UK Lockdown May Need to Last Longer Than Two Weeks
A quick two-week circuit breaker lockdown is off the table. Advisers first floated the idea back in September, but rising case numbers mean it won’t be enough to stop the deadly surge in Covid infections. Experts now believe any nationwide restrictions will have to be much longer to make a real impact.
ONS Warns: Over 50,000 Daily Infections in UK
Latest data from the Office for National Statistics reveals a grim picture — more than 50,000 people in the UK are contracting Covid every day. The virus continues to spread at an alarming rate, smashing hopes that local lockdowns would control the outbreak.
Wales Ditches Local Lockdowns After National 17-Day Shutdown
Wales is moving away from patchy lockdowns. When its current 17-day national lockdown ends on 9 November, First Minister Mark Drakeford says there won’t be any return to local restrictions. Instead, he promises a clear, unified set of national rules “for the sake of clarity and simplicity.”
Drakeford is set to announce the new measures on Monday. Meanwhile, the UK government plans to hold talks soon about a coordinated Covid response across all four nations.
Peru Fears Covid on Day of the Dead, Closes Cemeteries
Thousands usually gather to honour loved ones on Peru’s Day of the Dead, but this year the government is urging people to stay away. President Martín Vizcarra’s administration has ordered cemeteries in Lima shut over the weekend to stop huge crowds from spreading the virus.
Normally, up to 100,000 people visit the capital’s two largest cemeteries during the holiday, known locally as Dia de los Difuntos. Peru has seen a recent slowdown, but it’s still battling tens of thousands of cases daily amid fears of a new wave.
Europe’s Covid Hotspot: Eastern Europe’s Grim Death Toll
Eastern Europe is bearing the brunt with the highest Covid death rate in the EU. The region reports a staggering 14.1 fatalities per 100,000 people over 14 days, outpacing all other member states, as new waves hit hard.
