Health

Roundup: Belgium cases pass Czech Republic as Germany mulls more restrictions

(Adds Germany restrictions)

Madrid Desk, Oct 27 (efe-epa).- Belgium has overtaken the Czech Republic as the European Union’s worst-affected country by coronavirus, as officials mull extending measures already in place amid infection rates that are threatening to become uncontrollable.

Meanwhile in Germany, medical professionals have warned of a “dramatic” lack of healthcare staff who are trained to treat patients in intensive care units, as officials prepare to announce further restrictions to curb the second wave of the pandemic.

BELGIUM

With an accumulated two-week infection rate of 1,390.9 cases per 100,000 people, Belgium has passed the Czech Republic to become the worst affected country in the EU by the second wave of coronavirus, the European Center for Disease Control said.

Over the past week, the country has reported an average of 13,052 new infections every day, representing a 38 percent increase from the week before.

After Belgium and the Czech Republic, the ECDC places Luxembourg (760.4), Slovenia (732.8), Liechtenstein (687.9), France (629.4), the Netherlands (694.1), Slovakia (455) and Spain (446).

Hospital admissions are increasing by 88 percent each week, with an average 502 hospitalizations every day. The average number of deaths linked to Covid-19 each day is 48.3, a weekly increase of 50 percent.

A nighttime curfew has been in effect since 19 October, which has forced the entire hospitality sector to close.

The government of prime minister Alexander de Croo will wait until the middle of this week to see if, 10 days after the last set of restrictions was imposed, the infection rate is starting to fall or if another general confinement similar to the lockdown of last spring is needed.

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