Two-Thirds Of Germany's 83 Mn Population Could Get Infected By Coronavirus, Warns Angela Merkel

As the world struggles to contain the rapid spread of Coronavirus, more and more countries are realizing the magnitude of the crisis that is engulfing them. The pandemic that originated in China has since been reported in all continents except Antarctica. Since December more than fifty countries have reported cases of Covid-19 and the numbers are only growing.

REUTERS

Except for China, which has seen a decline in the number of cases for the first time since December, in other countries like Iran, Italy, South Korea, the US and many more have seen an increase in the number of reported cases and it is likely to go up in the coming days.

AFP

Italy on Wednesday dramatically ramped up the severity of its national lockdown to control the spread of the coronavirus, ordering a halt to nearly all commercial activity aside from supermarkets and pharmacies, while bringing the country to a near- total economic standstill. In Italy, there have been more than 12,000 confirmed cases and 827 deaths so far.

REUTERS

German Chancellor Angela Merkel warning that more than two-thirds of Germany's nearly 83 million people could be infected before the outbreak ends. Germany has about 1,300 confirmed infections and Merkel's comments fit a pattern of government officials using sobering warnings to convince people to protect themselves by washing their hands and not gathering in large numbers.

In the US, President Donald Trump said he will suspend all travel from Europe for the next 30 days, the most far-reaching measure yet in the administration¡¯s efforts to combat the spread of coronavirus. The restrictions, which will not apply to the UK, will go into effect Friday at midnight, he said Wednesday in an Oval Office address. Trump put a harsh accent on Europe's role in the spread of the virus, which emerged in China and has now traveled around much of the world, bringing sometimes fatal flu-like symptoms.

reuters

"The European Union failed to take the same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hotspots" as the United States, Trump said. In his speech, Trump called on elderly people to avoid non-essential travel within the United States. The White House later said Trump, 73, would cancel a trip to Nevada and Colorado on Thursday out of "caution."

In the UK, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus rose to 456 as of Wednesday, up from 373 a day earlier. Eight people in the United Kingdom with the virus have died.