from berlin. tonight the coronavirus pandemic and a warning from the head of the world health organization. >> the pandemic is accelerating. brent: new cases of covid-19 rising globally at a faster pace. who says there is still time to change the trajectory of this pandemic. also all quiet across germany. a leading public health institute says empty streets are

helping to slow the virus spread. good news for chancellor angela merkel. one day after starting self quarantine she tested negative for the virus. and the pressure building to postpone the tokyo olympics. the japanese prime minister acknowledging the summer games may be delayed. canada and australia say they will not send their teams. ♪ to our viewers on pbs in the united states and around the world, welcome. the covid-19 virus continues to outpace efforts to contain it. cases of the infection are accelerating. 16,000 people around the world have died from the infection. peer is what the head of the to be way to set a few hours ago. >> more than 300 thousand cases

of covid-19 have been reported to dubya ho. -- to who, from almost every country inin the world. that i is heartbreaking. the pandemic is accecelerating. it took 67 days, from the first reported case to reach the first 100,000 cases. 11 days for the second 100,000 cases. and just four days for the third 100,000 cases. brent: those are disturbing numbers. for more i am joined by a spokesperson from the world health organization, joining us from geneva, switzerland. who is saying the pandemic is accelerating. where is it spreading at the most rapid pace?

>> what we are e seeing nowow,a has nearlyly zero cases. iran is onone of the top countries. italy, and slowly that u.s. is catching up. these would be are prominent three countries now. europe in general is the most spreading area. spain, france, germany, italy, all together make up for a good portion of all of the cases worldwide. but, to look at china, we can see there is hope, if we are doing the right measures to curb this outbreak and to get to a better outcome. brent: today the dubya ho called -- who called on the g20 to stop the spread of the coronavirus and work together. is the fear that if we do not have international cooperation, is the fear that we would not be able to bring this pandedemic undeder contl?l?

>> we need a lot of resourceses now. not only the cooperation and sharing. sharing the virus sequences and results and therapeutics develop meant and sharing results for vaccine development. we have a lot going on. we have more than 20 vaccine and therapeutics candidate going. and we have a couple of vaccine tests trials going on. so these are all good news. but we also need a lot of financial resources. of course, the world's most powerful countries with 80% of the global gdpdp brougught toger in these g20, that is ththe resources we need now. let's look at what is missing globally in nearly every country. we lacack the most basic things

from masks and simple medical equipment to the more sophisticated meaning the ventilators's oxygen may be in hospital beds and that means physically also may besing other facilities to turn into temporary h hospitals or tempory locations. we need training for staff. a lot of resources are needed for now. we also need to think about boosting the economy and as you just said in the commentary, restarting the economy at some point be another huge effort. brent: tonight there are more than 1.5 billion people in lockdown who have been told to stand home or their governments have requested them to do so. can you venture a production on when 1.5 billion people will be abable to go abobout theirir nol lives agaiain? are there any r reassuring words for peopople to not? ----onight? >> i would l love to givive a te frame.

i am doioing this for my home offifice as well. we are just t as well underr lockdown. ththe situatioion will certainit worse until it g gets better, unfofortunately, that is t the neeeed to slow t the curve down and spreadd out the c cases o oa good a amount of timime. the measureses taken now o on te social and political front, meaning the lockdown of many public placeces or depenending n the country, more places or less places, the closing of public lilife, will have an effffect. we h heard first reports from individudual countrieses they tk they see results already. that is, of course, great news. but we hope this is actually maninifesting in real numbers. this together with aggressive tracking and tracing of individual cases, and the following of every contact, that will need to be enhanced in all countries. that can bring success. for all of this we need

resources and we need money. brent: all right, the world health organization joining us tonight from geneva. thank you. some more of the latest developments on the global covid-19 pandemic. for the second straight day, italy posted figures suggesting the spread of covid-19 in the country is slowing down. italy is europe's hardest hit country. u.n. secretary general antonio guterres called for an immediate global cease-fire. the cease-fire would be to protect local people -- vulnerable people in conflict zones from the ravages of the virus. austria is mobilizing its military reservists for the first time since the second world war two help with food supplies, medical support and police operations. here in germany, the countries leading public health institution, the robert caulkins to do, suggests new data suggest the rise in coronavirus cases might be leveling off.

and that concerns that chancellor merkel may have caught the virus have been dispelled. >> the brandenburg gate should be buzzing with locals and visitors b but lockdownn measurs memean that peopople are o o doorors only for essential reass like going to work, shopping, or walking the dog. germany's robert caulkins to two says there is reason to be cautiously optimistic the measures are working. >> we are seeing signs the exponential growth curve is flattening slightly. i will only be able to confirm this trend definitively wednesday. i am optimistic the measures are already having an effect, which is early, because they have only been in place for one week. >> seems like these from last week, a thing of the past for now. chancellor merkel is in quarantine at home. she has been tested after contact with an infected doctor.

that test came back negative. she will be tested regular the in the coming days and meanwhile she is teleworking. the finance minister a lot schultz will cover some duties pretty >> bundestag. >> after today's virtual cabinet meeting, the government announced financial aid of 156 billion euros. it is a break with germany's rules strict budgetary discipline. but extort our times require extra neri measures. brent: the pentagon says it preparing to deploy field hospitals to new york and

seattle, national hotspots of the covid-19 pandemic. defense secretary mark esper says the global pandemic could impact the military readininessf the u.s.. new york is america's worst affected>> the city could run of supplies as soon as next week.

there's a shortage of downs, ventilators, masks, and of hospital beds in particular in intensive care units. if you look at new york city, there are 10,000 cases in the city alone, one out of four americans in new york city and keshift hospitals set up now but not only there also president trump deployed the national guard to three states hit hardest. among them in new york, washington and california. at the same time, politicians are trying to appeal to the americans to take this virus seriously, because the spite the lockdown in new york there were still many people seen out and the new york governor cuomo used a dramatic tone today to describe the situation as, the calm before the storm. and that the real chronic crisis has not started yet.

brent: that is a very good point. efforts to advance a trillion dollar rescue of the u.s. economy failed again in congress today, the second time. oliver, why can't democrats and republicans agree on such an important measure in a crisis moment? >> i might have lost your sound. brent: can you hear me now, oliver? can you hear me now? >> but i will carry on. there is an ideological divide, if we are talking about the democrat and republicans that cannot find an agreement in the senate today. it shows how strained the relationship is between the two parties. the democrats essentially are demanding that the financial aid that is being discussed is used to protect workers and avoid

layoffs. they are alleging the republicans to put corporations first. and not the people. the republicans say that democrats are having unrelated demands that they want to use tax credits for alternative energy for instance with the result that we're looking at a stalemate again. that is frustrating for many now cooperate it seems even in such a dramatic situation. brent: it is amazing they are unable to cooperate when so much is at stake now. oliver, think of a much. from the story -- thank you very much. from main street to wall street. our financial correspondent is standing by in new york, at his home now. good afternoon. a second try at a stemless package failed today. how is wall street -- eddie stimulus package. how is wall street reacting? > i am reportiting from broo,

that is correct.t. the market didid not reayy like the back-and-forth at all. itit was a pretty crazy trading day once again. at some point blue chips were down by 900 points. that it looked like we might recover and then by the end of the session, we are down almost 600 points. that means since the past four weeks, the dow jones industrial average is down about 5%. -- 35%. right now we are looking at the worst month not since 1987 but possibly since 1931. brent: that is amazing. it comes with the u.s. fed saying what we have heard from that european central bank and that is, the skies the limit. we are going to print money as much as we need and buy bonds as much as we need. yet that still is not impressing wall street. why? >> it is really quite

astonishing what is happeninin right now. e federal l reserve by n now iss saying that they are ready to buy as many treasuries s as necessary. so no limits whatsoever. i have not seen that since the financial crisis in 2008. what we should not forget is, forget about the reaction of the stock mamarket now. sure, it is important. but what needs to happen now is to keep the money markets going. to keep the capital markets of flowing. and that is at risk and could lead to a compete -- a complete standstill of the u.s. economy. that is why we see this extreme measure from the federal reserve, to keep c companies haviving the possibility to even get money so that wewe do o note to a complete standstill. that is what is at stake now. brent: an amazing picture that. our financial correspondencee doing a hohome office frfrom

brooklyn on the other of the river from manhattan and the new york stock exchange. thank you. let's have a look at how the coronavirus crisis is affecting global business. the international maritime ororganizati wararning the g gla shipping industry is in choppy waters, after krone virus hit transport hubs," and restricted shipping around the world. it is stressing that allowing ships to move medical supplies and food is essential to overcome the pandemic and is calling for seafarers to be treateteas front liners like medical personnel and airline crew. european aircraft manufacturer airbus announced a partial return to production in strands and spain. -- in france and spain. the company closed last week to implement new hygiene and this tensing rules in response to the outbreak. -- and self distancing roles. no travel, no freedom of movement in many countries tonight.

tourism, which depends on that freedom, has been decimated. 15% of spain's economy relies on tourism. dw news reports from one of europe's worst affected cities, madrid. >> spain's most important national art museum, the prado, is closed, like almost everything else here. our reporter is trying to talk to people affected by the lockdown, but it is not easy. there are police checkpoints where drivers have to prove they are allowewed to be out. the same goes for pedestrians. there are 15,000 taxis but the business is thin. >> itit is brutal. i spoke to a colleague who went to thehe airport. that is 30 eururos. anotother had two trips. since exam today. -- since it :00 a.m. today. me, i have had none. the government announced to her billion package but it will not save the taxis. we are not making any money. just do not have to pay our

supplement contributions but i still have to pay the mortgage and buy food. so i am let off 10% but not making anything. >> most all the hotels in madrid have closed. the employees are on forced leave or have been let go. it is similar for the city's many restaurants. a few lucky ones like the pizzeria can just about survive on delivery orders. >> we are still making pizza, but it is massive change. normally there would be 10 staff members and now there are two. >> almost eveveryone in hotelsld daters and restaurants have been laid off or are working from home. a reporter went to meet the tourist board spokesman at his house for an interview on the roof. >> it is no surprise many small and medium-size businesses have

had to close. we will have to wait and see if they can reopen or if they have p>> the industry is hoping for a quick recovery when it is all over. i reporter is now going to visit tour guide. she has been showing tourists around madrid for 30 years and shshe inks recovery is a long wy off. >> we had a 75% drop in customers in februaryry. in march 100% canceled. april and may will be similar. with hadad lots of cancellations than t too. >> more than 2.5 million spaniards work in tourism and the krone virus pandemic is an unprecedented nightmare for the sector -- the coronavirus epidemic. brent: south africa has imposed

eight when he one day locked down and called the military to combat the spread of the iris. covid-19 has taken its toll on dozens of nations on the continent. >> this shantytown home to thousands of people, many live in huts on stilts above the waters of lagos lagoon. if a by the standards of nigeria's largest city, hygiene is poor. sewage and rubbish felt the water people rely on for daily use. -- foul the water. these conditions raise fears about a wide spread of the virus on the continent. not everyone is concerned. >> there is no disease here. i was born here. i drift this water. there is no disease. -- there is no disease. i drink this water. >> experts disagree. >> it is that disaster for africa. we have to be clear and take this seriously. we have to win the battle against covid-19 in africa because it is going to be devastating on the humanitarian side, on the economic side, and

the security side. this is a serious challenge for the continent. >> as the crisis in africa looms, china is practicing damage limitation heard sunday a plane of facemasks, test kits and protective clothing landed in ethiopia's capital, donated by chinese billionaire jack my. but such goodwill gestures are unlikely to be enough. -- jack ma. oliver africa people live in crowded populations centers and governments struggle to enforce social distancing, seen as essential to slow the spread of the disease. cameron's largest city, the streets are pulsing with life despite abound on gatherings. -- oin cameroon,... despite a band. rwanda is the latest to impose a

total lockdown. in the capital, kigali, the streets have emptied. brent: it is becoming likely the tokyo olympics which are due to take place this summer will be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. several qualifying events are already canceled and pressure is growing on authorities to consider a delay. to date japan's prime minister acknowledged rescheduling the games may be the only feasible way forward. >> four weeks neither japan nor the international olympic committee was prepared to countenance it. now prime minister shinzo abe hahas addressed the possibility. >> if circumstances make it impossible to hold games as planned, then we have no choice but to consider postponing them. >> ioc president thomas had been playing for time, saying sunday a decision would be made in the next four weeks. but pressure from athletes and

associations has grownwn. canada announced they would not send athletes to the games, followed by australia, where the local olympic committee is to manning and delay. >> gigi certainty to the athletes and to our sports. that is the most important. >> over the weekend in japan where public life is yet to be restricted a as in other countries, 50,000 people gathered to catch a glance of the elliptic claim. the countries -- the olympic flame. the country six parenting a growth in coronavirus case numbers and experts have been warning of a wave of cases similar to europe. plans are now being made to scale back the torch relay due to start thursday. postponement of the games is looking inevitable. -- increasingly and. brent: i am joined by the former basketball or and now chief

executive of the unions athlete germany. let me get your opinion. do you think you live accent tokyo, should d they go ahead as planned? >> no they shouldn't. i'm in fafavor of postponing th. we have rereceived a note thattn ioc c member gave e an interview that postponement t is insight d thatat the ioc is going to annonounce soon, which i thinkns the righght decision.. -- pound of the ioc. brent: athletes here in germany have already qualified for the games. how is s the uncertaiainty affeg their traraining at thehe momen? >> y yes. obviously very difficucult for athletetes to train n properly. we cannot speak o of the prepararation neeeeded for the s because th athletes have to train n alone and o outside ande

creative in crating situationsns atat their homomes, in their sells,s, to findpapace and alsoo the equipment to train. -- crereing situations i in r homes,s, i their cellars. around the world the conditions for the game preparation is so unequal. brent: do you think the main reason it is taking so long for a decision to be reached, is it because of the economic and financial applications of canned smelling it -- of canceling it? or i is i it a desire to have te on the games take acace for e atathletes? >> well, i thinink for r a whihe peoplele probably exexpected ths pandemic to o go a away or recer not to spread as far as it has now. so i think there was a glimmer of hope. looking at the last 2-3 weeks it

became clearar that staging gams without endangering people's health would not be-would be impossible. so i think that the main consideration now is about money, economic impact, of holding are not holding the games and i'm sure these are considerations that i was he's making. brent: canada and australia announced they will not take part in the games in july. do you think team germany is going to do the same, and with that make a difference with the ioc decision? >> even if the s statement i ququoted earlier, to k-pop, that the games are being postponededs nonot true, -- debtt - -- the c official, i t think team g germy

is bound to make a a choice prey sosoon. the germaman olympipic federatin here has annnnounced a sururvey among the athleletes that are in the run n to qualify.. i think t that the athlete opinn , while mimixed, increasasinglyr the next cououple of dayss will spspeak out t in favor of a a postponementnt. brent: ok. ththank you fofor thee latest wh the latest of the discussion of postponing or canceling the other big games. you're watching dw news. i will be back to take you through the day tonight, the pandemic and what it is doing to our mental health. we will be right back. ♪

friends reports a 28% increase in the number of deaths from covert nineteen in the last twenty four hours and a twenty percent increase in the number of cases. the country is enter its weeeek of lockdkdown with these hospice already overflow with patients and doctors still lacking vital protective supplies. but there is a possible tiny granger hope coming from a three hundred society still dying there in the last twenty four hours but a small decrease in those numbers. and the number of new cases also showing a slight decl