France, Croatia, Slovenia, Malta, Austria, Hungary and Greece have all seen a huge resurgence of coronavirus cases in the week of August 10 to August 16. The horrific data comes from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. As of August 20, coronavirus cases around the world have reached 22,523,192 according to Johns Hopkins University.
The seven countries all reported a dramatic increase of COVID-19 cases higher than 70 percent from the week before.
Croatia saw the worst rise in cases over the last week, with a staggering 174 percent increase.
The rise in the country takes it from 7.8 coronavirus cases per 100,000 to 21.5.
Croatia’s coronavirus meltdown has seen it added to the UK’s quarantine list for travellers today.
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The UK also added Austria, along with Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, to the list, which comes into effect on 4am on Saturday.
Other European countries, such as France, Malta and the Netherlands, were placed on the last week.
Spain has been on the UK’s quarantine list since the end of July, and continues to have the highest rate of coronavirus infection at 60.6 cases per 100,000.
But the increase in cases has slowed, with the country reporting a 10.1 percent from August 10 to August 16.
Italy, once the worst-hit country in Europe, has now seen stricter lockdown measures reintroduced.
It recorded a 46.9 percent increase in coronavirus cases over the last week.
The rise equalled an increase from 3.8 cases per 100,000 to 5.5.
The country also recorded 845 new cases today, its highest daily increase after lockdown was eased in early June.
In contrast to the EU nations, the UK has fared better over the past week.
But the country still saw an increase of cases of 13.6 percent, taking it from 8.7 cases per 100,000 to 9.9.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at the end of July the Government must be “swift” in introducing new measures preventing European travellers from infecting people.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock also said to the BBC on Wednesday ministers are “working as fast as we can” to achieve the “moonshot” of mass testing so restrictions can be eased, as the UK aims to increases total coronavirus tests each fortnight to 150,000 by October.