Europe imposes new virus curbs as anger and frustration swell

Berlin, Nov 2 (AFP/APP):Germany on Monday led a tightening of coronavirus restrictions in Europe that have triggered frustration and anger, while the Covid-19 crisis deepened in the United States on election eve.

The virus has infected over 46 million people worldwide, with more than 1.2 million deaths, and the acute outbreaks in Europe and America are sparking further alarm about the state of the already devastated global economy.

To curb the spike in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, Chancellor Angela Merkel has ordered a round of shutdowns from Monday until the end of the month. Germans will not be confined to their homes, but cafes and restaurants must close, as well as theatres, operas and cinemas.

New restrictions are expected to be unveiled in Belgium, which has the world’s highest number of Covid-19 cases per capita, and in Italy, the first country in Europe to impose a lockdown during the first wave.