As UK begins vaccination, COVID-19 cases in Europe top 20 million

As the first coronavirus vaccine jabs were administered in the UK on Tuesday, Europe recorded a total 20 million COVID-19 cases as several areas continued to be in various stages of lockdown in the continent amid a second wave of the virus.

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Germany's Saxony region announced strict lockdown measures after it became a new coronavirus hotspot. Saxony reported 319 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days which is double the rate of the country.

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The German eastern region decided to shut schools moving classes online with shops selling non-essential items also ordered to close as the country continues to grapple with the virus.

According to reports, nearly 40 per cent new coronavirus cases in the last seven days worldwide were in Europe. There are at least 67 million coronavirus cases recorded across the world since the outbreak was first recorded in China's Wuhan on December 31, 2019.

In Italy, the death toll crossed 60,000 and over 1.7 million infections with 564 coronavirus-related deaths reported on Sunday becoming the sixth nation in the world to surpass 60,000 death mark and second after the UK which has over 61,500 fatalities so far.

Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases, Italy's interior minister Luciana Lamorgese tested positive for the virus on Monday.

Italy has been witnessing rising hospitalizations for the past one month with intensive care occupancy reportedly increasing by nearly 100 per day.

Governments across Europe have been trying to ensure the virus spread does not go out of control during the busy Christmas holiday season as families congregate amid strict guidelines on gathering imposed in several countries.