COVID CHAOS
Germany’s new coronavirus infections hit five-day high after warning country may be forced to bring back lockdown
GERMANY faces bringing back a stricter lockdown after new coronavirus infections reached a five-day high and saw a spike in the daily death toll.
The country has been easing its lockdown after faring better than its European neighbours following an aggressive policy of Covid-19 mass testing.
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Yesterday Germany announced it would re-open museums, galleries, zoos and playgrounds and allow religious services to resume, in measures agreed by the Chancellor Angela Merkel along with the leaders of 16 federal states.
But new figures suggesting a rise of infections could now scupper this with Merkel saying the relaxation would be reviewed next week.
She said: "We must work to make sure we bring the number of new infections down further.
"If the infection curve becomes steep again, we need to have a warning system to notice it early and be able to act."
According to the German disease and epidemic control center, Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 160,758, with a total of 6,481 deaths reported.
If the infection curve becomes steep again, we need to have a warning system to notice it early and be able to act
German leader Angela Merkel
Cases surged by 1,639 which is a five-day high.
France is due to outline plans for regions recording lower infection totals to begin easing lockdown measures.
But in Italy its lockdown has been thrown into turmoil after regional leaders defied the central government and began opening shops and restaurants four days before they were supposed to.
Prime minister Giuseppe Conte slammed the “rashness” of local politicians who opened up bars and pizzerias at what he called a “delicate stage” of the coronavirus crisis.
Mr Conte said: “Initiatives involving less restrictive measures are contrary to national rules and are therefore to all intents and purposes illegitimate.”
Meanwhile the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned nations must prepare for a second and third wave, potentially more deadlier than the first.
Dr Hans Kluge, the head of the WHO in Europe, said: “Covid-19 is not going away any time soon.
“One of the things we saw very clearly in different countries is the speed with which even the best health systems can be overwhelmed and devastated.
“So the biggest lesson overall at this stage would be that health really deserves to be at the top of the political agenda.
“Health is a driver of the economy — what we see now is that without health, there is no economy. Without health, there is no national security.
The UK remains under strict lockdown measures.
Latest figures show 26,771 people have died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after being infected with Covid-19.
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