UK suffers third-worst day for coronavirus cases as Europe hits five million total infections

New measures introduced in bid to halt virus as second wave tears through continent

People queue outside a test centre to take a coronavirus test amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Bolton, Britain, September 17, 2020. REUTERS/Phil Noble
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The UK has recorded its third-worst day for new coronavirus cases as Europe continued to be battered by a second wave with total infections surging past five million.

Just a day after announcing new restrictions, the UK recorded 6,178 new cases and 37 deaths, according to government figures.

There were only two days in Britain’s fight against Covid-19 that exceeded this total - 6,201 confirmed cases were reported on May 1 and 6,199 were recorded on April 5.

On Tuesday, the government announced a series of new measures to prevent a second wave of the virus, including a 10pm curfew for pubs, bars and restaurants.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Everybody should look at what has already happened in the first phases of this pandemic and be in no doubt that it is possible that such a thing could happen again.”

The hospitality industry reacted with anger to the new restrictions, saying that they could destroy some businesses only now just getting back on their feet.

However, scientists said the restrictions didn’t go far enough and would do little to curb the infection rate.

Professor John Edmunds, a member of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the new restrictions were "trivial".

“Overall I don’t think that the measures have gone anywhere near far enough. In fact, I don’t even think the measures in Scotland have gone far enough,” he said.

“I suspect we will see very stringent measures coming in place throughout the UK at some point, but it will be too late again.”

Earlier in the day, UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab refused to rule out a second national lockdown.

He also appeared confused over what the new lockdown rules were after he couldn’t say whether Britons would be able to order a cup of coffee over the counter.

In this handout photo provided by UK Parliament, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson looks on during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons in London, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. The British government is defending its strategy for combating a second wave of COVID-19 cases amid criticism that its new slate of restrictions will not be enough to stop an exponential spread of the coronavirus. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has unveiled new rules that include a 10 p.m. curfew on bars and restaurants and again encouraged people to work from home. (Jessica Taylor/UK Parliament via AP)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the House of Commons. AP

One Conservative figure told the Financial Times: "We told people to eat out, now we're telling them to eat in. We told people to go back to the office, now we're telling them to work from home.

“It's a total shambles and I can't see how people are going to understand it."

In Europe, France and Spain were preparing for tighter restrictions as the total caseload across the continent hit five million.

There were reports that hospitals in the south of France were at “tipping point” with the majority of ICU admissions now coronavirus patients.

President Emmanuel Macron said new curbs would be announced on Wednesday and sources said they could include a ban on alcohol sales after 8pm and restrictions on social gatherings, as well as faster testing.

Paris deputy mayor Anne Souyris, whose city is a Covid-19 hotspot, said: "We are calling on people to be vigilant, we will have to live with this virus for a while.”

The Madrid region, the heart of an explosion of infections in Spain, has already locked down roughly 850,000 people and plans to extend the measures on Friday.