Europe continues to feel the heat of the novel coronavirus as business circles express frustration over the economic impact of the CoVID-19 crisis.
Over 600 New Deaths in Italy
On Saturday, Italy registered 619 new CoVID-19 deaths, bringing the country's total death toll to 18,849. On the other hand, the country also registered a total of 2,079 people who recovered from the disease, The Local Italy reported.
The news came roughly a day after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced an extension of the ensuring national lockdown to May 3. Conte's move was taken as a move of defiance after business unions called on the government to lift the lockdown.
Business leaders said in a letter addressed to Conte that extending the lockdown will push the economy further down than it already is. Conte said the lockdown extension was necessary to prevent further coronavirus infections.
As of Saturday, Italy has recorded 152,271 confirmed CoVID-19 cases.
Spain Registers Record-Low Death Toll in 20 Days
On Saturday, Spain recorded 510 deaths from the novel coronavirus, marking the lowest number of fatalities that took place in the country for the past 20 days, The Local Spain reported.
The country's total death toll since the CoVID-19 outbreak in the country started now stands at 16,353. Despite new deaths and 4,800 new confirmed coronavirus cases, the figures for both have declined over the past two weeks.
The news came after Spain's health minister said on Friday that some companies will re-open following their "hibernation" period due to the coronavirus outbreak.
As of Saturday, Spain's total CoVID-19 cases reached 161,852.
German Court Overturns Ban on Beach Visits
In Germany, a court in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania overturned a state government ban on visiting the beach in the said region.
According to The Local Germany, the court argued that restricting people from visiting beaches was a violation of one's personal freedoms. To date, the ruling only applies to the northeastern state.
Amid the ruling, politicians urged people to stay at home despite the beach visit restriction being overturned. They reiterated the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak.
Germany has so far registered 124,908 confirmed CoVID-19 cases and at least 2,736 deaths.
France ICU Figures Drop Again
French hospitals on Saturday once again reported a decline in patients being treated at intensive care units (ICUs) throughout the country. French director general of health Jérôme Salomon said the development "is very significant for all health workers."
Salomon went on to reiterate that despite the decreasing number of patients in ICU facilities, it is not yet time to lift the lockdown on France. He added that citizens should continue practicing social distancing and preventive regulations.
As of Saturday, France recorded at least 129,654 confirmed CoVID-19 cases and 13,832 deaths.
Sweden Trains Furloughed Hotel and Airline Employees for Hospital Assistance
Despite having lax CoVID-19 regulations compared to other European nations, Sweden moved to train furloughed hotel and airline employees so they can help in hospital facilities around the country.
According to The Local Sweden, participants who attended the training at Sophiahemmet University have since been sent to assist healthcare providers in hospitals across the Stockholm region.
The re-trained workers assist in cleaning, welcoming new patients, as well as some administrative tasks. Their work allows expert healthcare professionals to focus on coronavirus patients.
Sweden has so far registered at least 10,151 confirmed CoVID-19 cases and at least 887 deaths.
Johnson Thanks Hospital Staff
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday released a statement, thanking staff at the St. Thomas Hospital, where he is being treated for the novel coronavirus.
"I can't thank them enough. I owe them my life," Johnson said, marking the first time the United Kingdom's leader released an official statement regarding his condition.
The news came after Johnson was confirmed to have been moved to the ICU of the St. Thomas Hospital in London as his symptoms worsened. A spokesperson said on Friday that Johnson has since been able to "do short walks."
As of Saturday, the U.K. reported 78,991 confirmed CoVID-19 cases and 9,875 deaths.
