Coronavirus: Germany lockdown easing to be paused amid spike in cases, says Merkel

‘If we stick to the rules, a lot of public life is possible,’ chancellor says

Merkel told journalists in North Rhine-Westphalia that now was not the time to continue easing restrictions (EPA)

Angela Merkel has ruled out easing coronavirus restrictions any further after a spike in infections in Germany.

The chancellor warned that the recent rise in cases had been caused by greater mobility and more personal contact.

And she warned there were people returning from high-risk holiday areas and clusters of private celebrations at which people were gathering in groups.

Urging people to stick to the rules, such as wearing masks, to ensure public life can be as open as possible, she said: “For us, the priorities are firstly to keep economic life going as much as possible and to protect jobs – that’s why we have stimulus programmes and secondly to make (running) schools and nurseries possible.”

Germany last week recorded its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases in more than three months, with more than 1,200 cases reported in 24 hours.

Increases over the past few weeks caused alarm among some virologists and politicians.

Ms Merkel said she did not think now was the time to ease restrictions any further, and said she was very thankful for fines being levied on people not wearing masks.

“The good news is if we stick to the rules, a lot of public life is possible,” she said on a trip to the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

“If the numbers go back down, we can open up more. If they don’t, or rise, we must ask what is needed and in any case a further easing of measures cannot take place now.”

Germany has managed to keep the number of corona cases relatively low compared with many of its European neighbours but the number of confirmed cases reported on Tuesday rose by 1,390 to 225,404, the Robert Koch Institute said.

The country has suffered 9,240 deaths during the pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins University, ranking it 16th globally.

The chancellor said travellers returning from risk areas had to have a negative test or else go into quarantine.

“This is not optional regulation – it is a must,” she said.

A survey found last month Ms Merkel’s leadership is the most highly regarded in the world.