London (CNN) Concern is mounting in Europe as countries smash records for daily coronavirus cases and the World Health Organization warns that the daily death toll on the continent could reach five times its April peak within months. "The fall/winter surge continues to unfold in Europe with exponential increases in daily cases and matching percentage increases in daily deaths," WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told a news briefing Thursday. France set a new record for daily coronavirus cases Thursday with 30,621 new confirmed cases in 24 hours, according to data released by the French Health Authority. Germany also broke its record for new coronavirus infections for a second day in a row Friday, according to the country's disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute. Italy recorded 8,804 new infections Thursday -- its highest daily increase in coronavirus cases since the beginning of the pandemic, according to figures from its health ministry.

Source: CNN October 16, 2020 13:18 UTC