France, Spain, U.K. issue new coronavirus restrictions amid spike in reported infections

The European countries of France, Spain and the United Kingdom are issuing new coronavirus restrictions amid a spike in reported infections.

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday announced a series of new restrictions that includes pubs, restaurants and other entertainment venues closing from 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and urging people to work from home.

The announcement came a day after the government’s top scientific and medical advisers said new coronavirus infections were doubling every seven days in the U.K. and could rise to 49,000 a day by mid-October if no action was taken, according to the Associated Press.

On Monday, the government reported 4,300 new confirmed cases, the highest number since May and four times the number just a month ago.

The new restrictions also require face masks to be worn in taxis and on public transport and further limitations on the size of some gatherings including weddings.

Britain has the highest confirmed virus death toll in Europe, at 41,877 deaths, according to the  tally by Johns Hopkins coronavirus website.

In Spain, officials have heightened virus-related restrictions in parts of Madrid, which has become the epicenter of the country’s second wave. 

The restrictions focus on some of Madrid’s working-class neighborhoods, which has sparked a sharp debate about the inequalities related to the virus.

The measure included a requirement to justify trips out of the neighborhoods and reduced occupancy in shops and restaurants, according to the wire service.

Spain now has a reported 30,600 deaths as a result of the virus.

In France, parts of the country – including such major cities as Paris, Bordeaux and Marseille – are reporting a significant increase in the number of hospitalizations.

An increase in new cases and hospitalizations in Lyon, the country’s third-largest city, has resulted in tighter coronavirus restrictions including fewer people at major outdoor events and cutting off alcohol sales and consumption after 8 p.m. 

Similar measures in Bordeaux, Marseille and Nice also have been imposed, according to news reports. 

France has 31,346 virus-related deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins report.