Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Angela Merkel Urges German States To Get Tough With Covid Curbs

Angela Merkel Urges German States To Get Tough With Covid Curbs

"We have to take the appropriate measures very seriously. Some states are doing it, others are not yet doing it," Chancellor Angela Merkel said.
Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday urged Germany's 16 federal states to honour measures agreed to curb Covid-19, with cases spiralling as many regions stray from the national line.

"We need action in the federal states," Merkel said in an interview with the ARD broadcaster.

"We have to take the appropriate measures very seriously. Some states are doing it, others are not yet doing it," she said.

At a tense meeting last week, Merkel and the regional leaders had agreed to stick to shutdown measures including an "emergency brake" to be applied in regions with high incidence rates until April 18.

But under Germany's federal system, each state can ultimately decide its own rules and some have continued with reopening steps, despite fierce criticism.

The small southwestern state of Saarland has said it is planning to end its shutdown completely and open leisure, sports and entertainment facilities after Easter to those who can provide a negative test.

"If we are creating the impression that we can still open things -- that is not the order of the day at the moment," she said.

Germany was widely praised for its handling of the first wave of the pandemic, but has struggled to contain new infections since they began spiralling out of control in a second wave late last year.

Cases had started to come down after Christmas but the British variant has led to a dramatic spike in recent weeks, just as the country was taking first steps towards reopening.

Merkel and the regional leaders had also last week agreed to a short, sharp shutdown over Easter, with almost all shops to be closed and citizens urged to stay at home.

But they reversed that decision two days later, acknowledging that there were prohibitive hurdles to shutting the economy down for five days with so little notice.

Facing calls for a confidence vote in parliament, Merkel took the blame for the climbdown in a rare public apology, asking Germans to forgive her for the "mistake".

Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) health agency reported 17,176 new cases in 24 hours on Sunday -- almost 3,500 more than last Sunday -- and an incidence rate of 129.7 cases per 100,000 people over seven days.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×