European countries enforce new restrictions as coronavirus cases hit record high

A social distancing sign in a market in Madrid, Spain (AP/Bernat Armangue)

Governments across Europe are ratcheting up restrictions as the continent recorded its highest weekly number of new coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said there were more than 700,000 new Covid-19 cases reported in Europe last week, a jump of 34% compared to the previous week, with the UK, France, Russia and Spain accounting for more than half of new infections recorded in the region.