Germany Health Minister Jens Spahn on Friday said that the coronavirus pandemic in the country is “again under control” thanks to a month of lockdown imposed after an early surge in cases.
The restrictions to keep people home “was successful,” Spahn told AFP.
The minister further said, “The infection numbers have sunk significantly, especially the relative day-by-day number. The outbreak is today again under control”.
On Wednesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced plans to slowly ease restrictions brought in to tackle the virus pandemic.
Denmark has reopened schools and nurseries for children up to the age of 11. Construction and manufacturing work is back under way in Spain Thousands of smaller shops in Austria reopened on Tuesday, and the country will allow outdoor sport such as tennis, golf and athletics from May 1.
The country has also closed shops, restaurants, playgrounds and sports facilities, and many companies have shut to aid the fight against the coronavirus.
Gatherings of more than two people will be banned in Germany, Merkel said on Sunday, as Europe’s biggest economy toughened restrictions to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Merkel appealed to citizens’ “reason and empathy” in implementing the contact restrictions, saying she had been “very moved” by how closely people had stuck to less stringent.
Germany has reported 3,380 more confirmed cases, bringing its tally to 133,830, according to the Robert Koch Institute, a federal government agency responsible for disease monitoring and prevention.
The country also reported 299 additional deaths, with its total fatalities now standing at 3,868 since the outbreak, the institute added.
According to the National Health Commission, China’s national level death toll now stands at 4,632, up from the 3,342 on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, total confirmed cases have been revised from 82,367 to 82,692, the NHC added.