European Commission plan to ban non-essential travel as coronavirus death toll rises

There are so many reports, figures and updates coming out of Europe that it may be time to try and collate the latest into one place, at least once each day. And - so that you don’t have to - I shall try and make sense of what we’re hearing from across the channel on a regular basis.

Much of it may quickly be out of date - things are moving too fast in too many places. But hopefully it will give at least a broad-brush impression of how and where things are moving.

On the EU level the big development on Monday is the proposal by the Commission in Brussels for a ban on all non-essential travel into the Schengen area, with the hope that the UK and Ireland will follow suit. Thirty countries in all would be covered by a ban.

There would be limited exemptions, and UK citizens travelling across the Channel would not be affected. The EU 27 will discuss whether to press ahead with the ban in a video conference on Tuesday, but Germany’s Angela Merkel is already backing it.

A person's has their temperature taken in Turin. Credit: PA

Italy has been another day of horrendous figures for deaths and new infections within the last 24 hours. The latest statistics show that 349 more people have died, pushing the total to 2,158, while 3,233 more people have contracted the disease. The only glimmer of hope is that both figures are down very slightly on Sunday, after rising sharply in previous days.

Does this mean that the lockdown is finally beginning to slow the advance of the virus? It is much too early to tell.

A quiet motorway in Germany. Credit: PA

Germany is planning to close most shops, allowing only supermarkets, laundrettes, post offices and some other essential stores to remain open. Ironically, the very strict Sunday trading laws that normally keep these businesses closed one day a week are to be suspended. Restaurants, clubs and bars are likely to have to close at 6pm.

Madrid is in partial lockdown, leaving the streets eerily quiet. Credit: PA

Spain has seen another sharp rise in confirmed cases to 9,428, with 335 now dead - the worst in Europe outside Italy. Madrid has been particularly hard hit. The country is already pretty much locked down, with the police using drones to urge people to stay indoors.

The hospitalisation rate in Spain is very high, at around 40%, with the Spanish government responding by putting the country’s private hospitals under state control. New border closures were announced on Monday afternoon.

A sign in Portugal shows people to wear masks. Credit: PA

Coronavirus: Everything you need to know

Portugal as a result of the issues in Spain has partially closed its border with their neighbour. Expect to see more of this across the continent.

Sweden has promised laid-off workers they’ll receive 90% of their income, with the state picking up the tab for half of that. It coincides with the news that Scandinavian Airlines are laying off 90% of their workforce.

Emmanuel Macron will address the nation on Monday. Credit: PA

France: President Macron will make a televised address to the nation at 7pm UK time on Monday evening. He has been critical of EU countries closing their borders to each other and urges instead that the Union launches a Pan-European response to the crisis. Closing the external Schengen border may the first step towards that.

Finland has announced a state of emergency. Gatherings of more that 10 people are to be banned, and those over 70 years old are to be quarantined.

Switzerland is deploying 8,000 troops, shutting schools and universities, banning gatherings of more than five people, and closing most of its borders.