Coronavirus preys on the old continent… Belgium records within 24 hours 1702 new cases and Italy intends to extend the closure and France records about 300 additional deaths

The coronavirus continues to expand its reach in European countries, as is the case in the world, coinciding with the rise in the number of infections and deaths caused by it.

During the last 24 hours, Belgium recorded 1702 new coronavirus cases, taking the total in the country to 10,836.

The number of deaths rose to 431 people, while 1,359 people recovered since mid-March.

Representatives of the tourism sector in Belgium expected that the damage to their sector as a result of the imposed isolation policies would reach 1.7 billion euros, which is greater than the damage of the terrorist attacks in Brussels in 2016.

In Greece, coronavirus infections rose to 1061 and 36 deaths, prompting the Ministry of Health to announce tougher measures against the virus, and to continue them until mid-April.

In Austria, the Ministry of Health announced that the total number of “coronavirus” infections has risen to 8,291, and deaths to 86, while 479 infected with the virus recovered.

In the same context, the Austrian authorities announced the closure of police stations on the border with Italy, temporarily, after the discovery of cases of coronavirus among the police.

An Austrian soldier was also transferred to his country, after contracting the virus in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while working for the European Union peacekeepers (EUFOR).

In turn, the Czech Ministry of Health announced the conduct of tests on 36 thousand and 300 people in the country, bringing the total infected with the virus two thousand and 663 deaths to 11 people.

Hungary, where the incidence of corona infections has risen to 408, in which 13 people have died, amid the government’s announcement to import 27 tons of medical preventive supplies from China.

In Slovakia, HIV infections rose to 292, while the government announced the import of 2.2 million medical masks and 1 million rapid test units from China.

In Slovenia, the number of deaths due to coronavirus reached 11, and the number of injuries rose to 730.

In the same context, coronavirus infections in Montenegro rose to 85, coinciding with the continued imposition of quarantine on the city of Tuzi.

During the last 24 hours, Malta recorded two new cases of the virus, bringing the total number of infected people to 151.

Croatia recorded 657 injuries and 5 deaths, Albania 212 injuries and 10 deaths, Bosnia and Herzegovina 323 cases and 6 deaths, and Northern Macedonia 257 cases and 6 deaths.

While Kosovo 91 injuries and deaths, and Bulgaria 338 injuries and 8 deaths, while Poland saw 717 injuries and 19 deaths.

In total, the virus has infected more than 707,000 people in 199 countries and territories, more than 33,000 have died, while more than 150,000 have recovered.

Italy leads the world in corona deaths, followed by Spain, but it is second only to the United States in the total number of cases.

The Italian authorities announced on Sunday that they will extend the period of closure in the country to work to eradicate the new coronavirus epidemic, after the number of deaths reached 10,777 and injured about 100 thousand.

The Civil Protection Service counted 756 new deaths Sunday in this country, which is considered the most affected in the world by the Corona virus, in addition to 5,217 infections, bringing the total number to 97,689.

However, the daily rate of increase in injuries fell to 5.6 percent, the lowest rate since Italian officials began tracking cases after their first death on February 21.

Italy closed all of its schools at the beginning of the month before it began imposing a gradual ban, until almost all stores were closed on 12 March.

But these measures, since their adoption, have not prevented Italy from overtaking China in terms of deaths.

While the closure, which is scheduled to officially end on April 3, is economically painful, officials seem determined to extend it until the spread of the virus is curbed.

The minister of regional affairs, Francesco Puccia, said that the question facing the government is not whether the closure will be extended, but rather for how long.

“The measures that expire on April 3 will inevitably be extended,” Buccia told SkyT 24.

“I think that talking at the moment about resuming activity is inappropriate or responsible.”

A final decision is expected to be reached during a ministerial meeting in the coming days.

In France, an additional 292 deaths from the newly created coronavirus were counted within 24 hours, raising the total death toll in that country to 2606, according to Director-General of Health Jerome Salomon on Sunday.

According to the new toll, 19,354 injured people are in hospitals, among them 4,632 are in the resuscitation department, while seven thousand and 132 patients have been able to return to their homes.

In an effort to curb the spread of the virus, the authorities announced the extension of the general closure announced on March 17, for at least two more weeks, until April 15.

Salomon explained that “359 patients entered the recovery today.

It is the most important element because it reflects the dynamism of the epidemic”.

“If the isolation measures were respected, we would have seen a decrease in the number of people being transferred to recovery by the end of the week,” he added.

34 percent of these are over sixty years of age, while sixty in resuscitation are less than thirty years old.

The announced death toll includes only those who died in hospitals, which means that the actual number is still unknown.