TOP HEADLINES

• The data that will decide if England's lockdown restrictions can be lifted on July 19 is looking "very positive", according to UK housing secretary Robert Jenrick. He added that wearing masks would likely be a matter of personal choice after that date.

• However, a doctors' union has warned England should keep some coronavirus measures beyond July 19 to help limit the virus' spread. Following a sharp rise in cases, the British Medical Association wants people to continue using face masks.

• The Portuguese government hopes to vaccinate a further 1.7 million people over the next two weeks as infections caused by the more contagious Delta variant continue to surge. Around 35 percent of its population has been fully vaccinated, with those aged 18 to 29 eligible for the jab from today.

• Italian police have broken up several online schemes offering fake EU digital coronavirus status certificates. Brussels on Thursday launched its digital certificate designed to help citizens travel across the bloc in a bid to open up summer tourism.

• A Serbian Olympic athlete has tested positive for the virus on arrival in Japan, the second incident of an overseas team member bringing coronavirus into the country ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games. Set to start on July 23, there are concerns the event could lead to another wave of infections in Japan.

• Russia has recorded its highest number of daily cases since early January, reporting 25,142 new infections on Sunday, as the country battles the surging Delta variant.

• As air travel begins to pick up again this summer, European airlines such as Air France are having to check for fungus, bugs and bird nests in their planes, many of which have been grounded for months at a time, before sending them back in the air.

• The pandemic has driven sea freight prices to record highs, according to industry experts. The disruption of maritime logistics chains prompted by coronavirus has recently seen trips from China to Europe exceed $10,000, compared with $1,600 at the same time last year.

• Hundreds of healthcare workers in Italy have launched a legal challenge against the requirement that they get vaccinated. Anyone working in Italy's social health services, including in pharmacies and doctors' offices, must be vaccinated or risk suspension without pay.

AROUND EUROPE

Nawied Jabarkhyl in London

A senior UK government minister has said wearing masks will be a "personal choice" once most coronavirus measures are lifted later this month. Housing secretary Robert Jenrick made the comments to Sky News.

July 19, dubbed "Freedom Day", is the current date for which social limits on life are to be removed. But doctors' union the British Medical Association has warned face masks should still be used beyond that date to contain the virus, also calling for a renewed focus on ventilating properties.

And large crowds gathered across England on Saturday evening as the country beat Ukraine 4-0 to reach the semi-finals of the Euro 2020 football championships. They'll face Denmark in the last four on Wednesday.

Italy

Just days after the EU launched its digital coronavirus certificate for travelling within the bloc, Italian police announced they had broken up a number of online schemes offering to sell fake versions of the digital document. 

Led by the cybercrime prosecutor's office in Milan, the investigation shows that thousands of people were ready to pay for false certificates. The police said they had taken control of 10 channels on the encrypted messaging service Telegram linked to illegal marketplaces in the so-called dark web. 

Prices ranged from $130-155 for an "all inclusive" package of fake pass and purported vial of vaccine. "About 250,000 users had registered, and a hundred tried to interact with the sellers," said Gian Luca Berruti, head of the Milan tax police's cyber-fraud unit.

Police have identified a number of suspects, but did not disclose any further details.

Russia

Russia has reported its highest number of daily infections since early January, recording 25,142 new cases on Sunday, as the country battles the surging Delta variant.

Reporting record numbers of coronavirus deaths for five days in a row on Saturday, caseloads have continued to skyrocket since mid-June amid vaccine hesitancy and alleged suspicion of home-grown jabs.

The government has ruled out a nationwide lockdown, but this week Russian President Vladimir Putin once again urged citizens to get vaccinated and "listen to experts".

Vaccine hesitancy has been a big challenge for the government, and Moscow was the first Russian city to introduce mandatory vaccinations. City authorities said at least 60 percent of service industry workers would be fully inoculated by mid-August.

FROM OUR GLOBAL COLLEAGUES

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CGTN Europe has been providing in-depth coverage of the novel coronavirus story as it has unfolded.