Countries battle rising Coronavirus cases as WHO sees 'exponential' rise

Geneva: Grim data highlighted the struggle for authorities around the world to bring the Coronavirus pandemic under control Saturday, as the US reported 80,000 infections in a single day, France extended a curfew to two-thirds of citizens, and Germany's death toll passed 10,000.

The World Health Organization had earlier warned of an "exponential" rise in infections threatening health systems' ability to cope.

But populations weary of social isolation and economic hardship have pushed back against fresh restrictions to slow the resurgent virus' spread, including overnight clashes in hard-hit Naples between Italian police and hundreds of protesters.

Johns Hopkins University had earlier reported 79,963 new American cases in 24 hours, a new record, although the number of daily deaths has remained broadly stable since the beginning of autumn at between 700 and 800. Overall, more than 223,000 people have died from Covid-19 in the US.

France on Friday followed Spain past the milestone of one million cases, while the government extended an overnight curfew designed to slow the spread to affect some 46 million people.

After Germany recorded its 10,000th death from the Coronavirus, Chancellor Angela Merkel told citizens that "the order of the day is to reduce contacts, to meet as few people as possible" in a weekly video podcast.

In Poland, President Andrzej Duda tested positive for Covid-19, although an aide wrote on Twitter that he was "fine".

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had on Friday warned that "too many countries are seeing an exponential increase in Covid-19 cases and that is now leading to hospitals and intensive care units running close to or above capacity — and we're still only in October."

"We urge leaders to take immediate action to prevent further unnecessary deaths."

That message was echoed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), whose director Andrea Ammon warned of a "highly concerning epidemiological situation".

Wales entered a full lockdown on Friday evening, a day after Ireland shut down, while Poland adopted a nationwide "red zone" lockdown mandating the partial closure of primary schools and restaurants.

Only Sweden, which famously refused to lock down earlier this year, continued to stick to its guns despite a rise in cases.

Across the planet, Covid-19 has now claimed the lives of 1.1 million people and infected close to 42 million, with the WHO warning the northern hemisphere was at a critical juncture.