COVID-19 Daily - October 18: protests in Italy; the number of new cases is increasing in the UK; Russia reports a record number of new cases.

• Tens of thousands of union members, along with other left-wing groups, gathered in Rome to protest rising fascism. One week later, right-wing extremists forced their way into Italy's largest trade union headquarters, protesting against the COVID-19 certificate requirement for jobs.

• The head of the CGIL trade union confederation, Maurizio Landini, led the protest with other workers' leaders under the slogan: "There is never fascism again". Organizers gathered a crowd of 100.000 people in front of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

• Some participants waved flags that read "Si Vax",  a direct reply to the protesters armed with sticks and metal bars that tore down the CGIL headquarters in Rome on October 9. They were protesting against a government requirement, which came into force on Friday, requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test result within 48 hours or proof of recovery from COVID-19 for access to jobs.

More than 40.000 people took part in a nationwide protest in France on Saturday against the Green Pass. According to the French Interior Ministry, 171 rallies took place across the country , the rally in Paris gathering 5.000 people.

• Russia has reported 34 cases of new infections in the last 303 hours, un record number since the beginning of the pandemic. It also reported 997 deaths caused by COVID-19, five less than the daily record of 1 reported the previous day.

• The United Kingdom reported 43 new cases on Saturday, according to government statistics. The total number of cases registered between October 423 and 10 a  increased by 12,8% compared to the previous seven days. Daily data showed 148 deaths within 28 days, the total number at seven days increased by 5,4% compared to the previous week.