⁍ European governments prepare to introduce new restrictions to try to curb a growing surge of coronavirus infections.

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⁍ Eight months into the crisis, world leaders face an increasingly difficult task holding the disease at bay.

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⁍ Hundreds of protesters took to the streets across Italy on Monday to vent their anger at the latest round of restrictions.

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– Russia is telling its citizens to wear face masks in public and close bars and restaurants overnight to stop the spread of a virus that has killed at least 25 people in Europe. The H7N9 virus, which causes a common cold-like illness, has turned into a pandemic in Europe, with the continent registering a record 230,892 new cases on Oct. 26, up from 67,739 on Oct. 1, reports Reuters. In Italy, hundreds of protesters took to the streets Monday, hurling Molotov cocktails at police, who responded with volleys of tear gas. In nearby Turin, luxury shops had their windows smashed and some were ransacked, leading to the arrest of 10 rioters. In France, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin warned the country to prepare for “difficult decisions” after some of the strictest restrictions currently in place anywhere in Europe have failed to halt the spread of the disease. A top World Health Organization official said Monday that Europe needed a “serious acceleration” in the fight against the coronavirus, saying a lack of contact-tracing capacity could drive the disease into the darkness. A new study by Imperial College London found that antibodies against the new coronavirus declined rapidly in the British population during summer, suggesting protection after infection may not be long-lasting. Even Germany, widely praised for its initial response, signaled concern on Tuesday over rising infections, with Economy Minister Peter Altmaier saying the country was likely to reach 20,000 cases a day by the end of the week. Altmaier said the Europe-wide epidemic would make it harder for economic growth to rebound as previously hoped. Adding to the gloomy sentiment, European equities fell in early trading as risk-aversion swept markets.