Greece has imposed a five-hour night curfew and other restrictions on the popular travel island of Mykonos because of a "worrying" spike in local Covid-19 infections, officials said.
The measures include a curfew from 1am to 6am and a ban on bars, clubs and restaurants from playing music, and are effective immediately until 26 July, deputy civil protection minister Nikos Hardalias said in a statement.
"We call on the residents, visitors and business owners of our beautiful island to follow the measures faithfully...so that the spread of the virus can be swiftly checked and Mykonos can return to normal," Mr Hardalias said.
One of Greece's top travel destinations, Mykonos draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually - including a steady stream of celebrities - to its picturesque beaches and vibrant nightlife.
But Greek authorities have been lately alarmed by the number of clandestine parties held in the island's numerous villas.
Mr Hardalias on 15 July had warned that active cases on Mykonos had quadrupled to over 300 in just a week.
He said today organisers of private gatherings of over 20 people risk fines of up to €200,000.
Greece is experiencing a steady climb in Covid-19 infections in recent days, largely blamed on the more contagious Delta variant.
Nearly 2,700 new cases were announced nationwide yesterday, compared to fewer than 400 three weeks prior.
France tightens rules for some arrivals from Europe
France has announced it will require people arriving from some European countries who are not fully vaccinated to show a negative Covid test taken within the previous 24 hours.
Arrivals from the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece and the Netherlands will be subject to the new rule, which comes into effect from midnight, Prime Minister Jean Castex said in a statement.
Up to now, people arriving from the United Kingdom are required to show a negative test taken within the past 48 hours.
Arrivals from Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Greece have had to show tests taken within 72 hours.
But Mr Castex said that people who are fully vaccinated with a jab recognised by the European Medicines Agency - Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johson -- will not be required to show a test.
The statement said the exemption was in place because "vaccines are effective against the virus, and in particular its variant Delta".
Tunisia, Mozambique, Cuba and Indonesia have also been added to France's so-called red list.
Travel from red list countries is only allowed on pressing grounds and even then vaccinated travellers must self-isolate for seven days.
Italy reports 13 coronavirus deaths, 3,121 new cases
Italy reported 13 coronavirus-related deaths today against 11 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections rose to 3,121 from 2,898.
Italy has registered 127,864 deaths linked to Covid-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the eighth-highest in the world.
The country has reported 4.28 million cases to date.
Patients in hospital with Covid-19 - not including those in intensive care - stood at 1,111 today, edging up from 1,088 a day earlier.
There were nine new admissions to intensive care units, down from 13 yesterday. The total number of intensive care patients rose to 162 from a previous 161.
Some 244,797 tests for Covid-19 were carried out in the past day, compared with a previous 205,602, the health ministry said.
Mecca welcomes fully vaccinated pilgrims
Pilgrims will begin to arrive in the Muslim holy city of Mecca today for the second downsized hajj staged during the coronavirus pandemic with only fully vaccinated residents permitted to participate.
The kingdom seeks to repeat last year's success that saw no virus outbreak during the five-day ritual but nonetheless caused resentment among Muslims abroad.
It is allowing 60,000 residents of Saudi Arabia to participate through a lottery, higher than in 2020 but drastically lower than in normal times. Religious rites will begin tomorrow.
In 2019, 2.5 million Muslims from around the world participated in the annual hajj -- a key pillar of Islam that is a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime.
Earlier this month, the hajj ministry said it was working on the "highest levels of health precautions" in light of the pandemic and the emergence of new variants.
The hajj went ahead last year on the smallest scale in modern history, with authorities initially saying only 1,000 pilgrims would be allowed, before local media said up to 10,000 took part.
No infections were reported as authorities set up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater for the pilgrims, who were taken to the religious sites in small batches.
In normal years, the pilgrimage packs large crowds into congested religious sites, but even this year's downscaled events are seen as a potential mechanism for contagion.
Russia nears six million cases
Russia reported 25,116 new Covid-19 cases this morning, including 4,561 in Moscow, taking the official national tally since the pandemic began to 5,933,115.
Russia is in the grip of a surge in cases that authorities have blamed on the contagious Delta variant and the slow rate of vaccinations.
The government coronavirus task force said 787 people had died of coronavirus-linked causes in the past 24 hours, pushing the national death toll to 147,655.
The federal statistics agency has kept a separate count and has said Russia recorded around 290,000 deaths related to Covid-19 from April 2020 to May 2021.
Covid-19 outbreak hits Scottish prison
An outbreak of coronavirus has hit a Scottish prison, with nearly 100 inmates affected so far.
Some 97 prisoners at HMP Perth tested positive for the virus forcing everyone living there to isolate while mass testing gets under way, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said.
Inmates will not have access to courts, lawyers, family visits and cannot use the gym, but will be allowed fresh air and showers as well as use of mobile phones, the SPS added.
The service said a "significant number" of affected prisoners did not have symptoms.
HMP Perth holds an average of 678 prisoners per day and is home to male offenders on remand and short and long-term offenders, including prisoners serving life sentences.
A spokesman said: "The safety and wellbeing of all those living and working in our establishments is a priority for the Scottish Prison Service.
"We are currently managing an outbreak in HMP Perth. There are currently 97 confirmed cases of Covid amongst those in our care at HMP Perth. A significant number of these individuals are asymptomatic positives.
"As a precautionary measure, all individuals living in HMP Perth are currently isolating whilst mass testing is carried out."
A further update will be provided on Monday, the spokesman added.
