BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th April, 2020) It is too early to ease coronavirus-related restrictions on public life in Germany ahead of Easter, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in her first video address after emerging from self-isolation on Friday.
"The infection rate has slowed down a bit in the past few days. But it is definitely too early to consider it a trend, and it is certainly too early to use it as a guidance for easing the strict rules that are in place in any location," she said.
The virus continues to spread rapidly across Germany, with thousands of new cases reported daily despite the two-week lockdown. The number of infected rose by 6,000 in the past day to more than 79,600, with a total of 1,017 people dying.
Merkel, who went into home quarantine on March 22 after coming into contact with an infected person, said she realized how difficult it was to be isolated from the world but added it would be "irresponsible" for her to set any "exit-deadline."
This year's Easter will be very different from what Germans are used to, she admitted. Citizens are encouraged to stay at home and maintain a safe distance of at least 1.5 meters from others. Church services will be televised and streamed online.
