World reels from Covid-19 2nd wave

New cases of Covid-19 in the United States hit a two-month high with over 58,000 infections as the number of cases surged in Europe yesterday, and breached 10 million in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Ten of the 50 states reported record one-day rises in cases, including the Midwestern states of Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri and Ohio. Wisconsin and Illinois recorded over 3,000 new cases for a second day in a row - a two-day trend not seen even during the height of the previous outbreak in the spring, according to Reuters data.

The Western states of Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming also reported their biggest one-day jumps in cases, as did Oklahoma and West Virginia.

Nineteen states have seen record increases in new cases so far in October.

In Europe, Germany and Poland enforced new restrictions to fight the coronavirus yesterday after Britain and France forced to take similar measures in face of surging cases.

Bars and restaurants are to close at 11:00 pm (2100 GMT) in Berlin until October 31 in a partial curfew, a measure already imposed -- but starting an hour earlier -- in the financial capital Frankfurt.

The shutdown in the German capital -- with more than 400 new cases daily -- also covers all shops except pharmacies and petrol stations, although they will be banned from selling alcohol.

"This is not the time to party," said Berlin's social democratic mayor Michael Muller. "We can and we want to prevent another more severe confinement."

Chancellor Angela Merkel had already warned Friday that high-infection areas would be given 10 days to bring down cases or face tougher action, calling big cities the "arena" to keep the pandemic under control.

In neighbouring Poland, the authorities told people to wear face masks in all public spaces after coronavirus cases hit a new record daily high of 4,280.

To the south, the Czech Republic faced the prospect of a new lockdown as the growth in Covid-19 cases set a fourth straight daily record. The number of 8,618 was the fastest spike in Europe.

Governments on several continents are struggling to keep up with a sharp rise in infections as the pandemic's second wave arrives ahead of the northern hemisphere's influenza season.

Since it emerged in China late last year, the virus has killed more than one million worldwide, infected more than 36 million and forced millions more out of work as the pandemic batters the global economy.

Latin America and the Caribbean marked 10 million cases yesterday and with more than 360,000 deaths, the region is the worst hit in terms of fatalities, according to official figures.

EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel was the latest high-profile figure to test positive for Covid-19. She announced the news yesterday, the first top Brussels official known to have caught the coronavirus.

And British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who himself spent time in hospital for the virus, is to outline a new three-tier lockdown system tomorrow.

On Friday, the Spanish government declared a state of emergency and a new partial lockdown for Madrid, as it faced increasing public resistance to anti-virus measures.

People were barred from leaving the city except for work, school or medical reasons, measures denounced by the city's rightwing authorities.

The resistance in Madrid echoes problems the French government faced last month when it shut bars and restaurants in Marseille, provoking the fury of local officials.

Partial shutdowns have since been extended to Paris and other major urban areas, and another four French cities were placed on maximum coronavirus alert Thursday, with bars ordered closed and public gatherings limited.

Overall, the coronavirus continued its progression around the world this week, with 315,000 new cases on average per day -- six percent more than the previous week, according to an AFP tally on Friday.

The World Health Organization's top emergencies expert said on Friday that European governments must take decisive action to shut down transmission of the coronavirus, including by curbing mass gatherings, to avoid more painful lockdowns.

Europe surpassed 100,000 daily reported COVID-19 cases for the first time on Thursday.

"There are no new answers. We know what we need to do," Mike Ryan told a news briefing in Geneva.

"It is though sad to see many countries in Europe experiencing a rapid rise in cases and governments do have to take decisive action in order to try and shut down transmission."

The WHO on Friday reported a record one-day increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total having risen by 350,766 in 24 hours.