German Chancellor Angela Merkel has extended tough restrictions to combat the spread of coronavirus until February 14. This was reported by the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper.
According to Merkel, the reduction in the number of infected people is “reason for hope”, but the new strain of COVID-19 poses a particular danger, so the restrictions cannot yet be relaxed.
Also, residents of Germany were obliged to wear only medical masks or respirators in public transport and in stores. Prior to that, citizens could wear rag masks or cover their nose and mouth with a scarf.
In addition, the rule to reduce social contacts will be in force, schools and kindergartens remain closed.
Earlier it was reported that in the south of Germany, in Bavaria, a previously unknown mutation of the coronavirus was discovered, due to which there was an outbreak of the disease in a local hospital. 52 patients and 21 employees of the clinic were infected with a new variation of the virus.
According to the latest data, more than two million cases of coronavirus infection were recorded in Germany, 1.7 million people recovered, another 48.4 thousand died.
