this is w. news live from berlin tonight the title no one wants italy has overtaken china with the highest number of deaths from the corona virus seems unimaginable just a month ago in one city the army is helping to carry away the dead because hospital morgues are full beyond capacity also coming up to the u.s. urges americans not to travel abroad under any circumstances and tells its citizens abroad to return home now or to stay put it comes as germany begins the biggest

repatriation effort in its history $100000.00 german tourists have been left stranded around the world as airlines canceled more flights and who would have thought some of the makers of gin are giving it away to help beat the crisis the new cocktail is flying off the shelves but it's not intended for drinking 8 we'll tell you why. i bring it off to our viewers on p.b.s. in the united states and all around the world welcome italy has reached a grim milestone reporting more deaths from coronavirus than any other nation in the world and that includes china 3405 people have died from the virus in italy the country has recorded more than 41000 infections and the region of lombardy is the worst hit. there are over well as our next report.

the city of burger mohammed run out of space to bury its dead there are these military trucks are taking the coffins to nearby cities for burial the corona virus has hit the lombardi region like no other place in italy. names and faces of lost loved ones fill the local papers as the death toll keeps climbing physicians and officials are appealing for help we are in full emergency with this coronavirus i mean you know a lot of personnel nurses and physicians are working round the clock countless our work to fight these incredible situation we do not know are wrong the spending you know will last we are in desperate need of both nurses and physicians together with ventilators and these positives for protection

efforts to build a temporary hospital in the epicenter are under way. its top that 200 intensive care units will be ready by the month and italy has also turned to the country where the virus originated for support medical teams from china have flown in to lend their expertise. not yours it's our job about each initial hope the people of our 2 countries will stay together and support each other to jointly overcome the hardship. i believe the top class teams of experts will learn from each other and make joint efforts and surely will be able to subdue the outbreak very soon cheer up italy. amid speculation that the lockdown could be extended for several more weeks and talents are finding simple ways to lift their spirits. the.

god or the there will be one. of the death toll the new infections continue to climb in italy the curve as they say is not being flat and we have correspondents in rome does the country have a strategy for dealing with the outbreak at this point the main strategy is this tagline this monster that they are telling everyone stay at home that is really the only way they can limit the spread of call that 19 the situation though at the tickler lead bit the more as we saw in that report earlier at but in general in the region of lombardy it really is on the brink i think of one particular the president of the order of doctors there describing the scenario as apocalyptic the prime minister decepticon to interview to

a local day essentially says that they are not looking at even more stringent measures in terms of the lockdown a complete block altogether that they're looking at banning all outdoor activities and stressing to people to stay indoors that's the only way they can limit the spread of the disease now the interior ministry as a review data that in the last 8 days they have had to conduct millions of controls and they've taken to task 53000 people for violations of the knock down measure so they feel the make this the seriousness isn't really quite hitting home that even if you have no symptoms you can spread the disease and that's why i mean that message is being shouted out from the mountaintops you're right there was correspondence in the group today reporting from rome the trumpet ministration has increased its already dire travel warning for americans as the coronavirus pandemic worsens. the state department has issued

a new alert urging americans not to travel abroad under any circumstances it also says americans should arrange to return to the u.s. immediately unless they plan to remain over seats previously americans were told to quote reconsider international travel. or for more now let's go to our correspondent in washington jeff. used to fund so what more do we know about this travel warning well it's the highest it's all the worst however you look at it it's a level 4 advisory and it is unprecedented it seems at least in scale compass is the entire world americans are asked not to travel overseas wherever in the world not even for critical or most critical business all over the world normally you get those advisories for hotspots scanners than pakistan iraq when things are not going to well there but on that scale it's pretty unprecedented and this is where we are

and including as you said before they stenzel 1000 americans stranded around the world and they are now and courage to earch to make their way home as soon as they can tell again tens of thousands of americans i mean do we do we have a number that the government is giving for how many americans could be affected by this. no we don't actually unfortunately not but we know of a few cases which are make the headlines here of course there's 100 hundreds of people stuck in countries like somalia and morocco why because those countries closed their borders so there's no air traveling and no aircraft leaving the grounds towards the u.s. or anywhere else and those americans in the thousands approximately are absolutely stuck there and you know stefan this week there's been lots of comparisons to the situation following the 911 terror attacks in the united states i mean have we ever

seen anything like this type of travel warning for americans before you know i think it's absolutely unprecedented and the airline industry can attest to this right now they all complaining it's everything is worse than 911911 was bad enough of course for the airline industry itself the event of course but the impact it has on travel on the ability and the willingness of people increasingly in the united states to actually make one move or another let alone travel or. go abroad and the problems that creates the chaos in exile you do that creates for americans who may be want to come home is unprecedented and the damage just in billions of dollars for the markets for the industries is horrendous. story for us in washington tonight thank you. well here in europe germany has recorded another sharp increase in the number of new infections the disease control center for the

country is says that confirmed cases or up by one 3rd to nearly 11000 the military is now preparing to play a bigger role in dealing with this outbreak the country's defense minister on the great crime covered dollar says that thousands of reserve soldiers will be called up she says military hospitals and doctors could help treat patients with the virus but it is fair troops could also be asked to help repatriate german nationals who are stuck abroad or here in berlin there are plans to turn an exhibition center into a temporary hospital for coronavirus patients it's not needed yet but the berlin expo center will soon house up to 1000 beds as a precautionary measure here 2 soldiers will be deployed for the building conversion regular hospitals are also scaling up their intensive care capacity this includes retraining medics from other fields to work in i.c.u.

it's. the german foreign office has launched a major airlift operation to bring home german tourists stranded abroad due to the pandemic it's estimated that about 110-0000 germans are waiting to be repatriated many of them were left with little option but to stay put when airlines began grounding flights. arriving home on this plane landing in berlin tourists returning from egypt this was one of the last flights bringing passengers back to germany for many it was a short vacation then came corona and borders everywhere were closed holiday makers feared they might be stranded. there was chaos at the airport some people were not on the list too but with some luck we managed to get a ticket. we got relieved we could get a seat of course. about 100000 germans of being brought home

from around the world then returning to a country in suspended animation the empty airport is just the 1st sign that every day life has changed the taxi drivers here know all about it who wants us to corona destroys everything what is happening we never saw anything like this the drivers are fighting amongst each other fighting about getting a fair that is not right. you know much you know something wait for 5 hours without getting any business because even if we taxi drivers don't work we don't earn anything in the x. in egypt alone 30000 germans are waiting for their chance to fly home the berlin government is mobilizing 50000000 euros to make these flights possible that passengers will have to pay a fair equivalent to an economy class ticket wells' where in europe spain and italy have also recorded a sharp rise in the number of cases spain's death toll stands now at more than 760

with more than 17000 infections new infections both countries have introduced strict measures to stop the spread of the virus the french parliament convened in a restricted format today to pass emergency laws and there too was a stark reminder that no one is immune from getting sick. a coughing fit left a lasting impression as friends is polman to bated emergency coronavirus measures while much of the discussion concerned mosque's no one in the room war on this week's lockdown comes true months after the 1st cases of the virus appeared in france the government is facing harsh criticism of a backyard and you also admitted that the former minister of health alerted you in january to the coming to zoster why did you not inform us of this why then did you

not implement the necessary measures. france's on day 3 of an imposed lockdown with citizens ordered to remain inside their homes empty streets in france empty plazas in spain is the 2nd worst hit country in the a year. you can't see their uniforms under the hazmat suits but these are soldiers brought in under the country's state of emergency. disinfecting transport hubs places where people gather and the risk of transmission is high up in london's famous troop system also feared to be a virus hotspot authorities are closing 40 stations. britain is also setting up a series of temporary morgues around the country they're being located in the worst

affected areas as a precaution. it comes as people flock to supermarkets to stock up on supplies. the zinc is probably the last time that they actually be out until it's got to shopping trolleys in order to get as much as possible target down because they are probably mostly being away for 2 months then we came back yesterday to a completely empty cupboard so we can claim to yesterday couldn't even get milk oh don't get people are panicking no they. didn't panic we wouldn't have it this year knew it good to get what we wanted. while there's no official lockdown in place people are getting ready to lock themselves in. are for more now i'm joined by toby discords he's a professor of public health and epidemiology at the charité medical center here in berlin it's good to have you on the program let me ask you as

a medical professional i mean do you think that the current restrictions such as lockdowns strict social distancing are they are they necessary or are we overreacting in any way and socially they are necessary to really instruct you a dozen sections and we see that in other countries the consequences for the health care system and we will also face these in germany so we really must act now must there they're raised with very strong measures that we have cuts in wages and pensions going to bring going to curves down as he said the last days we've heard a lot that we have to act now now is the time the the world health organization has regularly talked about containment is it possible to stop the spread of the virus at this point or is it simply too late. we cannot stop the spread of the virus other viruses will continue its way he has been there we can monocytes the weights

of the species which the virus continues to insert the population and that has a direct consequence for the health care systems and what happens is the peak will that help us is there you can see it in italy and spain in france and the other countries and all have to prepare right now that this is happening to their countries as well that's why we have to increase the number. when i ask you about the death toll here in germany there's been a lot of talk about the lower mortality rate in germany compared to the number of people here who have tested positive why has this virus apparently killed fewer people here one person to understand these numbers up there it gets close to compare between countries because very advanced country said different tests so you don't test the same people you test but since i'm successful that's in zones it's costly or it's please look at population so the number of people are infected it is

very difficult to compare the same is true for deaths from groups who you call a post with diet from corona notice that this measure is from different countries i did not expect that in germany there would be a substantially lower rate from these infectious diseases so we do have to expect that their numbers ruiz holds in the future the australian prime minister said today that this is a once in a century viral pandemic how does the new corona virus compared to other pathogens i mean is it spreading faster than what we've seen in the past. it's spreading and it's spreading with certain numbers that are somewhat different to a normal flu let's say so the number of people insects there if you are insect and you infect. people with actually in symptoms which is higher than a normal flu and the other problem is that time from hell you thought it insect and

still yet since i'm so it's quite a lot this leads as a fact that the rate of infection is really sastre than other viral diseases infectious diseases so we see differences and that's part of the culture right now that these people will keep the health care system is getting fast this peak is hitting fast and yet we're still seeing people here in germany who are not abiding by these these very strict measures to stop the spread of the virus you see people outside acting like it's a holiday would you say that the government will eventually have to get back to some type of total lockdown in the country to stop the virus it is true unfortunately is to expect that this will happen because. you know some people take this very serious are saying it's coming out so the concepts enormously and others are are still ignoring the situation it's also quite bizarre because you go out to

sunny you can walk a wonderful you can see a direct consequences but i think sadly there's a range so we need to really understand that this is a very severe situation and we all need to act now as a society at large who will not be able to manage it to be escorting us tonight from berlin and sharon to hospital to me is thank you. how to slow down the spread of the corona virus taiwan has so far managed to do just that keeping its infection rate far lower than neighboring countries despite its part somebody to china where the outbreak 1st began so what is taiwan doing right in w.c. because since this report. surgical masks angles have become part of dr who's uniform since the coronavirus outbreak began he was among the 1st group of doctors in taiwan to treat suspected patients that was back in january when the

virus 1st spread from china across the strait you know taiwan policy guy in taiwan is experienced in understanding china so we know what is reliable and when we should be skeptical. and because taiwan has long been isolated from the international community on we must take more steps ahead of the crisis and use our own judgment. i bought this issue so this is how. this is where he ended up sleeping i don't much of a next to the hospital set aside from medical stuff like him for time on the jail and since the treatment for a disease with no cure. i thought. it was hard to identify misinformation at 1st i was scared of spreading the virus to my family. i think this has to be a collective effort if each of us takes very strict to cautions ourselves it eases the burden on the health care system. other than medics and military students and

teachers at high school level and below and now banned from overseas travel. foreigners are denied entry. but containing the virus is not only about border control communities have found themselves on the frontline. district officer of the local government gary cron monitors individuals on the 14 day home quarantine. one of his duties is to take care of the daily needs such as delivering fresh food. there and how do. we help to make it easier for quarantine people to stay at home to reduce the risk of contagion if anyone least the apartment will be alerted by text message and call the police he or she may be fined 3. quarantine in taiwan may feel service based but it's also stringent. individuals are under surveillance. telecom providers are cooperating to enable the government to track people via their mobile phones. health officials believe technology helps contain

concern and prevent panic. one example is the facemask rationing system where people can place that woulda and check availability online. because it is a whole new technology helps us to systemize containment policies in a transparent way it helps the public build up a sense of trust in the government because they are well informed about the situation tendency in my. taiwan's next step is to broaden its testing regimen. and you know why the bill says anyone with overseas travel history fever or respiratory symptoms is eligible for testing. according to research the spread of the virus can be largely contained if 60 percent of infection chains are broken by that we're trying our best to achieve that you know tens or you don't have time with. the island's remains concerned

about a potential massive outbreak while waiting for a vaccine community and government that containment is the only way anyone knows how to fight the virus. it cannot be repeated too many times on top of the self isolation and social distancing that people around the world are being advised to practice there are some simple hygiene guidelines to follow that can help stop the corona virus from spreading take a look wash your hands with soap and water and do it often keep going for at least 20 seconds especially after you've been in a public place alcohol based hand sanitizers are a good alternative. if you cough or sneeze cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or use the inside of your elbow throw away used to shoes and don't use them twice after blowing your nose coughing or sneezing wash your hands with soap

and water for at least 20 seconds clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces every day this includes tables door handles light switches countertops desks phones keyboards toilets taps and sinks in all raising the coronavirus pandemic forcing formula one to postpone 3 additional grand prix scheduled for may that means the season will start in june at the earliest formula one and the sports governing body put the dutch spanish and moscow grand prix is on hold to ensure the health and safety of the traveling staff championship at this event and fans the march 15th season opening australian grand prix in melbourne was already counts. well if you tried to buy a hand sanitizer lately well you know as people everywhere try to protect themselves from the coronavirus hand sanitizer has become a prized commodity in some cases selling for outrageous prices on the internet the main ingredient is alcohol which means the new heroes of the day include gen makers

yes gen makers are trying to fill the hand sanitizer gap and stop the price. gin and hand sanitizer supplies for the pandemic now available at the same spots. it's all about alcohol and these people especially us but well gin is about 40 percent alcohol virus killing hand sanitizer needs to be at least 60 percent. will be complicity we're actually using the same ingredients so for all intent and purposes you could say it's a very very strong we would absolutely not recommend average it gets this irish distillery has stopped making new batches of gin all together it's now all about hand sanitizer what we've sold is a fraction of what's needed as an absolute fraction of what's needed so we you know again there are loads of other distilleries the can do this and that are doing this not just an ardent across the atlantic diskin distillery in pennsylvania is doing

the same thing. we have shifted focus from making beverage alcohol products and put a 100 percent of our resources towards making hand sanitizer for a community. the labels for the new project line don't even have prices after seeing people selling sanitizer online for hundreds of dollars the boss here decided to give it away. i was googling how much is hand sanitizer and we came up with the very 1st result on google is $328.00 for one else i think that's ridiculous it's shameful and we want to be the antidote to that we want to provide hand sanitizer to anybody that needs it we want to push it out to our charity partners or local partners that we work with every single day. the attitude here is a tonic in these days of pandemic price gouging for basic products to keep people safe. well there may be reason for cautious hope tonight china says that it has

registered no new domestic 1900 says for the 1st time since the outbreak began in move on we're the 1st pieces were diagnosed medical teams from other cities are now leaving some people are back out on the. in the city but it remains largely a walk down fears remain of further outbreaks. in berlin after a short break i'll be back to take you through the day tonight our continuing coverage of the pandemic and italy the sorrow and the suffering. on.

hundreds off the eaves in. where i come from remains an important means off transmitting new and more mission and when i was young my country was drawing. more people. people would cause them. to see. it was mine joel took to in one that just states. everyone in that town. in the same tools that. nothing has intrinsic in my known copy it into a. lot of them. even. us i was a twit. by choice you discard it because given

away to try and spin it. and in the best moment and. warrants 19th 2020 the day italy overtook china as the country with the most deaths from the coronavirus today is also the 1st day that china reported no new local infections 3 months since the beginning of this outbreak there is cautious hope tonight in china growing desperation here in europe and in the united states the fear that many will take the threat seriously until it's too late i'm brig off in berlin this is the day.