Germany orders lockdown for a district after 1,500 workers test positive for coronavirus

In what is being called a setback to the hopes of a swift re-opening, German authorities have ordered the lockdown of an entire district. According to reports, this is the first time that authorities have imposed lockdown in a region after easing restrictions several weeks ago. The lockdown was reintroduced in the district of Guetersloh and will reportedly affect 360,000 people.

District-wide lockdown

As per reports, the decision to lock down the district was taken after a new coronavirus cluster was discovered in a slaughterhouse in the town of Rheda-Wiedenbrueck. The outbreak left almost 1,500 workers infected. The outbreak in Germany’s most populous town is the largest cluster after the country began to ease restrictions in early May. A lockdown implies that the district will see a return to restrictions that were in place during the height of the pandemic, cinemas, museums, concert halls, bars, gyms, swimming pools and etc. will be shut down.

Other than the slaughterhouse in the town of Rheda-Wiedenbrueck, Germany has also other coronavirus clusters in residential buildings in Lower Saxony an even in Germany’s capital of Berlin. The coronavirus death toll in Germany has been significantly lower than its neighbours and it was the first major European country to start easing restrictions in early May. Despite the success Germany had in its fight against COVID-19, Chancellor Angela Merkel has stated that people should not become complacent and throw caution into the wind before a vaccine is discovered.

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€130 billion stimulus package

Chancellor Angela Merkel has been previously quoted as saying that while lockdown measures were integral in curbing the widespread outbreaks, the gradual ease of the restrictions had to be considered to reboot the economy. With over 192,127 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 and 8,962 fatalities, Germany has announced that it will be extending social distancing measures till June 29.

Further, as per reports, both federal and state authorities would work in cooperation and take the unanimous decisions about the lockdown restrictions which have helped Germany to deal with the outbreak with a relatively low number of deaths in the last two months. Additionally, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a €130 billion stimulus package that would boost the economy that has been in shackles due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Image Credit AP)

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