European countries at the start of a third wave of Covid, experts warn

Large parts of Europe are at the start of a third coronavirus wave, experts have said, with warnings that the decision to pause the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine over health concerns is likely lead to a rise in cases and a high number of deaths as more contagious new variants account for the majority of cases.

Christian Drosten, a leading virologist at Berlin’s Charité hospital said Germany’s epidemiological situation was “not good right now”, and was compounded both by the exponential rise in the spread of the B117 mutation which first originated in Britain that now makes up about three-quarters of new cases in Germany, and the decision to temporarily stop using Oxford/AstraZeneca. “We need this vaccine,” he insisted.

He warned that by Easter, German cases could be expected to reach the high levels last seen around Christmas. “The situation could get drastically worse,” he said. His stark warnings came just as parts of Germany are starting to open up after a lengthy lockdown, which, it had widely been hoped, would be relaxed around the Easter holidays.

Cases have also increased in Italy, which on Tuesday recorded a daily death toll of 502, its highest since late January. The health minister, Roberto Speranza, said more than half of new infections were being driven by the UK variant. Coronavirus restrictions were intensified across Italy on Monday, with more than half of the country returned to the toughest “red zone” category.

“The situation is not simple,” Speranza said. “The UK variant spreads 35-40% faster and represents 54% of total cases. The South African variant is also present, especially in the Bolzano area, and the Brazilian one is mostly in central Italy.”

On Tuesday Poland announced a three-week partial lockdown from this weekend with a full closure of schools, as well as shopping malls, pools and gyms to join already shut restaurants, and people were urged to stay at home. The health minister, Adam Niedzielski, said the UK variant was responsible for the majority of new infections, which totalled 25,000 over the previous 24 hours on Wednesday.