Germany has pledged €1 billion to fight COVID-19 virus, the whole of Italy is on lockdown and coronavirus cases have been confirmed in every EU member state. Read DW as it happened.
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Over 118,00 cases of coronavirus, or COVID-19 (Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2), have been confirmed worldwide, with more than 4,000 deaths
Italy has imposed travel restrictions on the entire country to stop the spread of the disease
The German government has pledged €1 billion ($1.1 billion) to tackling COVID-19. There are more than 1,200 cases
Two leading German research institutes have predicted that the country will fall into recession this year
00:00 This concludes our live updates on the coronavirus outbreak for the moment. More information on the outbreak is available on our page and on DW TV. Thank you for joining us.
23:45 Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said a travel ban on affected has been extended to Italy from 6 p.m. Australian time on Wednesday.
23:24 The Coachella music festival has been postponed until October due to concerns over the COVID-19 outbreak. The festival, which takes place every year in southern California and spans two weekends, had originally been scheduled for April.
23:10 The US has urged Iran to release American prisoners amid the coronavirus outbreak. Iran is among the countries the most affected by the virus, with over 8,000 confirmed cases and 291 deaths.
22:55 A UK health minister has tested positive for coronavirus. Junior health minister Nadine Dorries was diagnosed with COVID-19 after falling ill last Friday. The minister had contact with hundreds of people in the British parliament last week and attended a reception with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Times of London reports.
22:21 German Chancellor Angela Merkel has plans to meet with top union and employer representatives on Friday to discuss anti-crisis measures regarding the spread of coronavirus, the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland reports. The ministers of labor and finance will also, reportedly, attend.
22:14 Turkey has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, Reuters reports. The country's health minister confirmed that the male patient has been placed in isolation and that his family is being monitored for symptoms.
21:46 Paraguay is suspending large-scale public events and public school classes for 15 days to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Latin American country has 2 confirmed cases of the virus.
21:20 Two more people in the state of Washington have died from coronavirus, bringing the national death total in the US to at least 29.
21:05 Algeria's government has cancelled political gatherings due to coronavirus fears. It is unclear whether the move will affect the mass demonstrations that have been taking place in the country for over a year.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad said the country was facing a "multi-dimensional crisis" and asked that people make fewer demands of the government and to avoid gathering in large groups.
20:57 Health authorities in Chile have said that arrivals from Spain or Italy will be considered "high risk travelers" and will have to undergo quarantine.
"People who enter Chilean territory having visited Spain and Italy must remain in isolation for 14 days," the health ministry said in a statement.
20:52 The government of Honduras has suspended deportation flights from Mexico over coronavirus concerns.
"Out of concern for public health and safety, we are canceling tonight's rally in Cleveland," Sanders' campaign said in a statement. Six states will hold primaries later on Tuesday.
20:07 The UK government's "action plan" to tackle COVID-19, which involves taking retired doctors out of retirement and putting them back into the workforce, has faced widespread criticism.
A parliamentary question on the legality of the move a week ago received a reply on Tuesday: "The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period."
19:51 French President Emmanuel Macron called the choice made by Slovenia and Austria to close their borders to Italy a "bad decision."
"Faced with the coronavirus, let us leave no room for speculation and instability. Europe will have to do all that is necessary in health and in economic terms," he wrote on Twitter following a video conference between all EU leaders.
19:44 The US state of New York has sent in the National Guard to the New Rochelle suburb to tackle what may be largest COVID-19 cluster of cases in the country.
Several schools and places of worship will also be closed for two weeks.
19:25 European Council President Charles Michel said the EU "stands ready to make use of all instruments necessary."
He was speaking after a video conference between all 27 EU member countries on the COVID-19 outbreak's economic impact.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged an EU investment fund of up to €7.5 billion ($8.4 billion) to boost EU businesses.
"We will use all the tools at our disposal to make sure the European economy weathers this storm," von der Leyen said. "The instrument will reach €25 billion very quickly," she said.
19:11 UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has stressed that the COVID-19 outbreak should not divert attention from the ongoing climate crisis.
"It is important that all the attention that needs to be given to fight this disease does not distract us from the need to defeat climate change," he said, as the the UN report on planetary warming was published.
He also dismissed claims that emissions cuts because of compromised productivity owing to the outbreak would be helpful. "We should not overestimate the fact that emissions have been reduced for some months. We will not fight climate change with the virus," he said.
18:34 Germany has confirmed over 200 new cases on Tuesday, a large increase from the day before.
18:02 After becoming the last EU country to report confirmed cases of COVID-19, Cyprus has followed the example of other countries in the bloc and closed down schools, banned mass gatherings and locked down two hospitals to try to prevent an outbreak.
17:46 Following a confirmed case at their headquarters, the World Trade Organization will cancel all meetings from Wednesday onward.
17:41 There have now been more than 1,000 deaths outside of mainland China from COVID-19, almost two thirds in Italy and Iran.
The global statistics as they stand are as follows:
116,588 confirmed cases (80,757 within mainland China)
4,090 deaths (3,024 within mainland China)
64,391 recoveries
17:34 Slovenia has followed Austria's example and closed the border to Italy, calling for all Slovenian citizens to return home from there. The decision does not apply to cargo, the prime minister confirmed in a statement.
"I ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to close the border with Italy, following Austria. Subject to agreement on joint and proportionate action," PM Marjan Sarec wrote on Twitter.
17:29 Italy has recorded a huge jump in figures on Tuesday. Cases went from 9,172 to 10,149, while fatalities sprung from 463 to 631.
17:06 Jordan has announced a travel ban on people coming from France, Spain and Germany to try to stop the spread of COVID-19.
16:59 Four more people have died in Italy in prison riots linked to the COVID-19 that has put Italy on lockdown. There are now 11 people who have died, which the ministry claims are linked to drug overdoses caused when prisoners broke into medical storage rooms, apparently desperate for medication.
"The unrest that affected more than 20 prisons has ended almost everywhere," the justice ministry said in a statement.
16:52 Berlin's culture senator Klaus Lederer announced that all shows in major state-owned concert halls are to be cancelled until April 19.
The Bayreuth Festival canceled
Concerts, exhibitions and festivals worldwide have been called off due to the corona crisis. Now the Bayreuth Festival 2020 has been canceled as well.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Karmann
All quiet on the Wagnerian front
An older audience packed in close quarters in a sweltering theater: for virus transmission, a horrific scenario. The Bayreuth Festival 2020 has been called off, for the first time in its 144-year history due to an epidemic. Rehearsals for the new production of the opera cycle "The Ring of the Nibelung" were to begin on April 1 - but now, the "Ring" can only premiere in 2022 at the earliest.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Karmann
Berlin's major events
A day after Berlin announced that performances in major state-owned venues were to be canceled until April 19, city authorities have banned all events with more than 1,000 participants as well. "The coronavirus continues to spread. In such a phase, public life must be restricted," Berlin's local Health Minister Dilek Kalayci said.
Image: picture-alliance/imageBROKER/P. Seyfferth
Madonna and other concerts
Many major concerts have been canceled, including Madonna's last two dates of her "Madame X" tour in Paris. France has banned on Sunday public gatherings of more than 1,000 people. The Paris Opera has also canceled its performances.
Image: Getty Images/M. Campanella
St. Patrick's Day in Ireland
All Irish St. Patrick's Day parades, including Dublin's main celebration that draws around
500,000 revelers from all over the world each year, are canceled because of fears over the spread of COVID-19, state broadcaster RTE reported on Monday. Ireland's famous March 17 parades were also previously canceled in 2001 during an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/P. Morrison
Vatican museums
With quarantine measures in place in northern Italy, soccer matches occurring without spectators, and Italian Prime Minister Guiseppe Conte's order to close museums, theaters and cinemas, it should come as no surprise that the Vatican has closed the doors to its museums, including the Sistine Chapel (above), until probably April 3. In the Vatican itself, five people are currently in quarantine.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Stache
South by Southwest (SXSW)
This annual music, film and tech festival held in Austin, Texas, usually attracts more than 400,000 visitors. But less than a week before its March 12, 2020 start date, organizers decided to cancel in a bid to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus. There's a silver lining though: it may only be postponed and not canceled altogether.
The International Film Academy has announced that it would be postponing its awards ceremony, also known as Bollywood's Oscars, due to fears over the coronavirus outbreak. According to official numbers, India has been until now relatively unscathed by the epidemic. Actor Shah Rukh Khan (photo) was one the stars expected at the event planned for March 27; a new date has not been decided yet.
Image: AFP/Getty Images/S. Jaiswal
'No Time to Die'
James Bond perhaps has a little more time on his hands than the title of the upcoming film in the franchise suggests: "No Time to Die" producers have decided to push back the release of the movie to November. Daniel Craig's last outing as 007 was initially planned for April. It's the first Hollywood blockbuster to shift its release schedule in reaction to the coronavirus outbreak.
Image: Imago Images/Zuma Press/MGM
Venice Architecture Biennale
The start of the world's most prestigious architecture biennale has also been delayed. Instead of opening in May, it will run from August 29 to November 29 — three months later than planned. The theme of the event takes on a new meaning amid current developments: "How do we live together?"
Image: picture-alliance/S. Lubenow
London Book Fair
Due to take place March 10-12, the book fair was canceled "with reluctance," said organizers, after several major publishers such as HarperCollins and Penguin Random House pulled out of the event to avoid exposing their staff to the virus. The London Book Fair usually draws more than 25,000 authors and book industry insiders.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/C. De Souza
Musikmesse Frankfurt
Europe's biggest trade fair for the music industry also announced that it was postponing the event, which was set to celebrate its 40th anniversary on April 2-4. While it was deemed to be "the only responsible and right decision to take," the cancellation is bound to affect many small businesses in the music industry, said Christian Höppner, secretary general of the German Music Council.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Sommer
Leipzig Book Fair
Change of plans for book fans: The Leipzig Book Fair, scheduled to be held March 12-15, was canceled due to the spread of the new coronavirus, a spokesperson for the fair announced on March 3. The second-largest book fair in Germany expected to draw 2,500 exhibitors from 51 countries.
Image: Stiftung Buchkunst/Carolin Blöink
ITB Travel Trade Show Berlin
Preparations for the world's largest travel fair were already in full swing when the organizers canceled it at the last minute. Due to the ongoing virus threat, participants to the Berlin fair had to prove they had not been to one of the defined risk areas. With 170,000 visitors from all over the world, this proved to be an impossible task and the fair couldn't open on March 4 as planned.
Image: Imago/V. Hohlfeld
Milan Design Week
Each April, thousands of design professionals, artists and companies visit Milan to check out the latest in furniture and interior design. This year, however, organizers have announced it will be moved to June due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Milan is the capital of the Lombardy region, which has seen the lion's share of Italian coronivirus cases. Some airlines have even suspended their flights.
Image: Phillip K. Smith
La Scala opera house
There is perhaps no venue more symbolic of Italy's rich operatic tradition than the La Scala opera house in Milan. Now, its seats will remain empty until March 8. Italy's Prime Minister called for the suspension of cultural events and the venue is sticking to the rules. At the time of writing, Italy has more cases of the new coronavirus than any country outside of Asia.
Image: AP
K-pop concerts
The reigning K-pop boy band BTS does big business with each concert, but in the wake of the virus in South Korea, the group canceled four April dates at the Seoul Olympic Stadium, which seats 69,950 people. "It's impossible to predict the scale of the outbreak," said the group's management. On Tuesday, cases in South Korea reached 5,100 with the majority of infections in the city of Daegu.
Image: Facebook/BTS Official
'Mission Impossible'
No, we aren't describing the task of containing the new coronavirus, but rather the new movie starring Tom Cruise which was supposed to have a three-week shoot in Venice. The film has been postponed, movie studio Paramount Pictures said Monday. Venice's cultural events have been hard hit by the outbreak. The final two days of lagoon city's annual Carnival festival were also canceled.
On February 28, the Swiss government imposed a ban on events of more than 1,000 people until March 15, making it the first European country to do so as a preemptive measure to fight against the spread of the illness. As a result, many concerts and events were called off, including concerts by Carlos Santana (pictured) and Alice Cooper at the 15,000-person Hellenstadion in Zürich.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
The Hamburg Ballet
The Hamburg Ballet John Neumeier canceled guest performances in Macau and Singapore due to the coronavirus outbreak. On the program were "The Lady of the Camellias," which tells the story of a famous Parisian courtesan and "Nijinsky." Whether the tour will take place at another point in time is still in the air. In spring 2021 the Hamburg Ballet plans to tour in Japan.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Scholz
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16:31 The COVID-19 outbreak has had a big impact on the world of sports, with games played in empty stadia lined up in Germany next month.
16:24 A staff member of the World Trade Organization in Geneva has been infected with COVID-19, a spokesman has confirmed. The organization will "take all precautions" to prevent a further spread.
16:19 Governments will "struggle" in their efforts to combat the coronavirus without "community engagement," a member of the World Health Organisation's mission to China last month has told DW News Asia.
Professor Dale Fisher, an infectious diseases expert at the National University of Singapore studied Beijing's response to the coronavirus outbreak as a member of the WHO-China joint mission.
"The biggest measure is community engagement. If the community is not on board with the response then it can’t be worked. The solution is in the community and that is because spread occurs through the community. And if people don’t have that social responsibility to be part of the solution then any government is going to struggle."
16:13 Greece will close universities, schools and kindergartens for two weeks, starting on Tuesday, the secretary general to the prime minister shared on Twitter.
16:04 An EU Council of Ministers has canceled its next session, scheduled for Thursday, amid the COVID-19 outbreak, a spokesperson told dpa news agency.
15:35 German Chancellor Angela Merkel told lawmakers that all "non-essential" events should be cancelled and that the economy does not need a classic stimulus package but "liquidity injections."
15:25 More sports events will be held behind closed doors, including the Germany-Italy friendly on March 31 in the Bavarian city of Nuremberg. France's Ligue 1 and 2 matches are also to be played without fans present until April 15.
14:53 Following reports of planes taking off and landing with almost no passengers aboard, the EU Commission has announced they will move to stop these so-called ghost flights.
Under current aviation law, aircrafts need to fulfill at least 80% of their "landing slots" to not lose out to competitors.
"This is why the commission will put forward very rapidly legislation regarding the so-called airport slots ... it will also decrease emissions by avoiding the so-called 'ghost flights' when airlines fly almost empty planes simply to keep their slot," Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced.
Travel agents organize their own conference after ITB is cancelled in Berlin
01:45
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14:39 The German government has pledged €1 billion ($1.1 billion) to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak. There are more than 1,200 confirmed cases in Germany and two people have died in the most populous state of North-Rhine Westphalia.
The announcement was made in the German parliament by Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right CDU party's parliamentary group leader, Ralph Brinkhaus.
"The health minister and health authorities will get all the resources necessary to act on the 'corona-crisis,'" he said.
14:32 The German government is aiming to schedule a meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and trade unions and employers on Friday to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the labor market, according to Reuters news agency.
14:23 The Democratic Republic of the Congo has confirmed its first case of COVID-19. The patient was reportedly a Belgian citizen. Sub-Saharan Africa has reported relatively few cases of the new outbreak so far.
14:17 A Hong Kong lawmaker has accused prison authorities of "modern slavery" after reports emerged that female inmates were being forced to work through the night to produce millions of face masks after the COVID-19 outbreak has triggered shortages.
"All persons in custody participating in the night shift are on a voluntary basis," a spokeswoman for Hong Kong's Correctional Services Department told Reuters news agency.
14:09 The north African country of Morocco has confirmed its first death from coronavirus — an 89-year-old woman suffering from chronic respiratory diseases.
14:07 Things have moved fast on Tuesday, especially in Europe. If you're worried or unsure how to react to the coronavirus outbreak in your region, DW has gathered all the information for you in a Twitter thread.
14:02 "Recent reports indicate that the COVID-19 virus has spread inside Iranian prisons,” wrote the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran in a new report.
Thousands of Iranians were arrested in the wake of November 2019 protests. "Overcrowding, poor nutrition and a lack of hygiene are also serious concerns," the UN's Javaid Rehman said. He has asked the country to release political prisoners temporarily because of the coronavirus outbreak, calling conditions "unfortunate and disturbing."
13:52 Italy has gone into lockdown — but for many, life must carry on as normal. Journalist Alessio Perrone spoke to DW from Milan.
"Italy has never closed all schools across the country — not even during World War Two, when there was conflict all over the country. Now we're talking about quarantine for for the whole country and it's massive," he said, speaking on video call. Petrone is unable to leave Milan.
"You work from home," he said, commenting on how life went on in such conditions. "You carry on working. Supermarkets are fully stocked. So it's a it's a mix of seeing empty streets but also carrying on with your life."
13:44 A Polish general has tested positive for COVID-19 — after returning from a military council in Germany. The Polish defense ministry confirmed on Twitter that all those who had been with the general had been quarantined.
13:42 The Czech Republic will join other central European countries in closing schools, Prime Minister Andrej Babis announced on Tuesday.
"It is better to be proactive, rather than to deal with the problem later, or even too late as is the case in Italy," he told reporters.
13:31 As extreme measures are adopted in Italy to tackle COVID-19, the Vatican has announced that St Peter's Square and St Peter's Basilica have been closed to tourists and guided groups until April.
13:22 The mayor of a small French town has defended a record-breaking gathering of 3,500 people dressed as Smurfs last weekend, as many gathering across Europe were canceled amid fears of COVID-19 spread.
"We must not stop living ... it was the chance to say that we are alive," mayor Patrick Leclerc of Landerneau in western France told AFP news agency.
France banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people on Sunday.
12:55 Spain's lower house has suspended all parliamentary activities for at least a week after a lawmaker from its far-right Vox Party was confirmed to have the virus, reported El Pais newspaper. The countra has also become the latest to cancel all direct flights to and from Italy until later in March.
12:45 European leaders will hold a summit via video-conference on Tuesday afternoon to co-ordinate a response to the outbreak and to its economic consequences. European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen have both confirmed their virtual attendance.
12:26 For the next four weeks, doctors in Germany will be able to give sick leave over the phone. The measures were announced in order to keep patients who might be infected with COVID-19 (coronavirus SARS-CoV-2) out of GP surgeries and prevent further transmission.
12:10 In a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus throughout Europe many of its airlines have suspended flights to Italy:
Austrian Airlines — the carrier said it is stopping all flights between Vienna and northern Italy until March 28. The Austrian government on Tuesday banned anyone without a health certificate from entering Austria from Italy, including those traveling by plane and train.
Ryanair — Europe's largest budget flight airline carrier canceled all domestic flights in Italy and reduced its flight schedule to northern Italy.
British Airways
Norwegian Air Shuttle
Wizz Air
Easyjet — the carrier canceled most of its flights to Milan, Venice and Verona
Lufthansa and subsidiary Eurowings — the German airline are continuing to offer flights to Italy while saying it is keeping a close eye on the situation.
11:21 The total death toll from coronavirus crossed the 4,000 mark on Tuesday with over 114,000 total cases worldwide.
10:53 Austria is banning entry to anyone arriving from Italy without a health certificate, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Tuesday. Austria also banned all indoor events with more than 100 participants and outdoor events of more than 500 people.
Austria earlier issued a level 6 travel safety warning advising its citizens against travel to Italy. Austrians in Italy will still be permitted to travel home if they agree to spend two weeks in home quarantine.
10:17 All mass events will be canceled in Poland to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country. The ban will include football games and concerts.
10:03 The Serbian government is banning foreigners arriving from areas experiencing some of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks. Foreigners hoping to travel from Italy and parts of China, South Korea, Iran and Switzerland will all be affected.
09:58 President of the European Parliament David Sassoli said he is in self-isolation at his Brussels home as a precaution after returning from virus-hit Italy.
"Parliament will continue to work to exercise its duties. No virus can block democracy" said Sassoli in a statement.
09:20 Pope Francis told Catholic priests during a mass in Vatican city to "have the courage" to go out and visit people sickened by coronavirus. His comments came just hours after Italy was placed on lockdown. The World Health Organizationadvises avoiding contact with other people if you think you have COVID-19.
08:45 The German state of Saxony-Anhalt confirmed its first case of the COVID-19 virus, meaning that each of Germany's 16 states now has a confirmed case.
How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?
With thousands of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in Germany, the daily routine for many has been upended. From football to flights, car manufacturing to culture, DW looks at life amid the outbreak.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Rumpenhorst
Food donations drop
Panic-buying has left empty shelves in supermarkets — and food banks. With Germans snapping up canned goods and toilet paper to weather the outbreak, stores have fewer supplies left over to donate to the needy, said Jochen Brühl, head of Tafel Deutschland, which supports more than 1.5 million people with surplus groceries and other donations. Brühl encouraged those who had overreacted to donate.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Matzka
Bundesliga suspended
After playing one match behind closed doors, the Bundesliga has suspended its season until at least April 2. The Germany football league had considered playing matches behind closed doors until Paderborn's coach Steffen Baumgart and defender Luca Kilian tested positive for COVID-19.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/O. Berg
Cultural cancellations
Cultural life has also taken a hit, with major fairs and trade shows canceled or postponed. Among the casualties were the Leipzig Book Fair and the Musikmesse Frankfurt, Europe's biggest music trade fair. Numerous clubs, galleries and museums have closed across the country, and the gala award show for the annual German film and television award, the Goldene Kamera, has been moved to November.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Woitas
Not the 'Wuhan flu'
The Chinese origin of the virus has led to an increase in xenophobic sentiment in the places worst hit by the outbreak. Asian restaurants and stores — not just Chinese — have reported empty tables in countries hard hit by the pandemic, and people with Asian features have experienced discrimination. At a recent Bundesliga game in Leipzig, a group of Japanese fans was ejected from the stadium.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Solaro
Flights grounded
German airline Lufthansa has massively reduced its flight capacity as business and personal travel is cut back. The flagship carrier is now seeking state aid, according to a report from Germany business newspaper Handelsblatt. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr will be attending a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to government sources.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Kusch
Car production crippled
Car plants in China have been shut down since January, and major German automakers like Volkswagen and Daimler have said both sales and production have been hit by the epidemic. And with many automakers sourcing electric car parts from China, work at plants in Germany has also hit a stumbling block. Berlin has said it plans to financially support companies suffering coronavirus losses.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Images/J. Meyer
Fewer tourists
"The consequences for the German tourism sector are serious," warned Guido Zöllick, head of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association. Already by the second week of March, 76.1% of members had reported a sharp decrease in bookings and a drop in revenue. The German parliament has banned tourists from visiting the glass dome of the Reichstag building until further notice.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Wurtscheid
Border checks
In an effort to prevent further spread, Germany has closed its borders with France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria and Denmark. Authorities in Poland and the Czech Republic had already begun spot checks, measuring the temperature of travelers crossing main road borders out of Germany.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Weigel
School closures
Preschools and primary schools across Germany have shut. The closures have affected more than 2.2 million children up to age 16 countrywide, according to Germany's Federal Statistical Office. German television stations have adjusted their programming in response to the school closures.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Seidel
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08:08 Italy's government has readied around €10 billion ($11.4 billion) to boost its economy and combat the effects of the coronavirus. Economic Development Minister Stefano Patuanelli said this will cause the national deficit to rise to just under 3%.
07:46 Taiwan's authorities says it has arranged special chartered flights to take more than 400 Taiwan nationals stranded in Wuhan back to Taipei. They have been stranded in the city at the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak for months after it was put on lockdown by the Chinese government.
Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung said Taiwan has sufficient capacity for both quarantine and virus testing to deal with hundreds of evacuees at once.
Passengers will only be able to board the flights if they tested negative for the virus and have no fever.
07:00 India completed its first evacuation of its citizens from virus-hit Iran. India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar tweeted: "First batch of 58 Indian pilgrims being brought back from Iran."
India is working on the return of other Indians there, Jaishankar added.
06:30 Cyprus confirmed its first cases of the COVID-19. The country was the last in the EU with no confirmed cases. A 64-year-old doctor who had recently returned from the UK was one of two individuals to test positive on the island.
05:45 Austria issued a travel warning for the entirety of Italy. It also "urgently advised" citizens to return home from Italy. Health authorities there announced a lockdown across the entire country, affecting around 60 million citizens.
05:15 Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, for the first time since the since the crisis erupted in January — a sign that Beijing believes its control measures are paying off.
State media showed Xi, wearing a mask, speaking via video-link to medical workers and patients at one of the field hospitals set up in the city.
Xi's visit comes as China reported a tumble in new infection cases. The National Health Commission reported just 19 new infections on Monday, down from 40 the day before.
Xi's visit to Wuhan is seen as a sign from Beijing that it has the virus under control Image: picture-alliance/Photoshot/Yan Yan
04:40 The coronavirus outbreak has not yet reached its peak in Germany and further restrictions to everyday life can be expected, German Health Minister Jens Spahn has said.
"The primary goal is to slow the outbreak," he wrote in a guest post for the German tabloid Bild published late Monday.
Earlier Monday, Germany had reported its first two deaths from coronavirus.
04:29 Canada has reported its first coronavirus death. Health officials in the westernmost province of British Colombia said the victim was a man who had been living at an elderly care facility.
04:15 Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak originated, on Tuesday, his first visit to the city since the epidemic began at the end of last year.
The unannounced visit signals that officials believe the outbreak has been brought under control. China reported only 19 news cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the lowest figure since the country started sharing data on January 21.
03:55 American rock group Pearl Jam is postponing the first leg of their North American spring tour due to coronavirus concerns.
"The levels of risk to our audience and their communities is simply too high for our comfort level," a statement signed by the band released Tuesday said.
"It certainly hasn't helped that there's been no clear messages from our government regarding people's safety and our ability to go to work," the statement continued. "Having no examples of our national health department's ability to get ahead of this, we have no reason to believe that it will be under control in the coming weeks ahead."
The band hails from Washington, the US state currently most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
03:50 China's Hubei province — the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak — is considering allowing people in low- or medium-risk areas to start traveling. At a meeting between province authorities, officials discussed implementing the use of a "health code," a mobile-based monitoring tool, to facilitate travel in the region.
03:20 In light of the coronavirus outbreak, the chairman of Germany's free market-liberal Free Democrats (FDP) has said it should be easier for people to work from home.
"Many people currently prefer to work from home out of fear of infection," said FDP chairman Christian Lindner. "There should be a right to work from home…The public sector as an employer should lead the way and actively offer its employees opportunities to work from home."
03:08 The president of the Ifo Institute for Economic Research, a Munich-based institution, said a coronavirus-related recession in Germany could be "unavoidable."
"There are some indications that a recession is imminent," Ifo president Clemens Fuest told German daily Augsburger Allgemeine. "Unfortunately, many virologists are saying the outbreak could subside in the summer, but return in the fall. In that case, a recession would be unavoidable."
02:50 Japan's government has approved a draft of a "state of emergency" bill that, if approved by parliament, would allow Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to impose drastic measures to fight the spread of coronavirus. The bill would include measures that allow authorities to keep people inside and to seize buildings to use them as hospitals.
A top government spokesman said the country had not yet reached such a point.
02:36 After reporting its first case of coronavirus today, Mongolia put its cities on lockdown.
"The capital Ulaanbaatar and all province centers are quarantined until March 16 to curb the outbreak," Deputy Prime Minister Enkhtuvshin Ulziisaikhan said at a press conference.
02:20 Austria's foreign ministry has called on any citizens currently in Italy — the European country the worst hit by the COVID-19 outbreak — to return home.
"Austrian travelers are strongly advised to return to Austria," a statement on the ministry's website read.
All of Italy is currently affected by a travel lockdown that forbids its citizens from leaving the country.
Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
The COVID-19 epidemic poses a threat to the everyday life of people worldwide. Travelers are particularly affected, as are people working in tourism. Here are the latest developments.
Image: Jc Viens/AP/dpa/picture alliance
Cruise ships return to Venice
The cruise ship MSC Orchestra makes its way down the Giudecca Canal in the early morning. Early risers in Venice woke up on June 3, 2021 to the sight of a cruise ship sailing down the Giudecca Canal for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, despite the Italian governments' promises to reroute the huge ships due to safety and environmental concerns.
Image: Jc Viens/AP/dpa/picture alliance
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania reopens to tourists
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will open its hotels to tourists from Germany on June 4. From June 11, day visitors to the northeast will also be able to return. Owners of vacation homes and boats, as well as long-term campers from outside the state, will already be allowed back on May 28. Tourists must present a negative coronavirus test upon arrival, which must be updated every three days.
Image: Jens Koehler/picture alliance
Museums and cafés in France have reopened
For the first time in six and a half months, France’s cafés and restaurants are once again allowed to open their outdoor areas. As of Wednesday (May 19), non-essential businesses and department stores, as well as museums, cinemas, and theaters have also reopened. The nighttime curfew across all of France is now in effect from 9pm – two hours later than its previous start time.
Image: Lewis Joly/AP Photo/picture alliance
Austria lifts quarantine requirement on entry
Austria from Wednesday (May 19) will allow entry from Germany without quarantine. Mandatory, however, remains a proof of vaccination, a negative test or full recovery from a COVID infection. "In many states, the infection rates are declining, so in parallel with the opening up steps in the country, we can also implement facilitation of entry into Austria," said Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein.
Image: Patrick Daxenbichler/Zoonar/picture alliance
Portugal lifts entry restrictions for EU citizens
Portugal is easing its entry restrictions for travelers from most EU countries. People from EU countries where the COVID-19 infection rate is below 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over a 14-day period will be allowed back into the country, even for "non-essential" purposes. However, testing is strictly mandatory.
Image: Frank Hoermann/SvenSimon/picture alliance
No parties in Mallorca this summer
Francina Armengol, the President of the Balearic Islands, has issued a preliminary rejection of any hopes for parties on the island of Mallorca this summer. “We can only start to allow places to open and nightlife to return once we have a higher vaccination rate”, Armengol said. Responsible tourism will be prioritized. “Nightlife will follow, but later, and probably not this summer.”
Image: Lakomski/Jan Huebner/imago images
Germany's annual Oktoberfest canceled again
Munich's Oktoberfest will be canceled for a second year in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was made by Bavarian state Premier Markus Söder and Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter. "In the classic beer tents at the big festivals, social distancing, masks and other measures are practically impossible to implement," Söder said. Reiter said canceling the Oktoberfest again was a great pity.
Image: Sammy Minkoff/imago images
Vatican Museums reopen
Following the third wave of the coronavirus in Italy, the Vatican Museums reopened on Monday (May 3). About 1,000 visitors registered for the first day alone, said Barbara Jatta, director of the museums. It was a "great joy" to finally no longer only be safeguarding the works of art, but also to be able to share them with others again, she said.
The U.S. has heightened its travel warnings on account of the coronavirus pandemic, now additionally advising against travel to Germany and other EU countries – where the U.S. State Department's has applied its red-alert level. This represents the highest of its four risk-advisory levels for travel. At the third level, previously in force, the advice was only to reconsider any planned travel.
Image: picture-alliance/robertharding/T. Auzins
Israel open for tourists who have been vaccinated
Starting at the end of May, Israel wants to let tourists with a Covid-19 vaccination back into the country. Tourists will have to comply with the requirements, which include proof of vaccination and negative Covid-19 test results. After the pandemic broke out, Israel had effectively isolated itself, with foreign citizens only allowed into the country in exceptional cases.
Image: Anton Starikov/Zoonar/picture alliance
Greece reopens for tourists from May 14
Starting May 14, Greece plans to open its borders to vacationers from EU countries as well as from some other countries such as Great Britain and Serbia, to save the domestic tourism sector. Travelers will be allowed to enter the country for a vacation without having to undergo quarantine. They will, however, require travelers to either be vaccinated or show a negative PCR test.
Image: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/picture alliance
Vaccinated foreigners allowed to enter Croatia
As of April 1, foreign travellers are permitted to enter Croatia again if they can present evidence that they have been vaccinated against coronavirus. In addition, anyone who has a negative PCR test or an antigen test or can prove that they have recovered from Covid-19 within the past six months may also cross the borders. Before, you had to present a negative PCR test or quarantine for ten days.
Image: Pablo Camacho/PhotoAlto/picture alliance
Malta to reopen to tourists from June
Malta is rapidly progressing with COVID-19 vaccinations and plans to open to tourists on a large scale from June. The island is focusing primarily on outdoor activities such as scuba diving. A total of 20 million euros will be invested in the reopening. Air and sea passengers with vaccination passes will then be allowed into the country, while all others will still have to present a negative test.
Germany introduces general testing as entry requirement into the country
On March 22, the entry rules into Germany were tightened again. After tourist travel to Germany had already been made unfeasible due to the coronavirus pandemic, in future travelers returning to Germany will also have to have a COVID test before departure - irrespective of the infection situation in the country of departure. The Infection Protection Act is to be amended accordingly.
Image: Boris Roessler/dpa/picture alliance
Vacation to Majorca possible again without quarantining
The German Foreign Office removed its travel warning for Majorca on Sunday (March 14). You can now visit Majorca again without needing to quarantine or take a test once you’ve returned to Germany. Bookings have increased significantly, and more flights are being added. The other Balearic islands as well as parts of the Spanish mainland are also no longer considered coronavirus risk regions.
Image: August/Eibner-Pressefoto/picture alliance
Tourism industry pushes for an early open in Europe
Norbert Fiebig, president of the German Travel Association (DRV), has urged that it is "time for a coordinated approach to restore safe travel." He is counting on vaccination certificates and rapid coronavirus tests – strategies also promoted by politicians. The EU decided on February 25, for instance, to have introduced standardized vaccination passports for travelers by the summer.
Image: Clara Margais/dpa/picture alliance
Discussion over travel benefits for vaccinated people
Greece and Israel signed an agreement (Feb 9) to that will allow vaccinated tourists to travel between their two countries withthout restrictions. In Europe, whether vaccinated people should be the first to be allowed to travel again is controversial. While Germany is still reluctant, some countries already allow easier entry with a vaccination certificate, including Estonia, Poland and Iceland.
Image: Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON/picture alliance
Tourism slumps worldwide
Just how disastrous the 2020 travel year was is made clear in the latest survey by the UN tourism organization UNWTO: 74% decline in global tourism worldwide, with over a hundred million jobs tied to it. Forecasts for 2021 also remain cautious in the face of travel restrictions. The emerging trends are home-based holidays, nature-based vacations, and more interest in sustainable travel.
Image: Felicitas Wilke/DW
Beijing cancels flights and trains for Chinese New Year
Hundreds of millions of Chinese are currently seeing their travel plans put on hold for the Chinese New Year on February 12, with flights and train services canceled on Thursday, especially in Beijing, at the start of the most important travel season of the year. Across the country, people are being asked to refrain from traveling to prevent a major outbreak that could lead to "massive lockdowns."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/SIPA/Hao Qunying
Israel suspends international flights
Israel is largely suspending its international flights for nearly a week. The flight suspension goes into effect at 00:00 local time on Tuesday (Jan. 26) and will remain in effect until Sunday. The measure is intended to prevent coronavirus strains from entering the country. Up to 40 percent of new cases in Israel are due to the British COVID-19 mutation.
Image: picture-alliance/W. Rothermel
Tourists allowed back into Sri Lanka - under conditions
Ten months after the border closure, international tourists can travel to Sri Lanka again. As confirmed by officials on Monday (Jan 18), travelers will be able to re-enter the island from Jan. 21 if they comply with strict security regulations, present a negative PCR test and stay in a quarantine hotel for 14 days.
Image: picture-alliance/robertharding/R. Francis
Pompeii reopens to visitors
Despite extended coronavirus restrictions in Italy, as of Monday (Jan 18), museums and exhibitions in some regions will be able to reopen. This rule applies to the so-called Yellow Zones, where the coronavirus infection situation is less tense. Among others, the Archaeological Park in Pompeii is again able to receive visitors because it is located in the yellow region of Campania.
Image: Colourbox
Australians allowed quarentine-free travel to New Zealand again from 2021
New Zealand is setting up a "travel bubble" with neighboring Australia. After months of border closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, New Zealand will once again allow tourists from Australia to enter the country without quarantine requirements in the New Year. New Zealanders have been able to travel to Australia again since October without having to go into quarantine.
Image: picture-alliance/All Canada Photos
After an eight-month break Aida Cruises launches cruise again
On Saturday (December 5) the first Aida cruise ship is scheduled to leave for a one-week trip to the Canary Islands. The ship, designed for 3300 passengers, will reportedly be 50 percent full. All passengers will need to provide a negative coronavirus test, no more than 72 hours old. On board, strict hygiene and distancing rules apply, and only guided shore excursions will be possible.
Image: Ingeborg Knol/imabeBROKER/picture alliance
Australian airline to introduce obligatory vaccination
Australian airline Qantas wants to introduce compulsory vaccination for intercontinental flights. "We will require international travelers to be vaccinated before we allow them on board," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce stated. The general terms and conditions would be adjusted accordingly. Whether this will also be a requirement for domestic flights has not yet been decided.
Image: Bai Xuefei/Xinhua News Agency/picture-alliance/dpa
Machu Picchu is open again
Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca city in the Peruvian Andes mountains, has reopened almost eight months after it was closed down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Peruvian authorities organized an Inca ritual to mark the reopening. To allow for distancing, a maximum of 675 tourists per day are allowed to enter the old Inca city. That is less than a third of the normal number allowed.
Image: Martin Mejia/AP Photo/picture alliance
Rio cancels its famous carnival parade for the first time in a century
Rio de Janeiro's famous annual Carnival spectacle will not go ahead in February. Organizers said the spread of the coronavirus in Brazil made it impossible to safely hold parades which with some seven million people celebrating are a cultural mainstay, tourism magnet and, for many, a source of livelihood. Brazil has the second highest death rate in the world after the United States and India.
Image: Alexandre Schneider/Getty Image
Germany to enter a one-month lockdown
To curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic the German government has announced though new measures to start Monday, November 2. The new restrictions effect the travel business as overnight stays in hotels for tourist purposes will be banned, entertainment facilities such as theaters and cinemas will be closed as will bars and restaurants, which will only be allowed to offer take out services.
Image: Jens Kalaene/dpa/picture-alliance
Nuremberg cancels Christmas market
The city announced on Monday (Oct.26) that this decision had been made in view of the rapidly increasing number of coronavirus cases. The mayor explained that it was to be assumed that in the near future the Covid-19 traffic light in Nuremberg will change to dark red. "Against this background, we think it would be the wrong signal to go ahead with the annual Christkindlesmarkt Christmas market.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Ebner
Global cruise ship association to require coronavirus tests for all
The cruise industry has decided to make coronavirus testing mandatory for all guests and crew members aboard cruise ships. The Cruise Lines International Association, the world’s largest such organization, announced on October 8 that passengers can only board ships by providing proof of a negative test result. All member shipping companies worldwide must now comply with this rule.
Image: Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa/picture-alliance
German government declares all of Belgium and Iceland risk areas
In the wake of significant increases in coronavirus infection figures in Europe, Berlin has announced further EU countries as risk areas for travelers. In addition to Belgium and Iceland, additional areas of France and Great Britain, including all of Northern Ireland and Wales, were also classified as risk areas on September 30.
Image: Stefan Ziese/imageBROKER/picture-alliance
Taj Mahal reopens for tourists
India's most famous building was closed for six months, but since Monday ( September 21) it can be visited again, under strict restrictions. Only 5000 online tickets will be issued per day. There are temperature checks at the entrance. Selfies are allowed, group photos are prohibited. The Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is normally visited by 8 million people every year.
Image: Pawan Sharma/picture-alliance/AP Photo
Historical sales losses in global tourism
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the tourism sector has suffered a loss of 460 billion dollars (388 billion euros) from January to June, the World Tourism Organization reported in Madrid. The loss of sales was five times higher than during the international financial and economic crisis of 2009, and the total number of tourists worldwide fell by 65 percent in the first half of the year.
Image: AFP/D. Martin
Berlin to start 'differentiated system' for travel warnings
The German government has extended its travel warning for around 160 countries through September 30. The advisory applies to "third countries" — i.e. countries that are not members of the EU or associated with the Schengen area. From October 1st, a "differentiated system" will apply, in which individual travel and safety information will be given for each country.
Australia has extended its travel restrictions for a further three months. The borders will remain closed for visitors from abroad until at least December 17. However, the government announced that domestic travel will soon be allowed for residents of the country. An exception will be the state of Victoria, with its metropolis Melbourne, for which a lockdown has been in place since early July.
Image: SeaLink Travel Group
Germany extends global travel warning
The German government has extended the travel warning for around 160 countries outside the European Union by two weeks until September 14. A spokeswoman for the German Foreign Ministry explained the move on Wednesday (Aug 26) with rising coronavirus infection rates. "The situation will not relax sufficiently by mid-September to be able to lift the worldwide travel warning," she said.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Arnold
Compulsory COVID-19 tests on entry into Germany
Anyone entering Germany from a high-risk area must take a coronavirus test from August 8, after an order by Health Minister Jens Spahn. Currently, many countries are classified as risk areas, including the United States and Brazil. In the European Union, Luxembourg, the Belgian region of Antwerp and the Spanish regions of Aragon, Catalonia and Navarre were risk areas as of early August.
Image: Reuters/F. Bensch
Setback for cruise holidays
Norwegian cruise operator Hurtigruten has stopped all cruises on August 3 until further notice after an outbreak of the coronavirus on one of its ships. At least 40 passengers and crew members on the Roald Amundsen tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, German cruise line Aida Cruises has also postponed its planned restart due to the lack of necessary permits.
02:08 South Korea, one of the countries most affected by the outbreak, reported fewer than 150 new daily cases for the first time in two weeks. On Monday, the country confirmed a total of 131 new cases.
01:55 Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has called the coronavirus threat "overstated."
"In my opinion, that virus's destructive power is overstated. Maybe it is even potentially being exaggerated for political reasons," Bolsonaro said.
The far-right leader said that the recent fall of the world markets "basically has to do with the price of oil, which sank 30 percent, and with the coronavirus issue, too."
01:45 The Central American nation of Panama has confirmed its first case of coronavirus.
01:26 A nursing home in Seattle, Washington at the center of the outbreak in the US has reported 31 more confirmed cases. Since February 19, 26 of the home's 120 patients have died. Autopsies have confirmed that at least 13 of the deaths were due to coronavirus.
01:23 For the third day in a row, China has reported no new local coronavirus transmissions.
01:20South Korea has reported 35 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the national total to 7,513.
01:12 Mongolia has confirmed its first case of coronavirus — a French national working in the country.
00:22 In mainland China, where the outbreak began, 80,754 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus thus far. Nearly 60,000 have already recovered. Nine new cases were confirmed on the mainland on Monday, compared to 40 the day before.
00:12 The head of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) expects coronavirus to bring on a recession in Germany this year.
"It's probable that Germany will experience a recession this year — employment is going to suffer visibly," the institute's chief economic forecaster Claus Michelsen told German daily Berliner Morgenpost.
