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Coronavirus: Germany to extend Covid-19 restrictions to January 10, Merkel says

Germany will extend covid-19 restrictions measures designed to stem a tide of new Covid-19 infections until Jan. 10, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday after talks with German state leaders reports Reuters.

The measures, which had been due to expire on Dec. 20, include keeping restaurants and hotels shut and limiting private gatherings to five people from two households.

“The states will extend their measures from December 20 until January 10,” Merkel told a news conference, adding that another round of consultations would be held on Jan. 4. “In principle things will remain as they are.”

Coronavirus in Germany: 487 deaths in the last 24 hours

While the daily rise in infection numbers has started to fall, Germany reported its highest single-day death toll on Wednesday since the start of the pandemic, and regions that had been spared the worst are seeing case numbers surge.

More than 17,000 new cases were reported overnight, and 487 deaths – a new daily record in Germany causing heightened covid-19 restrictions, we wrote about it here>>.

Markus Soeder, leader of the southern state of Bavaria, said the high number of deaths justified keeping restrictions in place until January.

“Over the next few weeks we will also be considering whether all this is enough,” said Soeder.

Restrictions on gatherings will be eased slightly over Christmas to allow families to meet.

Source: Reuters