Germans urged to stay at home as Covid deaths in Europe surge past 250,000

European countries rush to impose new restrictions to curb second wave

People walk past anti-lockdown graffiti in Manchester. Getty Images

Election committee members wait for voters to arrive for early voting in the second round of a parliamentary election at a drive-in polling station in Vilnius, Lithuania. AP Photo

People walk past a sign reading "Mask is mandatory" on a shopping street in Frankfurt, Germany. Reuters

Students arrive at Politecnica university, in Valencia, Spain. EPA

A woman wears a face mask as she walks a dog in Rome, Italy. Reuters

A woman walks past a graffiti in Barcelona, Spain. Spain is nearing one million infections since the onset of the pandemic. AP Photo

People wait in line to be tested in a Red Cross test center at Cinquantenaire park in Brussels, Belgium. AP Photo

Students have their body temperature checked as they enter the Alessandro Volta high school in Milan, Italy. EPA

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged citizens to stay at home to avoid a nationwide lockdown as coronavirus cases continue to increase.

On Monday, global cases passed 40 million as deaths across Europe rose to more than 250,000.

Ms Merkel has faced criticism over her pleas for a voluntary lockdown as Monday’s figures showed confirmed cases increased in Germany by 4,325 to 366,299, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute.

"Difficult months are ahead of us,” she told the German nation in a video call.

"How winter will be, how our Christmas will be - that will all be decided in these coming days and weeks, and it will be decided by our behaviour."

Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki said her warning was an “act of desperation”.

Economy Minister, Peter Altmaier, said Germany will be sticking to a policy of targeting measures at localised outbreaks.

However, on Friday a court in Berlin overruled the government and lifted a night-time curfew on bars and restaurants on the grounds it was “disproportionate” to fight the virus.

The UK has also seen a stand-off between the government and regional mayors over the imposition of measures to tackle the pandemic.

On Monday, the Mayor of Manchester was still refusing to allow the northern city to be placed into the top tier of toughest restrictions, which would see bars and restaurants closed, without the promise of a more lucrative financial rescue package.

Wales announced it would go into a “short sharp” full lockdown from Friday until November 9 with all non-essential businesses being forced to close.

Ireland is poised to introduce some of Europe’s toughest measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The Irish cabinet is due to meet on Monday to finalise the restrictions after health authorities recommended a move to the tightest lockdown tier.

While the government may stop short of imposing a total shutdown, it has indicated that all non-essential stores, restaurants and bars could close.

“There is a big hit to the economy, and that has to be paid for,” Europe Minister Thomas Byrne said on Monday.

“It is incumbent on the government to consider every single ramification of this.”

Ireland is not the only country grappling with the challenge of controlling the outbreak, without inflicting lasting damage on their economies.

In Belgium all restaurants, bars and cafes will remain closed for four weeks, starting on Monday.

A curfew from midnight to 5am will also take effect.

In Paris and eight other French cities, residents must stay home between 9pm and 6am for four weeks.

Austria is limiting gatherings and tightening rules for professional events and in Switzerland people will now be required to wear masks in public indoor spaces and public gatherings of more than 15 people have been banned.

In Poland, the government is transforming the National Stadium in Warsaw into a field hospital.