he UK government is under increasing pressure to act to curb a sharp rise in Covid cases.

As infections surpassed the 50,000 mark on Thursday, senior health officials warned tighter restrictions would be needed to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.

Ministers have yet to enact “Plan B” emergency measures – including working from home, mandatory masks and vaccine passports – although hospital admissions have shown a steady increase in week to week.

The measures would bring the UK into line with the rest of Western Europe, which has seen relatively low infection rates.

Using data from Statistical, The Evening Standard compared infection rates and Covid policy across European countries to find out just how serious the situation in Britain is.

Latvia returned to lockdown for a month on Thursday following a sharp rise in cases, becoming the first EU country to do so since the bloc began reopening earlier this year.

Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said the country’s health service “was in danger” amid an increase in hospital admissions, attributing the increase to the large part of the population refusing to be vaccinated.

According to the latest figures, the country has only fully vaccinated 54% of its population, well below the European average of 74%.

As of October 21, the country’s infection rate stood at 809.3 per 100,000 in the past seven days. That’s below Georgia’s 821.2 but well above UK’s 476.9.

This despite reopening Latvia slower and more cautiously than Britain, with indoor dining only allowed from mid-June – almost a month after the UK.

The Baltic country has also imposed vaccine passports for international travel since August.

Under the new lockdown rules, all hospitality venues and stores will close, with only essential manufacturing and construction work allowed to continue.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been criticized for his handling of the pandemic, but Spain now has one of the lowest infection rates in Europe.

In the seven days to October 21, Spain’s infection rate stood at 27.8 infections per 100,000 people – just 6% of the UK’s.

This despite the removal of all major restrictions in most parts of the country – football stadiums now teeming with supporters and nightclubs crowded.

Spain, however, has retained the mandatory regulations on indoor masks and also has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, with 79% of the population fully injected.

Restrictions are set regionally, with some regions like Murcia only allowing six people to dine together indoors. In Andalusia, theaters, cinemas, auditoriums, places of worship and concert halls have regained their capacity of 100%.

The infection rate in Germany is currently 85.6 cases per 100,000. This is about one-sixth that of the United Kingdom.

The country has been praised for handling the pandemic in the early stages, successfully limiting deaths through a program of mass testing and lockdown restrictions.

Despite a slow start, Germany’s immunization levels have caught up with the rest of Europe. As of October 22, about 69% of the population had been fully vaccinated.

This still lags behind the UK which has doubled 77% of the adult population.

Restrictions related to Covid remain more severe in Germany. Anyone wishing to enter indoor reception areas must present proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test.

As in Spain, policies vary by region, but most major regions – including Berlin, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland – now require a Covid pass and mask rules remain.

France has experienced a low rate of infection due to high levels of vaccination, having suffered one of the highest death rates during the pandemic.

The country’s case rate of 49.2 per 100,000 people puts it above Spain and Italy but well below the UK.

France also recorded 35 deaths on Thursday – less than a third of Britain. The country has fully immunized 68% of the population.

Meanwhile, the country has some of the strictest vaccine passport rules, with a “health pass” required to enter almost all indoor sites.

France lifted the requirement to wear a face mask outdoors in October, but it is still mandatory to cover your face indoors – unlike Britain.

The Scandinavian nation stood out for choosing to pursue a strategy of collective immunity at the start of the pandemic.

However, the death toll in the country has largely eclipsed its neighbors, Denmark and Norway, which have opted for tighter restrictions.

But, after a successful vaccination campaign, the country now has one of the lowest infection rates in Europe with 38.1 cases per 100,000. Two-thirds of the population are now doubly vaccinated.

Sweden’s response was underpinned by a strong public health message, relying heavily on voluntary recommendations on issues such as social distancing and hygiene.

However, an increase in the number of cases sparked a wave of new restrictions over the summer, with crowd limits being placed at concerts, sporting events and restaurants. These are now lifted.

As countries in Europe reopen, Romania reported a record number of coronavirus deaths and infections on Tuesday.

Hospitals have been pushed to breaking point, with emergency beds fully occupied across the country while mortuaries are operating at full capacity.

Romania’s infection rate of 541 cases per 100,000 in the week to October 21 is the 7th highest in Europe and far higher than the UK.

The eastern European country has the second-lowest vaccination rate in the EU, with just 36% of the population fully vaccinated, almost half the rate for Britain. More than 90% of Covid deaths in Romania in October were unvaccinated people, data shows.

Romania began a gradual easing of restrictions for low incidence areas in early May and almost fully opened in early July – despite low vaccination levels. Reception venues have reopened and the rules for face masks have been removed.