Cafes, pubs and restaurants are closed in Madrid.
(Photo: REUTERS)
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The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has now declared the Spanish capital of Madrid and the Austrian state of Tyrol to be risk areas due to the spread of the novel corona virus.
Italy, Iran, Hubei Province in China, North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea and the Grand Est region in France have all been on the RKI’s list.
+++ 00:30 Catalonia plans its own exclusion zone +++
Catalonia plans to establish a restricted area to combat the spread of the coronavirus epidemic in the north-east of the country. This measure is intended to “prevent the collapse of the (Catalan) health system,” said Regional President Quim Torra. For this he needs the help of the central government. A Spanish region cannot actually declare itself a restricted zone and then implement this measure. Catalonia, ruled by separatists, has been known for years as a “rebellious” region. That is why some media in Spain interpreted Torra’s words to mean that the restricted area was a matter of decision. “The (Spanish) state must support us and stop arrivals at ports, airports and rail traffic. We have communicated this. We are now waiting for a response to make the exclusion zone effective,” said Torra at a press conference.
The number of infected had risen from 319 to 509 on Friday, according to authorities. Six of these people died. A total of more than 5200 infections were counted throughout Spain until late at night. There have also been 133 deaths. At an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s left government coalition wants to declare the alarm state by decree on Saturday.
+++ 23:58: Italians make music on balconies +++
Everyone for themselves, but all together: millions of Italians have to stay at home because of the corona virus – but they can still play on balconies. Of North to South therefore stood on Friday evening at the same time people with instruments or singing on their balconies or at the windows to tune songs against fear, loneliness and boredom in isolation. The whole country was there at the “Flashmob sonoro” (sounding flash mob): harp players, flutists, pianists, children on drums, guitar players and dancing people on balconies could be seen in videos. Rome’s Mayor Virginia Raggi also joined the campaign “Show you at the window”. “Together we can do it,” she said on social media. After China, Italy is the country with the most Covid 19 victims. The whole country is now a restricted area with strict requirements not to leave the house except in necessary cases such as shopping.
For companies that stumble, there should be liquidity support.
(Photo: AP)
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+++ 23:10 Merkel: “Are financially prepared for crisis aid” +++
Chancellor Angela Merkel sees the German government financially well equipped to fight the economic consequences of the corona virus. At a meeting with business associations and unions in the Chancellery, she confirmed that she was doing everything necessary to stabilize the economy in this particular situation. “We have been doing well in recent years. The financial reserves are there,” she said. The government launched a comprehensive package on Friday, including unlimited liquidity support for affected companies.
Industry President Dieter Kempf said that the federal government had done the right thing in view of the increasing risk of recession. “It is commendable that the government does not show any financial limits in advance. So there is no need to worry about finite resources and a greyhound race.” The easier granting of tax deferrals and the waiver of enforcement measures are to be welcomed in principle. It would also be desirable to enable the unbureaucratic reimbursement of continued payments if employees were quarantined by official order.
+++ 22:29 Trump “probably” wants to be tested now +++
In his own words, US President Donald Trump “probably” wants to undergo a coronavirus test. He could do such a test “very soon,” Trump said at a press conference. At the same time, he emphasizes that he has no symptoms of illness. Trump had got in touch with one of his employees at a meeting with Brazil’s head of state Jair Bolsonaro last weekend, in which the virus was later detected. A photo posted by the employee on the Internet shows him alongside Trump and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. So far, the White House has stated that a test is not necessary. An investigation at Bolsonaro was negative on Friday.
+++ 22:12 Germany restricts participation in military maneuvers “Defender” +++
Due to the spread of the corona epidemic, the Bundeswehr is also restricting its share in the “Defender Europe 20” military maneuver. The Bundeswehr announced that participation in exercises at the Bergen-Munster military training area in Lower Saxony in April had been canceled. 250 soldiers from the army should have participated there. The United States has now frozen the deployment of additional troops across the Atlantic. Defender Europe 20 was designed to be the largest US military relocation exercise in 25 years. According to previous plans, a total of 20,000 soldiers should be sent across the Atlantic. A total of 37,000 participants were planned.
+++ 21:50 Italian returnees should stay at home without symptoms +++
Because of the corona epidemic, the Federal Ministry of Health is asking all those who recently returned from Italy, Austria or Switzerland to quarantine themselves. “If you’ve been to Italy, Switzerland or Austria within the last 14 days: avoid unnecessary contacts and stay at home for two weeks,” says Twitter. This applies “regardless of whether you have symptoms or not”. So far, this has mostly been recommended only for people who show symptoms of Covid 19 disease, such as fever.
+++ 21:31 newspaper: Spahn wants to reactivate doctor-pensioner +++
According to a media report, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn wants to reactivate doctor-pensioners as well as nurses and nurses who are retired. The “Bild” newspaper reported, citing a letter from Spahn to the managing directors of the German hospitals. In the appeal, the CDU politician wrote to the managing directors of the clinics: “If possible, please plan to use students and retired staff now and, if possible, train them now.”
+++ 21:13 First Bundesliga professional tested positive for corona virus +++
There is a first confirmed coronavirus case at SC Paderborn: As the Bundesliga club announces, central defender Luca Kilian has tested positive. Previously, head coach Steffen Baumgart had given the all-clear. According to the association, Kilian has not been used for a few weeks due to an injury. “In close coordination with the local authorities, the SCP07 will take extensive measures to contain the coronavirus,” Paderborns says. On Saturday, all players and members of the function team should undergo a corona test.
+++ 20:48 Cuba wants to deliver funds against the corona virus to numerous countries +++
An anti-virus agent produced in Cuba is used against the novel corona virus in China, according to Cuban information, and is now being requested by numerous countries. This is the agent Interferon Alfa 2B, as specialists in the Caribbean state report. However, the head of the Cuban pharmaceutical company BioCubaFarma, Eduardo Martínez, makes it clear that it is a therapeutic agent and not a vaccine. The drug, produced in Cuba and China by a partner company, is an anti-viral agent that restores the immune system compromised by Covid-19.
Note: The most important developments of the previous day on the current situation around the worldwide coronavirus epidemic you can read here.
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