on the coronavirus 2 yen spawns right there is a lot of you know he's the head of the robert cock institute that's germany's federal agency for disease prevention as you're saying derrick this is germany's public health body one that's been especially a vocal in this crisis it has been it has been and it's basically what they've been saying all along is that we need to prepare we need to prepare at the same time they are they are reminding people that 4 out of 5 people who get this disease have mild symptoms so they're trying to diffuse the panic to some extent but they're very very interested at this particular point in getting germany obviously wanting all right let's listen it up to be here for the right to locking them to fit in that's just that. we would be out of the room can also see us and campbell. and that we can see it and in the audience i'd like to ask you to take your seats at this point. because you back that menus well it could be in pretty colleagues i would like to welcome you to this press conference after the video conference that we had yesterday of the european council i'd li

assessment to high indications from the country's clinics that the number of serious cases is increasing has led the head of the robert cock institute to say that stricter measures are necessary to contain the virus has spread germany now has nearly 8000 confirmed cases of them for the last week and one of the candidates for the leadership of the german chancellor angela merkel's conservative party has tested positive for the coronavirus friedrich met says he only has mild symptoms and will stand home until the end of next week term he's not yet on the general lockdown but the government's appeals for people to stay at home and avoid unnecessary contact are having an effect political correspondent simon young reports. there's a curious calm in the normally pulsating heart of berlin on tuesday morning far fewer people than usual were out in about in the german capital foreign minister heiko must announced another unprecedented measure a travel warning for the entire planet and said no unnecessary trips should be made in addition the government will provide 50000000 euros so german citizens currently abroad can come home. also i think

back to what i talked about at the beginning and this this press conference that was given by the head of the robert cock institute 57 percent of those that have tested positive here in germany fall into one particular demographic and that is 45 year old men so that's particularly different to what we've seen in some countries where it's been. it's been the elderly and those particularly with underlying conditions it would seem that 45 year old men are the main people who certainly have been catching the covert 19 here in germany call you the series now and men seem to be more susceptible to it as well don't they were euro not the moment that he was going to have a lab or out of the moment you know not going to i'm over 45 anyway let's not even think about that at the moment i was trying to look to see. what was in anglo merkel's basket there a couple of bottles of physical water maybe in some fish fingers i don't know maybe you can get a closer look later tell us what was in the little rolls of toilet paper just a couple are all that i have and i would definitely one thing i know this time it seems that what i wa

marched when social contact is avoided as much as possible that is the kind of solidarity we need in these times. ahead of the robert cock institute for public health pointed out that the speed at which the virus spreads would vary a lot throughout germany he said individual states should make decisions based on regional data think of us rushed on i think the most important thing to understand about this epidemic spreading through the country is that it doesn't just starting one place in advance evenly in one direction but as we know very well from flew over the decades particular regions are more highly affected. by. a computer simulation created by the robert cock institute shows what to expect comparisons reveal how the rate of infection varies from region to region. the central council of muslims in germany called for friday prayers to be canceled though it's not clear how many mosques compliant. and german rail has issued a statement saying they'll be no alteration. insta travel schedules for the time being. so here's a look at some more of the latest coronavirus developments the chinese city of will hand to ground 0 of this

was the murmurs at least of some cautious optimism earlier this week from the robert cock institute for public health here that indeed that curve may be flattening but right now it is indeed too early to say exactly what effect these measures are having now of course they have been officially in place these closures of non-essential shops for examples in the ban on large gatherings for for almost a week now and as we heard just there they're going to be in place now until april 20th and there is still the concern as well that there are many cases here in germany that are still unknown we also heard just at the end of this week from the health minister. announcing that germany plans to increase its testing as well in the coming weeks at the moment or rather in the last week there was somewhere around half a 1000000 tests carried out in a week and the plan is to hope that to somewhere to around a 1000000 mark per week so of course we could see a spike in cases here and health experts have said that we could still be experiencing the calm before the storm here in germany but of course the main aim right now is to

driving all of this issues that we're making and our health policy and i work with the robert cock institute the federal states the hospitals on the ground it's important that. we spread this message to our communities the slower the virus spreads in germany the better the health care system will be able to tackle it that's what it's about the virus is here we're going to have to deal with it and the question is how quickly it spreads and that will decide quite significantly how well our health care system copes with these illnesses because the fewer people who are sick at the same time the better the physicians and nurses in hospitals etc will be able to offer them the care they need. so what's important is that the symptoms linked to this repertory illness are ones we're familiar with these are not symptoms that the hospitals don't deal with every day but when there are serious cases 4 of pneumonia. and all of the respiratory needs that have ventilation needs i.c.u. needs that they can arise from there so that's where there's a bottleneck in our health care for say that 20. 28000 i.c.u. be

affected and of course all of this comes of the back of those comments really that we've heard from the robert cock institute from the german chancellor angela merkel as well to avoid social contact wherever possible so we're also seeing more and more people working from home as well and of course that is set to increase as well with schools closing next week which of course has been an issue for many parents as well wondering how they're going to be able to stay at home and keep an income coming in but there are already plans in place social democrats for example demand legal change as well to ensure that parents who have to work at home are protected to these rather drastic measures that are being taken to the coronavirus. what is your experience being like i ask is you're sitting at home working from home it seems like yesterday friday in germany the switch was flipped and this finally got real for everyone. it really has become very real and you only have to pop out into the streets and yesterday the streets a very very quiet no matter what time you went it was however a very different story if you went

her spokesman says she'll continue to be tested in the coming days that is germany's leading public health institution the robert cock institute says it has detected the 1st signs that the rise in corona virus cases might be leveling off in germany thanks largely to social distancing. tourist magnets like the brandenburg gate should be buzzing with locals and visitors but lockdown measures mean people are out of doors only for essential reasons like going to work shopping or walking the dog. but germany's institute says there's reason to be cautiously optimistic that the measures are working. the indian turned we are seeing signs that the exponential growth curve is flattening off slightly but i will only be able to confirm this trend definitively on wednesday. kind of but i am optimistic that the measures are already having an effect which is very early because they've only been in place for a week. to find. scenes like these from just last week i think of the past for now anyway chancellor merkel is in quarantine at home she's been tested after contact with an infected doctor that test came back negative but she'll

at the top of what i was talking to you this news from the robert cock institute the public health institute here in germany seems to suggest that they're hoping that the the peak of of this disease being passed on from person to person seems to be flattening out somewhat at the moment. it's good to hear any bit of good news and a little chink of good news you can bring us please do peter all over the. berlin take calls itself we will continue we're all right now. maybe a home you're getting for all those books that try to solve motors at the entertainment industry seems to see that won't come in so i could tell it in next. so i think i'm dealing with quarantine pretty well i will admit i hit a bit of a low point asked night and it a deep dive into the internet and i kept coming across this same question could we have seen this all coming well i'll tell you what back in 2011 hollywood was definitely on to something on day one there were 2 people. 60. it's a beauty and that's where we are so the virus originates in china but it's transmitted by touch check scientists a scrabbling to develop a vaccine check points or abandon shops

the number of covered 9000 cases is rising rapidly to the robert cock institute which is germany said the prince seize control is stressing that millions of people could be infected here if they do not follow the measures and imposed by the federal and state governments on restricting daily life. let me make this very clear if we do not implement the program we have devised the measures we recommend which the german government has also adopted such as reducing contact between people for a few weeks and then it is possible that in 2 to 3 months we will have up to 10000000 infected people in germany. this would substantially overburden our health system. our chief political correspondent linda crane is covering the story of melinda are people in germany largely following the measures prescribed by the government. it's a very mixed picture on the one hand 80 percent of germans say that they find the measures correct and that they think they're necessary and officially many many measures have been followed for example schools are shut most bars and restaurants are either closed or largely empty large events are being counseled mon

well here in germany the country's disease control center is reporting that the number of cases has jumped again the robert cock institute says there are now 13957 people infected with the virus and 31 people have died earlier this week chancellor angela merkel appeal to germans to stay indoors to help slow the spread of the disease since then more and more senior figures say germany needs a mandatory lock down one city has already taken that step. and the streets a site freiburg will have to get used to pass to the authorities announced a 2 week lockdown is the 1st german city to all the residents to stay at home many are now asking themselves if the whole country could be stuck indoors soon including sarah and her friends who are out enjoying the sun together despite the appeals not to. is this push them best outcome of this is mentally better so people don't get infected and hospitals are already overstretched but it's hard to imagine a country with so many people like germany argument for good so you're not thrilled at all absolutely not most of those gathering in the park know this shouldn't a fact they find hard to

consultations between the government and the experts at the robert cock institute as well as other scientists and for all just i can tell you that research is being conducted intensively across the globe but as yet there is no cure for the corona virus and no vaccine against it at this new are so long as that is the case there is only one course to take. and it is that which is guiding all our actions to slow down the spread of the virus to stretch it over a period of months and serve to win time in stop and think and time in which for such as can develop medication and a vaccine but above all time that enables us to provide the best possible care for those who do for. them that germany has an excellent health system perhaps one of the best in the world we can take some confidence from that but our hospital stay would be completely overstretched if too many patients with a severe corona infection were to be admitted in a short space of time to an ally these patients are not just abstract statistics they are fathers and grandfathers mothers and grandmothers partners people and apart and we are a community in which every life and

robert cock institute now. he said as it stood at the moment the exponential growth curve that's the way in which the virus grows and that that seems to be leveling out right now he did go on to say it was too soon for real optimism about that but if i continue through to say wednesday then they would be looking at it as something particularly positive he also said the testing is crucial he also pointed out one interesting fact that's come out from 'd this testing is that the the average. in fact 57 percent of those who've tested positive here in germany have been 45 year old men so that's kind of different from other countries that we've seen where it seems to have affected the elderly or all those with underlying health conditions now. so far around $25000.00 cases of being confirmed in germany with just under $100.00 deaths confirmed what we have heard coming out from the government are new well strict guidelines strict instructions when it comes to social isolating often in public people are only allowed to move around alone or with one other person who is not a member of their own household or they can move

consultations between the government and the experts at the robert cock institute as well as other scientists and for all just i can tell you that research is being conducted intensively across the globe but as yet there is no cure for the corona virus and no vaccine against it at this new are so long as that is the case there is only one course to take. and it is that which is guiding all our actions to slow down the spread of the virus to stretch it over a period of months and serve to win time in stop and think time in which researches can develop medication and a vaccine but above all time that enables us to provide the best possible care for those who do fall ill. that germany has an excellent health system perhaps one of the best in the world we can take some confidence from that but our hospital stay would be completely overstretched if too many patients with a severe corona infection were to be admitted in a short space of time. these patients are not just abstract statistics they are fathers and grandfathers mothers and grandmothers partners people and apart and we are a community in which every life and every person co

briefing the president of the robert cock institute said stricter measures are necessary to contain the spread of the virus because of increasing warning signs from german clinics that the number of serious cases is increasing for it let's bring in our political correspondent hans front for the very latest on this story hi good to see you so germany's center for disease control has raised the risk level now to high for this corona virus pandemic and is warning that strict measures need to be taken in order to prevent millions of people from getting infected so what kind of further measures are meant by this. i think what the leader of the institute was referring to are the measures that we have been reporting about in the last 24 hours or so in other words the increased. locked all in all of german cities and germany as a whole certain shops to do not sell essential goods are go out to be closed and other shops are restricted in the opening hours restaurants are restricted in the opening hours cinemas gyms and all those kinds of institutions are being closed on these measures are still to be implemented in various regions of the country because the actual measures h

is the head of the robert cock institute of germany's federal agency disease prevention public health agency we heard chancellor merkel say there we have all have to understand that the corona virus has now arrived here in europe we heard her say there's a lot we don't know but we heard again from her and the health minister we need to slow the spread of the corona virus and also we need to act in solidarity to protect the most vulnerable in our society and our chief political editor michelle acuteness at the national press enter a derrick williams from did a few signs with us here as well michelle i want to start with you you were listening in there give me the most important takeaways you have there from those statements those comments. well 1st of all what the european love or america calls for solidarity at the same time is she said that countries shouldn't unnecessarily close borders that there won't be isolation within the european union now that there has to be a joint he responds and i think the overarching takeaway is that both onions on the health minister are essentially echoing the man who spoke last which is professor below who is kind of the scienti

robert cock institute for public health this week but there are still an awful number of new cases being confirmed here in germany almost 33000 cases here now but only $156.00 deaths $156.00 nonetheless but this is something that health experts are still looking into as the mortality rate is rather low compared to neighboring european countries to talk to you thanks for that political correspondent kate brady. well the world of sports has been reacting to the perspired months of the tokyo olympics to next year most have welcomed the decision although it will create big problems for sporting shuttles the postponement follows months of debate and pressure from athletes around the world. the tokyo olympics are off the decision came suddenly but was not unexpected after weeks of debate and speculation in order to safeguard the health of fleets and everybody involved in the olympic games that we have to postpone the olympic and paralympic games so talk you were 2022 the year or 2020 year one with the aim to her feet there are the latest in summertime 21 it's a decision that was not taken lightly or willingly but pressure had been mounting from athletes and sports federations it's it's a power moment that i will giv