France, Portugal and Romania became the latest European countries - after the Netherlands and Italy - to impose tougher restrictions as a coronavirus resurgence continues to sweep across the continent.

France will introduce a night-time curfew in major cities and re-impose a state of health emergency. Portugal returns to a “state of calamity”. Romania extends a state of alert for the fifth time. In addition, Northern Ireland of the United Kingdom sets out a range of restrictive measures.

Germany’s daily cases rose at the fastest pace since the pandemic began, joining record infections from Italy to the Czech Republic. 

The COVID-19 infection rate is increasing across Sweden with an overwhelming majority of regions reporting a hike in cases. A joint report from Sweden’s county administrative boards showed that 17 out of 21 regions are experiencing rising infection rates, with some reporting a rapid rise in numbers.