(AP) – German officials have agreed to impose a four-week partial lockdown and the French government is preparing to announce its own new restrictions as European governments race to stop a fast-rising tide of coronavirus cases.
The World Health Organization says the European region that it defines as including Russia, Turkey, Israel and Central Asia accounted for almost half of the 2.8 million new confirmed coronavirus cases last week. It said virus-related deaths rose almost 35% in Europe.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday that restaurants, bars, cinemas, theaters and other leisure facilities will be shut down for four weeks starting Monday in a bid to curb the country’s sharp rise in coronavirus infections.
