Europe’s virus surge hits French finance chief, threatens London

Bloomberg

France’s finance chief contracted Covid-19 amid the virus surge in his country and Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK may need tighter restrictions, signalling Europe’s growing risk of the kind of lockdowns that crippled the economy in the second quarter.
Mayor Sadiq Khan sounded the alarm for London, saying it’s “increasingly likely” that “additional measures will soon be required to slow the spread of the virus.” With governments desperate to avoid a relapse, Spain plans to test 1 million people in the Madrid capital region — about every seventh resident — over the next week to get a better grip on the
coronavirus outbreak.
“Another lockdown would be an economic disaster,” Isabel Diaz Ayuso, the Madrid regional president, told reporters. “We need to use all means at our disposal to avoid it.”
The jump in French infections by more than 13,000 was the most eye-catching figure among Europe’s increases. Then came news of Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire’s infection, making him the most senior French politician and one of the most prominent in Europe to test positive.
“I immediately went into isolation at home in accordance with the health rules issued by the government,” Le Maire said on Twitter. He said he’ll carry out his official duties while quarantining for seven days.
From Ireland to Greece,
Europeans headed into the weekend facing new curbs on public life, and the cancellation of much of Vienna’s fall ball season.
Khan faulted Johnson’s government for deficiencies in UK virus testing.
“The best thing for both public health and the economy is new restrictions imposed early, rather than a full lockdown when it’s too late — but the government must urgently ensure there is a fully functioning testing system,” the London mayor said in a statement.
Johnson told reporters “there’s no question” that the UK is “now seeing a second wave coming in.”
“We want to try and keep all parts of the economy open as far as we possibly can — I don’t think anybody wants to go into a second lockdown,” he told reporters. “But clearly, when you look at what is happening, you have got to wonder whether we need to go further.”
The UK reported 4,322 new cases on September 18, the biggest daily increase since May 8. That brought the weekly rise in infections to more than 20,000.
Health officials blame the surge on social gatherings, especially among younger people, and on travellers bringing the virus back from vacation. The upward trend threatens to derail Europe’s tentative revival if the pandemic forces governments generally averse to the lockdowns to change course.
In Spain, which has the most cases in Europe, authorities banned non-essential movement in 37 hot spots in and around Madrid, the epicenter of the country’s outbreak.
Greece further tightened anti-pandemic measures in the greater Athens area. Public and private gatherings were limited to nine people, concerts suspended and indoor cinemas closed. Businesses will have to keep 40% of employees working from home starting Monday until October 4.
Germany added 2,179 cases on September 18. That marked the second day in a row that new cases topped 2,000, leaving infections increasing at a pace not seen since April.
“The pandemic is back in most of our countries,” German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said. “We have to make sure that the trend toward recovery in Europe isn’t impeded and threatened by the rising
infection numbers.”