The numbers of the pandemic in Europe hit by the fourth wave are worsening a little everywhere, and among the most difficult situations is that of Austria , the only European nation to introduce (from 1 February) the mandatory vaccine.

The most affected areas are Upper Austria and the Land of Salzburg, where intensive care is at its limit. In Salzburg there are 45 intensive beds occupied by Covid patients, for this reason two people have been transferred to Vienna, two more will be transferred today and the number of beds will soon be increased. In Upper Austria, however, the limit of places in intensive has already been exceeded.

The German authorities talk about the dramatic situation every day. The number of Covid victims in Germany has exceeded 100 thousand. The 351 deaths in the last 24 hours brought the total toll to 100,119 according to data from the Robert Koch Institute.

As infections hit a record high and critical care units fill up, the health crisis is posing an immediate challenge to the new coalition government set to take over from Angela Merkel's cabinet.

The situation is even worse in Slovakia , where a generalized lockdown of 15 days is triggered from today. Full hospitals and a rapidly growing contagion curve: “We are losing the fight against Covid, we are the worst in the world in terms of new infected people per million inhabitants. We have to limit mobility and we need a lockdown for everyone, ”said President Zuzana Caputova.

In Slovakia, out of over 5 million inhabitants, the number of new coronavirus cases yesterday exceeded 10 thousand. 3,200 people are hospitalized in hospitals. The percentage of vaccinated people is among the lowest in Europe, at 47.33%.

(Unioneonline / L)