COVID-19: Chancellor Merkel issues surge warning as death milestone looms

*Global Coronavirus cases top 33 million as deaths toll nears 1 million, but real number may be double: Report

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

As the official death toll neared a million worldwide, though experts say the real tally may be almost double that, report says that German Chancellor Angela Merkel Monday, September 28, 2020, warned that the country could face more than 19,000 new virus cases a day by Christmas this year.

The United Kingdom (UK) is also preparing to enforce a social lockdown across much of northern Britain and potentially London amid a second wave, according to Times of London.

A UK health minister Monday was reported to have refused to rule out more restrictions, even as lawmakers pushed back against allowing the government unfettered power to introduce new curbs.

Russia is also seeing a resurgence of cases, and Moscow has started to reopen temporary hospital wards after daily coronavirus infections in the Russian capital soared.

The Group of 20 Leaders’ Summit planned for Saudi Arabia will now be held “virtually” in November 2020.

It was learnt that Germany would face more than 19,000 new Covid-19 cases a day by the end of December if the current trend in infections isn’t halted, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned on Monday.

The country recorded about 11,000 cases last week.

Germany must act quickly to avoid the same rapid rise in cases that has been seen in neighbouring countries such as France.

France is said to have reported an average of about 12,000 cases each day, Merkel told leaders of her party.
France will match 2020’s record debt sales next year as the country combats the economic fallout from the pandemic.

The euro area’s second-largest economy will issue 260 billion euros ($303 billion) of medium and long-term debt in 2021, Agence France Tresor said Monday.