Spain and France top one million Covid cases as Germans start hoarding

Belgium’s foreign minister is in intensive care after testing positive for the virus

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  A view of St. Nicolas street with its restaurants closed in Pamplona, northern Spain. Regional authorities ruled that restaurants must be closed for 14 days. EPA

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  People queue at a Covid-19 test center at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany. AP Photo

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  Dancer Ayami Miyata wears a face covering during a training class ahead of Northern Ballet's first live performances in more than seven months, in Leeds, England. AP Photo

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  Two cleaning workers disinfect the streets of Ourense, in Galicia, northwestern Spain. EPA

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  People wearing face masks walk past the Colosseum in Rome, Italy. Reuters

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  Members of the Czech Army set up equipment and beds inside of field hospital built in an exhibition center in Prague, Czech Republic. Getty Images

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  A man wearing a protective face mask works out in a gym in Rome, Italy. Reuters

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  Two women wearing face masks to protect against coronavirus walk along a bridge near a Stalin-era skyscraper in central Moscow, Russia. AFP

Spain became the first European country to top one million Covid-19 cases, with France next to pass the grim milestone, only hours after more than a dozen countries on the continent reported record daily infection numbers.

Spain's health minister said far-reaching steps needed to be taken to combat the spread of infection and gave a warning that a tough five to six months lay ahead.

"The second wave is a reality. In many areas of our country, the epidemic is out of control," Salvador Illa told Onda Cero Radio.

"I insist we have to take drastic measures, as do several regions.”

With a two-week lockdown of Madrid and surrounding cities coming to an end on Friday, and infection rates increasing, more needed to be done, Mr Illa said.

"We are at the doorstep of winter, when most activities are carried out indoors, when the probability of virus contagion is higher. We cannot lower our guard," he said.

Paris and eight other French cities introduced a night-time curfew last weekend in an effort to stem the rise in cases.

Hoarding is on the rise in Germany, as sales of toilet paper and disinfectants increased.

Sales of toilet paper surged by 89.9 per cent last week compared with pre-crisis levels, while disinfectants (up 72.5 per cent) and soap (up 62.3 per cent) were also in high demand.

On Thursday, Germany reported more than 10,000 new daily Covid-19 infections for the first time while a major Christmas market in Berlin was cancelled.

The nation has had more success in containing the pandemic than other large European countries but case numbers have increased steadily in the past few weeks.

On Thursday, it classified the UK as a "high-risk area," meaning isitors will be required to enter a 14-day quarantine unless they can provide a negative Covid-19 test that is no older than 48 hours, or get a test done upon arrival.

In Belgium, which has one of the worst records for virus infections, Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes is being treated in intensive care after testing positive.

"She is conscious and she can communicate," her spokeswoman said.

Belgian Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes is in intensive care. Reuters

On Thursday, UK Finance Minister Rishi Sunak announced new measures to help protect jobs, easing the eligibility for his jobs support initiative, reducing the cost for employers and announcing new cash grants for affected businesses.

"I make no apology for responding to changing circumstances. And so today, we go further," he told parliament.

He said he was stepping up support for companies already hurt by restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19.