Chancellor Angela Merkel ruled out any further loosening of coronavirus measures in Germany, saying that a doubling in the number of daily cases in the last three weeks needs to be brought under control.
Europe’s largest economy recorded the biggest increase in coronavirus cases in nearly four months on Tuesday, fueling fears about a resurgence of infections across the continent.
The recent trend “should not continue and we need to contain it,” Merkel said in Dusseldorf, adding that fines will need to be levied for people flaunting hygiene and social-distancing rules.
“We are in the midst of the pandemic,” she said in her first public comments since the recent uptick in Germany.
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European officials are already tightening restrictions on movement again in an effort to prevent summer partying and travel from spreading the disease.
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Spain and Italy have shut nightclubs and Greece limited hours for bars and restaurants to try to avoid more drastic measures after the holiday season winds down.
Germany is requiring people returning from heavily affected areas to quarantine for two weeks or present a negative test to thwart the disease from spreading in schools and workplaces.
“More mobility and contact between people leads to higher numbers of cases,” Merkel said. “The virus is here, even if it’s not visible. There’s no vaccine and no medication.”
Source: Angela Merkel