Coronavirus Cases Climb by Dozens in Germany, Austria

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The number of infected with the new coronavirus in Germany and Austria is rising steadily, with dozens of new cases reported on Sunday.

The Robert Koch institute confirmed 52 new patients with the COVID-19 disease in Germany, bringing the total to 847. The western state of North Rhine-Westphalia has 392 cases.

The infection tally in Austria rose by 25 to 104 overnight, with 4,509 people tested. Health Minister Rudolf Anschober was cited as saying in a statement that authorities were prepared for the outbreak.

In other developments, Bulgaria has confirmed two more cases of infection with the coronavirus in addition to two reported on Saturday evening, according to the Novinite news website.

The Balkan nation’s operations headquarters said three patients are in their 20s, 60s and 70s. The fourth patient is a medical worker. Two infected live in Grabovo and two in Pleven.

Meanwhile, Poland has registered two more cases of the coronavirus disease, which brings the total number of those infected in the country to eight, according to the national Health Ministry.

A picture taken on 8 March 2020 shows an empty room of Linate Airport in Milan, after millions of people were placed under forced quarantine in northern Italy as the government approved drastic measures in an attempt to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus that is sweeping the globe. - On top of the forced quarantine of 15 million people in vast areas of northern Italy until 3 April the government has also closed schools, nightclubs and casinos throughout the country, according to the text of the decree published on the government website. With more than 230 fatalities, Italy has recorded the most deaths from the COVID-19 disease of any country outside China, where the outbreak began in December.

© AFP 2023 / PIERO CRUCIATTI

In the Netherlands, according to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, a total of 265 people have already tested positive for the virus, with more than 70 cases being confirmed over the last 24 hours. Three people have died from the disease.

Switzerland has detected 332 cases of the coronavirus disease, 51 of which are yet to be confirmed after repeated tests.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom has increased to 273, according to the health authorities. Two patients have died.

The Greek Health Ministry confirmed on Sunday seven new COVID-19 cases, which brings the total number to 73. The authorities have introduced a range of measures to prevent the further spread of the epidemic across the country, including the suspension of special protection centers for senior citizens for four weeks.