This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
Germany Plans to Reopen as Death Toll Spikes in US ¶
Germany is planning to reopen its economy as the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic continues to spike in the United States. The country has reported over 70,000 deaths and 2,333 new fatalities in the past 24 hours.
According to a draft agreement seen by AFP, Germany plans to send all pupils back to school and restart top-flight football in May. The country has so far been able to prevent the scenes of dire overcrowding in its hospitals that have been seen elsewhere in Europe.
Germany's Health Minister Jens Spahn said that the Bundesliga, the country's top football league, could become an 'export hit' if it restarts. The league would be the first of Europe's top five leagues to restart.
Meanwhile, in Asia, the Chinese city of Wuhan has seen a return to normalcy as senior students returned to school for the first time since the virus exploded at the start of the year. The city's residents have been gradually returning to their daily routines, with workers going back to offices and museums and libraries reopening under eased social distancing rules.
However, the restrictions imposed globally to curb the spread of the virus have gutted national economies. Spain added 280,000 people to its jobless ranks, while airline Virgin Atlantic said it would have to fire one in three of its staff as the virus grounds planes worldwide.
Walt Disney said it expected an impact on its business of $1.4 billion in the current fiscal quarter as a result of a massive hit to its theme parks and other operations.
