worries beyond its borders.
The World Health Organization was alarmed on Thursday at the "very worrying" rate of transmission of Covid-19 in Europe.
A circulation that could lead to half a million additional deaths on the continent by February, estimates the organization.
"We are, again, at the epicenter," lamented WHO Europe director Hans Kluge during an online press conference.
"The current rate of transmission in the 53 countries of the European region is very worrying (...) if we stay on this trajectory, we could see another half a million deaths from Covid-19 in the region by February" , he said.
In France, the circulation of the virus has increased, prompting the authorities to reinstate the mask at school in 39 departments.
The latest report in France shows 10,050 contaminations in 24 hours, a high total compared to those of the last days.
