DGB chief Reiner Hoffmann demands more investments in hospitals. The corona virus would pose “huge challenges”, Hoffmann told Berlin’s “Tagesspiegel”. The employees there “do their best, but reach their limits”. The virus shows “how urgently it is necessary for us to equip our health system with sufficient staff”. According to Hoffmann, 30,000 employees are missing in nursing alone. Hiring the necessary staff will cost almost 1.5 billion euros a year. “It should be worth the containment of the Corona virus and the health of everyone,” said the DGB boss.
+++ 10:15 City Day calls for aid funds for companies +++
The German Association of Cities is calling for the establishment of an aid fund for local companies that are experiencing financial difficulties due to the spread of the corona virus. “Federal funds should flow into a fund with which companies, as well as severely affected self-employed persons, are given unbureaucratic help,” said the Mayor of Leipzig, Mayor of Leipzig, Burkhard Jung. The heads of the Union and the SPD will give advice at the Federal Chancellery on measures to support the economy in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
+++ 09:46 number of infected in Germany increases to almost 850 +++
In Germany, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 847 by Sunday morning. This was announced by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). This means that the number of cases has risen by 52 since Saturday afternoon. North Rhine-Westphalia is still the most affected with 392 cases – here the number has risen by 19 since Saturday afternoon. More than 200 of these are in the Heinsberg district, the largest infection center in Germany . Many new cases have also been reported from Baden-Württemberg, where the novel corona virus has now been found in 182 people. In Bavaria there are 148.
Most other federal states have so far only registered individual cases. Saxony-Anhalt is still the only country from which no confirmed coronavirus infection has yet been reported.
+++ 09:27 First Coronavirus case in Moldova +++
The virus epidemic reaches Moldova. The southern European country confirms the first coronavirus case. A 48-year-old woman was hospitalized on Saturday after her arrival from Italy, the Moldovan Ministry of Health said.
+++ 08:34 “Grand Princess” to call port of Oakland +++
The cruise ship “Grand Princess”, which was prevented from entering San Francisco’s home port after several infection cases, is said to be docking in Oakland. The captain of the ship said that to the passengers on board, reports the news agency AP. The ship is expected to arrive in the port of the California city on Monday.
+++ 08:10 China’s foreign trade collapses by 11 percent +++
China’s foreign trade has declined sharply against the backdrop of the coronavirus epidemic. For the first time since the outbreak of the lung disease Covid-19, the Beijing customs administration released trade figures. According to this, China’s exports in January and February fell 17.2 percent compared to the first two months of the previous year to a value of the equivalent of $ 292.45 billion (€ 259 billion). Imports declined four percent to $ 299.54 billion. Overall, foreign trade shrank by 11 percent.
+++ 07:18 Trump: “I’m not worried at all” +++
US President Donald Trump does not want to interrupt his campaign tour because of the corona epidemic. “We have huge rallies and we’re doing very well, and we’ve done a fantastic job on the matter,” Trump said in Florida. The United States now has more than 400 proven coronavirus cases. There is also an infected person in the capital Washington. So even though the virus has moved closer to the White House, Trump is relaxed. “I’m not worried at all.”
+++ 06:43 Another 27 Chinese died from Covid-19 +++
In China, a further 27 people died of Covid-19 lung disease. As the Beijing Health Commission reports, all of the new victims come from the particularly affected province of Hubei, where the virus originally broke out in the metropolis of Wuhan. The number of new infections is falling significantly. According to official figures, there were only 44 cases nationwide on Saturday – the lowest figure in weeks. However, a high number of unreported cases is suspected.
+++ 06:19 Groko could lower hurdles for short-time work +++
The coronavirus epidemic has long been a top priority. German industry in particular should be looking forward to Berlin this evening. Because in the Federal Chancellery, the leaders of the SPD and the Union advise on measures to support the economy. It had recently been indicated that, among other things, the hurdles for companies to send employees on short-time work should be reduced. The SPD proposal to bring the solidarity surcharge, which is actually planned for 2021, to this summer in order to boost demand, also seems to have good chances.
+++ 06:05 Ice Hockey World Cup without spectators “unthinkable” +++
The President of the World Ice Hockey Federation IIHF, Rene Fasel, excludes the exclusion of spectators from the World Cup in Switzerland. It takes place from May 8th to 24th. If the virus continues to spread, it is more likely for Fasel “that in this case we will skip the World Cup entirely,” he told the Neue Zürcher Zeitung. “It is unthinkable for me to play 64 World Cup games without a spectator.” Spectators who bought tickets and booked hotels would probably still arrive, according to Fasel. “This would move the problem from the stadiums to the public viewing zones.”
+++ 05:33 Italy restricts activities nationwide +++
Italy blocks the fight against the spread of the novel corona virus not only economically strong Lombardy and 14 other areas largely, as Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced, according to the Ansa news agency. In addition, the government confirmed or imposed restrictions on all of Italy, such as the stop for cinemas, theaters, demonstrations, and many other events.
The government’s new announcements are likely to further change the everyday lives of around 60 million citizens after the measures already taken, such as nationwide school closings, are already affecting many every day. “We are facing a national emergency,” said Conte. “We fought them with maximum precautionary measures right from the start,” added the Prime Minister. “We have two goals: to contain the spread of the infection and to avoid overloading the hospital facilities.”
Note: You can read the most important developments of the previous day (Saturday, March 7, 2020) on the current situation surrounding the global coronavirus epidemic here read up.
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