Europe becomes epicenter of coronavirus pandemic amid cases surge

International Desk, Nov 13 (EFE).- Russia on Saturday hit a new record in coronavirus deaths with 1,239 Covid-19 related deaths in the last 24 hours, according to official data.

Health authorities also reported 39,256 new infections in the last 24 hours.

The new record number of daily deaths is the third recorded this week in Russia.

Since the start of the pandemic, 254,167 people have died from Covid-19, although official statistics on excess deaths in the same period almost double this figure.

Some 49% of the Russian population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19 severe symptoms, far from the national target of 80%.

Germany recorded for the sixth consecutive day its highest seven-day incidence rate, with 277.4 cases per 100,000 people, according to data reported Saturday by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for virology.

The incidence rate is increasing rapidly. Only one month ago, the seven-day incidence rate stood at 65.4 cases per 100,000.

Germany reported 45,081 new infections in the last 24 hours, while slightly lower than the record cases of 50,196 infections reported Friday, significantly higher than the previous Saturday, when 34,001 cases were reported.

Some 67.5% of the German population has received the full course of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Austria, health authorities reported 13,152 new infections in the last 24 hours, a new daily record.