Traffic passes along the Champs Elysee avenue near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, on Friday, March 19, 2021. French President Emmanuel Macron is closing several regions, including the Paris area, slowing the economic recovery the country as it struggles to contain a third wave of the coronavirus epidemic. Photographer: Cyril Marcilhacy / Bloomberg via Getty Images
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LONDON – Warnings of an exponential rise in infections in Germany and a new one-month block in Paris have underscored the dire situation across Europe, with the increase in coronavirus once again.
The variant first discovered in the UK is seen as the reason for the new peak. The strain is reported to be much more virulent than the original.
The French capital and northern parts of the country will enter a new blockade on Friday, although schools and essential stores remain open.
The average number of new coronavirus cases in the country in seven days has risen to more than 25,000 this week for the first time since November.
In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a relaxation of the blockades in March. That was when the number of infections per 100,000 people in seven days was 65.
But that number is now 96 and there are real fears that infections at Easter may reflect what they were at Christmas.
“The growing number of cases could mean that we cannot take any further steps in the coming weeks,” German Health Minister Jens Spahn told a news conference on Friday, according to Reuters.
“On the contrary, we may even have to step back.”
Poland has also seen a huge increase in infections, with approximately 52% of new cases linked to Britain’s variant, according to Reuters.
The country’s total cases exceeded 2 million on Friday, with 25,998 in the last 24 hours.
– Bryn Bache from CNBC contributed to this article.