Austria has announced a nighttime curfew and the closure of cafes, bars and restaurants to all but take-away service as coronavirus infections approach what the government says is an unsustainable level for its hospital system.
The country had a swift, comprehensive and effective lockdown during its first wave of infections in March but had held off similar action even as daily cases rose to several times the spring peak.
But with daily infections having surged to more than 5,600 on Friday — a new record just short of the 6,000 level at which the government says hospitals will be stretched beyond capacity — the conservative-led government was forced to act.
