European nations hit by jump in infections fuelled by variant

PARIS • Coronavirus cases have surged in Europe over the Christmas holidays, with several countries reporting a significant percentage of infections caused by the highly contagious Omicron Covid-19 variant.

France on Christmas Day reported 104,611 new cases, the highest daily number since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country.

It will further tighten Covid-19 measures, but there will be no curfew for New Year's Eve, and schools will reopen as planned early next month.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Monday that the Covid-19 incidence rate - the number of infections per 100,000 people per week - is now well over 700 and at a record level since the start of the pandemic, forcing his Cabinet to take new measures.

From Monday for the next three weeks, all public gatherings will be limited to 2,000 people for indoor events, and to 5,000 people for outdoor events.

Mr Castex also said that working from home will become mandatory for at least three days per week, where possible.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister said France will pay intensive care nurses an extra €100 (S$150) per month from next month as it seeks to improve work conditions for staff exhausted by the fight against Covid-19.

"This is about improving attractiveness, training, qualification, working conditions in intensive care units (ICUs), acknowledging the skills of those who work there," he said during a visit to an ICU in Creteil, near Paris.

In neighbouring Spain, the coronavirus infection rate exceeded 1,000 cases per 100,000 people for the first time on Monday, stoked by Omicron, although hospitals were under less strain than in previous waves of the pandemic.

The rate, measured over the preceding 14 days, rose to 1,206 cases following the Christmas weekend, according to Health Ministry data. That compares with 911 reported last Thursday, when it first topped the previous record of 900 cases set in late January.

Intensive-care occupancy reached 18.26 per cent, after January's 43 per cent.

"We are obviously going to see high numbers of infections, but not hospitalisations and ICU admissions, compared to previous waves," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told reporters on Monday, citing Spain's high vac-cination rate and urging Spaniards to keep taking the recommended shots.

With nearly 80 per cent of its population fully vaccinated and a booster programme gathering pace, Spain was largely spared the rampant wave of infections that led several Northern European countries to toughen curbs in autumn.

However, Professor Jose Martinez Olmos of the Andalusian Public Health School said: "Before Omicron, what made Spain different from other countries was the better vaccination coverage and greater tendency to be outside due to the climate, but now, with this variant, infections are the same."

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said on Dec 15 that Omicron is likely to become the dominant variant in the European Union/European Economic Area within the first two months of next year.

Denmark and Iceland on Monday reported record daily coronavirus cases.

Both Nordic nations had some of Europe's lowest infection rates before Omicron's arrival.

Denmark's daily infection total exceeded 15,000 for the first time. The country of 5.8 million people has the world's highest infection rate, with 1,612 cases per 100,000 people.

Although hospital admissions are rising, they remain below the level seen in January's wave, largely thanks to the protection of vaccines, with only seven deaths recorded in the previous 24 hours.

Denmark closed cultural attractions and limited opening hours in bars and restaurants in mid-December to fight the latest wave of infections as Omicron became the dominant strain.

Iceland registered a record 672 cases in the previous 24 hours despite never having reported more than 200 daily cases until mid-December.

British Health Minister Sajid Javid said on Monday that England will not get any new Covid-19 restrictions before the end of the year, as the government awaits more evidence on whether the health service can cope with high infection rates.

REUTERS, XINHUA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE