Original title: European epidemic has not improved
Europe has recently become the “epicenter” of the global new crown epidemic again. Germany, the United Kingdom and other countries have a high number of new confirmed cases of new crowns in a single day; Austria has “closed the city” on the 22nd, becoming the first country in Western Europe to “close the city” again; some protests against epidemic prevention measures in the Netherlands and Belgium have evolved To increase the difficulty of epidemic prevention and control for riots.
According to data released by the Robert Koch Institute, a German disease control agency, on the 21st, the 7-day infection rate in Germany reached a record high, with 372.7 new confirmed cases per 100,000 people, a significant increase from the 289 cases a week ago.
Germany reported on the 21st that there were 42727 new confirmed cases in a single day, which was also significantly higher than the 33498 cases a week ago; the cumulative number of confirmed cases exceeded 5.35 million; there were 75 new deaths in a single day, 20 more than a week ago; cumulative deaths 99062 people. The hospitalization rate of COVID-19 patients increased slightly, with 5.34 hospitalizations per 100,000 people in the past week. The highest hospitalization rate for the new crown in Germany occurred during the Christmas holiday last year, at 15.5 per 100,000 people.
The UK reported 4,004 new confirmed cases on the 21st, and a total of 287,205 confirmed cases in the last 7 days, an increase of 9.4% over the previous week.
Austria has “closed the city” nationwide starting on the 22nd and is not allowed to go out except for work, purchasing daily necessities and sports. Most shops, theaters, barber shops and Christmas markets are closed; restaurants and cafes prohibit dine-in meals; schools are not closed, but the government recommends that students attend classes at home.
Austria reported on the 21st that there were approximately 14,000 new confirmed cases in a single day, and the seven-day infection rate rose to 1,085 per 100,000. 528 new crown-infected patients were receiving intensive care, which was close to the peak of severe patients during the previous wave of epidemics.
Austrian Health Minister Wolfgang Mikstein said on the evening of the 21st that a relatively strict “cities closure” is currently the only option to curb the increase in new infections. Austria implemented epidemic prevention measures on unvaccinated people last week, but failed to effectively contain the spread of the epidemic, and the government decided to “close the city.”
Those who have completed the full vaccination of the new crown vaccine and recovered after being infected with the new crown virus can be “unblocked” on December 13, and the “unblocked” day for those who have not been vaccinated is to be determined. Right now, about two-thirds of Austrians have completed the entire vaccination.
Austria is scheduled to compulsorily vaccinate the new crown vaccine on February 1 next year, becoming the first EU country to compulsorily vaccinate. The Austrian government’s anti-epidemic measures drew opposition from some people. About 40,000 people protested in the capital Vienna on the 20th.
In Brussels, the Belgian capital, about 35,000 people protested against the government’s anti-epidemic measures in front of the European Commission headquarters on the 21st. The protest turned into violent activity, and the demonstrators clashed with the police.
Belgium has a population of 11.7 million, with a total of more than 1.58 million confirmed cases, and the recent average daily number of new cases is close to 14,000. Belgium tightened its anti-epidemic measures on the 17th, compulsory wearing masks and working from home.
In Belgium’s neighbouring Netherlands, violent demonstrations against epidemic prevention measures have lasted three days as of the 21st. The Dutch police said that five policemen were injured during a confrontation with the demonstrators in The Hague on the evening of the 20th. The police arrested at least 64 violent demonstrators in three provinces.
The recent epidemic in Europe has been raging. The World Health Organization warned on the 10th that Europe is the only region in the world where both confirmed and fatal cases have increased, and it has once again become the epicenter of the epidemic.
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