German Covid cases soar as WHO warns over Europe deaths

Germany reported its highest daily caseload since the beginning of the pandemic

The WHO warned that another 500,000 people could die by February

Daily Covid infections hit an all-time high in Germany Thursday as the World Health Organization warned that another 500,000 people could die across Europe, with cases once again on the rise. 

The dire projection came as the UK became the first country to approve an anti-Covid pill and the US announced strict new rules for businesses to strongarm employees into getting vaccines, as countries scramble to avoid another deadly winter wave of the virus. 

The EU's most populous country Germany set a new record for daily infections, with nearly 34,000 news cases over the past 24 hours, according to the Robert Koch Institute. 

The WHO's Europe chief expressed "grave concern" over the rising pace of coronavirus infections in Europe, warning that according to "one reliable projection" the current trajectory would mean "another half a million Covid-19 deaths" by February.

The WHO blamed a combination of insufficient vaccination rates and a relaxation of preventative measures like mask-wearing and physical distancing.

The number of new daily cases has been rising steadily for weeks in Europe, with a total of about 250,000 cases, according to official national data compiled by AFP. Deaths are on the rise too, with some 3,600 registered daily across the continent. 

Globally, the virus has killed more than five million people since it first emerged in China in December 2019. 

There was better news in Britain, which became the first country in the world to approve the use of Merck's anti-Covid pill molnupiravir to treat patients suffering from mild to moderate coronavirus.

"Today is a historic day for our country, as the UK is now the first country in the world to approve an antiviral that can be taken at home for Covid-19," he said. 

The drug has raised hopes of being able to offer easy, at-home treatment for vulnerable Covid carriers, including those with diabetes or who are overweight. 

In the United States, the world's worst affected country with over 750,000 deaths to date, tens of millions of workers face a January 4 deadline to get vaccinated.

The move marks the most aggressive step Washington has taken yet against the virus and its highly contagious Delta variant, which has hobbled the country's economic recovery.

Austria, meanwhile, tightened restrictions, amid record 2021 infections, to only allow those vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 to enter restaurants, go to hairdressers and attend bigger gatherings. 

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