Europe, U.S. renew lockdowns

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker banned indoor dining and drinking in restaurants and bars in Chicago and reimposed a cap on gatherings after a summer of looser restrictions. Every state except Hawaii and Delaware has seen growth in the number of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. White House coronavirus task force member Adm. Brett Giroir said an increase in hospitalizations suggests the higher case count isn’t only due to more testing. On average, more than 71,000 Americans test positive for the coronavirus each day. The number of daily deaths is climbing in 39 states.

Isn’t Europe surging, too? Germany shut down restaurants, bars, and theaters again on Wednesday, and France is considering similar moves. Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, and Switzerland have already gone back into stricter lockdowns. “We are deep in the second wave,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. “I think that this year’s Christmas will be a different Christmas.” Some good news: Melbourne, Australia, mostly lifted its lockdown on Wednesday after 111 days.

Dig deeper: Read Charles Horton’s analysis of the search for a COVID-19 vaccine.