India is preparing for a surge in COVID-19 as winter festival season nears, with the number of infections now limited to 6 million. Meanwhile, Europe is locking down ahead of its own holiday season. DW has the latest.
Asia-Pacific
The number of coronavirus cases in India – the world's second-worst hit country in terms of figures – has topped 6 million on Monday as the country grapples with the prospect of a difficult winter.
Authorities are getting ready for a surge as Diwali — the country's most important religious festival, which this year takes place on November 14 — approaches.Experts have said crowds gathering for the event could exacerbate the coronavirus crisis.
The winter pollution crisis, which hits Delhi each year, could also make things worse. The Indian capital saw a record increase in figures last week.
In neighboring Pakistan, authorities have ordered all businesses, including restaurants, wedding halls, and markets, to close after 10 p.m. The country has also seen an increase in cases this month.
The tiny Pacific archipelago of the Marshall Islands has reported its first cases of the coronavirus after two people who flew from Hawaii to a US military base tested positive. The islands had, until now, been one of the last places in the world to have reported no cases of the virus.
Europe
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron have ordered their countries back into lockdown, as the second wave threatens to overwhelm Europe.
Addressing German lawmakers on Thursday, Merkel said the coronavirus threatens to "overwhelm" the country's health system.
The European Central Bank is under mounting pressure to signal further monetary stimulus as new restrictions darken the economic outlook for the eurozone.
