European countries rush to slow spread of COVID

Countries across Europe are imposing tighter restrictions in the hope of slowing the spread of the coronavirus - as cases continue to rise. France has recorded a new high of 32 thousand cases in a single day. Authorities have brought in a curfew in major cities requiring all public spaces to be shut by 9pm. But not everyone has welcomed the new rules.
And in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned of difficult months ahead, with almost 8,000 new infections recorded in the past day, which is the highest figure since the start of the pandemic. The chancellor has appealed to Germans to work together and urged them to stay at home as much as possible.

Italy is set to announce tough new national restrictions as it battles its own surge in cases. The government has already twice tightened the rules in the last 10 days - including making masks mandatory outside the home. The aim is to avoid another full lockdown to limit the damage to the economy.

---