Covid cases are rising in 75% of European countries - here's how the UK compares

Covid-19 cases are rising in 75 per cent of European countries, with much of the continent struggling to vaccinate its populations.

The highest increases in infections have been recorded in central and eastern Europe, which saw large-scale infections peak later than western Europe when the pandemic started a year ago.

Rising cases in Europe

Out of 40 European countries, only nine recorded fewer cases in the first week of March than they did in mid-February, with the largest drops being in Portugal, Spain and the UK.

Spain is the only country in Europe that has a lower Covid-19 case rate than it did at the end of September.

However, much of Europe is seeing case rates increase, with parts of Estonia running out of hospital beds this week, while the Czech Republic and Slovakia have had to move coronavirus patients to other European countries. Meanwhile, Latvian hospitals are preparing for a third coronavirus wave.

Unlike when the pandemic first broke out last year, Europe is now faced with several new variants of the virus which have been found to be much more transmissible and associated with a higher death rate, such as the Kent variant.

It is hoped that the vaccine rollout will help to bring case rates back under control, although the EU is significantly further behind in comparison to the UK.