Europe has slid further into crisis as multiple countries face overwhelming numbers Covid-19 cases and deaths.

Germany reported its highest daily death toll of the pandemic with 1,188 fatalities recorded in the past 24 hours. The previous record was 1,129 on December 30.

The country, which was praised for its handling of the first wave of the pandemic, is currently under a stringent national lockdown, which has been extended until January 31.

Correspondent Catherine Field told Tim Dower it wasn't that long ago Germany was almost untouched by the virus.

"Looking at deaths in Germany, the daily week average is 877. A week ago that was only 642.

"Everyone's worried about what they're calling the Christmas effect - they saw what happened in the United States with that Thanksgiving effect when people mixed with friends and families."

Field says France's numbers aren't much better.

"France, the daily average of deaths has now gone up to 387, daily number of new cases up to 18,000. The Prime Minister has said he cannot rule out another national lockdown."