European nations smash Covid-19 records as WHO warns daily deaths could surpass April peak - CNN

France set a new record for daily coronavirus cases Thursday with 30,621 new confirmed cases in 24 hours, according to data released by the French Health Authority.

The Czech Republic, which had managed to effectively contain the virus early on in the pandemic, broke its record for new infections for a second day running on Friday with 9,721 cases in 24 hours.

It now has a higher infection rate over a 14-day notification period than any other European member state, reporting 610 cases per 100,000 people, according to figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Germany also broke its record for new coronavirus infections for a second day in a row Friday, according to the country's disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute.

A week earlier only 487 had been in ICU.

Italy recorded 8,804 new infections Thursday -- its highest daily increase in coronavirus cases since the beginning of the pandemic, according to figures from its health ministry.

Schools in the Italian region of Campania are to be online only for two weeks from Friday, its governor announced Thursday.