Signs of hope in Germany, France but virus strains hospitals

BERLIN (AP) — The surge of new coronavirus cases appears to be slowing in Germany and France, generating hopes that the two European heavyweights are beginning to regain control over the pandemic. But authorities said Thursday that hospitals are crowded and are likely to face further strain in the coming weeks.

Countries across Europe have implemented more or less drastic lockdown measures in recent weeks as they try to tamp down a resurgence of the pandemic, with numbers of confirmed cases hitting records. They have largely overwhelmed contact-tracing efforts even in Germany, which was credited with handling the pandemic's first cases well and is still in better shape than most of its neighbors.

Germany's health minister told his compatriots to brace for a long winter, regardless of whether a partial shutdown succeeds in bringing down the caseload.

“This doesn't mean that things can really get going again everywhere from December or January, and that we can have wedding parties or Christmas celebrations as if nothing were happening — that won't work,” Jens Spahn told RBB Inforadio.

“I don't see having events with more than 10 or 15 people this winter.”

Germany embarked Nov. 2 on its four-week “lockdown light.” Restaurants, bars, sports and leisure facilities have closed, but schools and shops remain open.

Neighboring France, which has confirmed more infections since the pandemic started than any other European country, is two weeks into a tougher monthlong lockdown that has left most adults confined to their homes for all but one hour a day, although schools remain open.

On Thursday, the Robert Koch Institute, Germany's national disease control center, said 21,866 new cases were recorded in the past 24 hours in the nation of 83 million. That’s...