COVID-19 death toll in Europe passes 300,000

By Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) – More than 300,000 people have died of COVID-19 across Europe as countries are seeing a resurgence in the novel infection.

Overall, the continent has reported nearly 12.5 million cases and more than 306,000 deaths, according to data by the US-based Johns Hopkins University.

Coronavirus-related deaths in 28 states included in the European Economic Area are 255,843.

The tally is as follows: Italy (42,953), France (42,599), Spain (40,105), Belgium (13,758), Germany (12,007), Poland (9,080), Romania (8,510), Netherlands (8,286), Sweden (6,082), Czechia (5,570), Portugal (3,103), Hungary (2,784), Ireland (1,965), Bulgaria (1,898), Austria (1,564), Greece (909), Croatia (925), Denmark (753), Slovenia (686), Slovakia (464), Finland (365), Norway (285), Lithuania (244), Luxembourg (198), Latvia (105), Estonia (76), Malta (88) and Iceland (24), and the UK (50,457).

The number reaches 306,805 if fatalities in Russia (31,755), Switzerland (3,137), Ukraine (9,422), and the Balkan states of Belarus (1,027), Albania (590), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1,750), Kosovo (777), Montenegro (356), North Macedonia (1,212), and Serbia (936) are also included.

The UK has the highest death toll, followed by Italy, France, Spain, Russia, Belgium and Germany.

While governments have ordered a second series of restrictions amid the second wave, the region is hoping for vaccines by early next year to end the crisis that has devastated the global economy.