The Spanish military is again building a COVID-19 field hospital after a worrying rise in cases while France, the UK, and Germany see large increases.
Rabat – Rising COVID-19 case numbers in Europe’s largest nations are creating renewed fears over a possible second wave of infections on the continent. Over the last 24 hours, WHO revealed that the UK detected 1,009 new COVID-19 infections, Germany recorded 1,445 cases, France reported 2,429, and Spain saw an alarming increase of 3,172 new cases.
While many smaller EU nations recorded new cases in the hundreds, the interconnected nature of European trade and travel is likely to result in an overall increase in cases across the EU, realizing Europe’s worries of a second wave. The continent had seen waning fears over the coronavirus as blistering temperatures and summer vacation plans introduced a new mindset of post-epidemic mitigation measures.
Beaches were packed and holidaymakers travelled freely over the last month, with a heatwave driving Europeans out of their homes. Many in Europe remain skeptical of COVID-19 measures as restrictions on their personal freedom, with thousands protesting in Berlin on August 1. Two weeks later, Germany is again reporting more than 1,000 new infections per day.
Critical moment
While hospitals are ready to take in new cases, the increase in European infections has many economists worried. Good news regarding COVID-19 numbers in Europe provided a glimmer of hope for a global economic recovery. A second wave in Europe would indicate the pandemic is anything but over and that its economic impacts could reverberate further into the future.
Health expert Salvador Macip told the Associated Press that Spain was at a “critical moment” on August 12, saying “we are right at a point where things can get better or worse.” Combating the virus requires intensified efforts, according to Macip, who said “we have to pull out all the stops to curb outbreaks before they become more serious.”
According to data published on August 13, Europe has now reported over 3 million cases in total, nearly a third of which originated from Russia, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control. The epidemic in Europe has so far resulted in 208,928 deaths across the continent, with the UK, Italy, France, and Spain recording the highest death toll.
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