The World Health Organization said there were more than 700,000 new COVID-19 cases reported in Europe last week, a jump of 34% compared to the previous week, with Britain, France, Russia and Spain accounting for more than half of new infections recorded in the region, AP reported.

The increasing case numbers in Europe are partly the result of more testing, but the UN health agency noted that deaths were also up 16% in the region last week compared to the previous week. Doctors are also warning that while many new cases currently affect younger people, who tend to have milder symptoms, the median age could rise again, resulting in more serious illnesses in elderly populations.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte ordered bans on pickup sports games among friends and parties in closed spaces. Private gatherings at homes with more than six people who don’t live together are also discouraged.

Like other European countries, Italy is also limiting nightlife, with bars and restaurants having to close at midnight, and drinking while standing at a bar banned after 9 p.m.

Italy made wearing masks mandatory outdoors last week, a requirement already in place in Spain, Turkey, India and a handful of other Asian countries. Elsewhere in Europe, such mandates are in effect in hot spot cities like Paris, Brussels and Pristina, Kosovo, and are being introduced in several German cities.

Even with virus infections rising again, governments are eager to avoid the total lockdowns they imposed back then that caused huge economic damage and job losses. Wary of hurting already fragile economies, European governments have instead relied on a patchwork of regional restrictions that have sometimes caused confusion and frustration by those affected.

Still, the UN health agency cautioned Tuesday against a one-size-fits-all mindset when it comes to restrictive measures. WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva that lockdowns should be a “last resort.”

Chancellor Angela Merkel has summoned the governors of Germany’s 16 states to meet in person Wednesday for the first time since mid-June. Bavarian governor Markus Soeder called for “a really clear set of rules for everyone in the coming weeks” to prevent the situation spinning out of control.

In an effort to avoid to keep people and goods moving throughout the European Union, member countries approved a traffic light system Tuesday.

The countries agreed to not restrict people traveling between so-called green areas — where virus infection numbers are low — but EU governments will continue to set their own restrictions, such as quarantines or mandatory testing upon arrival, for people coming from orange or red zones.

Under the criteria adopted Tuesday, most of EU regions would be either red or orange.

Addressing a Saturday session of the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters, Rouhani said the health restrictions for the battle with COVID-19 would be soon intensified in Tehran.

The new scheme and health protocols will later apply to other big cities across Iran, the president added.

He said the stepped-up restrictions would include punishment for not wearing a face mask or breaching the health protocols in public places.

The president called on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and clerics to promote the culture of observing the health protocols in the fight against the pandemic.

The daily death toll from coronavirus infection in Iran once again exceeded 200 on Friday, while the total number of cases since the outbreak of the disease in the country is close to 440,000.

More than 25,000 COVID-19 patients have died in Iran since February.

Anushirvan Mohseni Bandpay said the weeklong new bans in Tehran, imposed in coordination with the Coronavirus Fight Headquarters, would result in the closure of certain businesses and activities.

According to the new decision, all universities, schools, boarding schools, seminaries, technical and vocational schools, language teaching and other educational institutes, libraries, theaters, museums, garden museums, ceremony halls, women’s barbershops, beauty salons, mosques, and musallas will be closed for one week.

The forced closures also apply to the gyms, cafeterias, coffee shops, teahouses, zoos, amusement parks, water parks, indoor swimming pools, and fitness centers.

The provincial governor also declared a ban on all social, cultural, and religious gatherings as well as conferences in order to deal with the new wave of coronavirus in Tehran Province.

Iran’s Health Ministry on Monday reported 203 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, one of the highest single-day tolls since the viral disease broke out in February.

At least 222,000 patients have recovered from the coronavirus infection so far or have been discharged from hospitals across Iran.

In comments at a Saturday meeting of the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters, Rouhani said wearing a face mask in all public places will be obligatory as of tomorrow.

People without masks will not receive services at government offices and institutions, he noted, adding that government employees will also be barred from entering offices if they refuse to wear a mask or observe the health regulations.

The president also emphasized that hiding the coronavirus infection is a violation of the rights of others, saying anybody aware of contracting COVID-19 is duty-bound to inform others on humanitarian and religious grounds.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani praised the Health Ministry and all Iranian medical staff for their great job in making efforts to tackle the pandemic.

The death toll from the novel coronavirus and the number of new cases of infection in Iran has risen sharply in recent weeks after the reopening of businesses and public places.

The death toll from COVID-19 in Iran has exceeded 11,200 and the total number of coronavirus cases has reached 235,429.

An official from the Iranian Judiciary said in March that according to the country’s regulations, making any threat to public health is a crime, and those aware of being infected with coronavirus and hiding it will be jailed for at least one year.