TOP HEADLINES

- Portugal's health minister Marta Temido has admitted the country's health service is under pressure and has described the situation as "grave."

- World Health Organization spokesperson Margaret Harris has urged European countries to provide clearer guidance for those who have to self-isolate to counter act the "alarming increase in cases and deaths" across the continent. 

- The cities of Logrono and Arnedo, located in Spain's wine-producing La Rioja region, have closed all their restaurants and bars for a month.

- Germany's cases could reach 20,000 a day by the end of the week according to economy minister Peter Altmaier.

- "There will not be sufficient doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the entire population (in Europe) before the end of 2021," a European Commission official has told EU state diplomats.

- Sweden registered a record rise in new cases last Friday, with 1,870, the country’s health agency revealed on Tuesday.

- Czechia has implemented a 9 p.m. curfew from Wednesday as it attempts to slow the spread of the virus. 

- Slovakia has the chance to avoid a complete lockdown by successfully implementing its nationwide testing system, its prime minister Igor Matovic said. 

- Italy's health ministry has advised the country's citizens against journeys to other European nations amid "the worsening epidemiological situation" across the continent. 

- Bulgaria's prime minister Boyko Borissov has urged the country's citizens to observe anti-virus measures as he continues his recovery at home after testing positive last week. 

ACROSS EUROPE

Stefan de Vries in Amsterdam

Prime Minister Mark Rutte will give a press conference on Tuesday evening, but sources in The Hague do not expect new restrictions yet. The government would like to monitor the situation for a few more days before taking stricter measures to stop the second wave. 

The Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Dordrecht has closed its doors for 24 hours for new coronavirus patients. The board of directors spoke of an "unavoidable choice" because the hospital had reached a "critical point." Other hospitals are almost operating at full capacity.

On Monday, there were 10,353 new cases, a slight increase compared with the days before, with 506 patients in intensive care (up 16 on the previous day). On Monday 26 people who had COVID-19 died – one fewer than Sunday.

Toni Waterman in Brussels

According to reports, doctors in Liege who test positive for COVID-19 but are asymptomatic have been asked to continue working as the Belgian city sees a surge in cases. One in three tests in Liege are now coming back positive and the BBC reports that a quarter of all medical staff are off sick. 

Hospitals throughout Belgium have already been forced to cancel non-urgent surgeries and health experts expect half of all the country's COVID-19 ICU beds to be occupied by the end of the week.  

More than 28,300 new cases were added to the national tally in the past 24 hours. The country averaged 48 deaths a day in the past week, with hospital admissions up 88 percent in the same timeframe. 

Andrew Wilson in the UK

Research from Imperial College London has found that the body's defences against the coronavirus diminish quite rapidly after infection. The study found that the number of people testing positive for antibodies has fallen by 26 percent between June and September.

About 1,000 patients a day are being admitted to UK hospitals, about a third of the number at the peak. Coronavirus-related deaths however are currently about a fifth of the level in the spring as doctors build experience in dealing more effectively with the disease.

Nearly a million people face tougher lockdown restrictions after it was announced that Nottingham and Warrington would be moved to the highest alert level.

More than seven million people in northern England are now under the strictest restrictions. A group of Conservative MPs has complained to the prime minister about his strategy in the north demanding clarity about an exit route from the measures.

Ross Cullen in Paris

Emmanuel Macron chaired the first of two special 'health defence councils' on Tuesday morning. The French president met top ministers to discuss a possible widening of coronavirus restrictions to include local lockdowns as the situation across the country worsens. 

France now has the world's fifth-highest total number of COVID-19 infections. One idea reported to be on the table is to bring forward the curfew that is in place in 12 cities across France which have been classed as being on maximum coronavirus alert. The curfew currently runs from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. but the government could extend it to start two hours earlier.

The leaders of both houses and the heads of political parties are meeting the prime minister on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the response to the second wave. Overnight, MPs passed a bill on the government's latest economic recovery plan.

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