Paris Under Curfew: Europe Reacts As Countries See Highest-Ever Coronavirus Numbers

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French President Emmanuel Macron is ordering nightly curfews for Paris and other large cities, hoping to control the coronavirus. A woman wears a protective face mask as she sits in the Louvre Museum’s courtyard Wednesday in Paris.





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The first and second wave of laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the European Economic Area and the U.K., as of Wednesday.





European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control



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European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control




The first and second wave of laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the European Economic Area and the U.K., as of Wednesday.


European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

The Czech Republic, hard hit by the new coronavirus wave, has closed schools as of Wednesday. Restaurants and bars are closed for everything except takeout orders – and they can only operate until 8 p.m., according to Radio Prague International.

«With Europe’s highest number of infections per capita, the Czech Republic is also canceling nonessential medical procedures to maximize hospital capacity, Esme Nicholson reported for NPR from Berlin. «The Czech Republic was quick to impose its first lockdown in March and was an early adopter of the face mask, measures which previously helped to flatten the curve.

Making matters worse, the coronavirus has infected nearly 5,000 health care workers – and in that vital sector, the number of ill staff is doubling every 10 days, Radio Prague International says.

The Netherlands is enacting a partial lockdown because of a rise in new cases. The government declared on Tuesday, «The coronavirus has been given too much room to spread again.

The restrictions close all food and drink establishments, except for carryout orders. No more than four people from different households can gather, indoors or outside.

Schools and public transportation will continue to operate, but everyone over 13 must wear a face mask in indoor areas and on public transport.

The U.K. instituted a three-tier alert system on Wednesday that will group different regions of England under restrictions in an effort to avoid repeating a national lockdown. So far, the only region under a «very high alert is Liverpool – where people took advantage of the last few hours before the restrictions to party in the streets.

These pictures Shame our City, attacking our brave Police Officers is unacceptable.Our Health Service is creaking,300 in Hospital&30 people dead in week ?ignoring these facts is why we are in Tier 3 measures. https://t.co/WIW12AuAhr

— Joe Anderson (@mayor_anderson) October 14, 2020

«These pictures Shame our City, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said via Twitter, responding to photos of the large number of people gathering in the interim between the 10 p.m. closure of pubs and the midnight onset of the new restrictions.

Noting that some people in the crowd had attacked a police car, Anderson called the violence «unacceptable.

«There is a reason our city is in Tier 3 for #Covid19, Anderson said later Wednesday. «The level of infection is at very high levels and beginning to impact on our hospitals — both for the virus and other illnesses like Cancer.