Bundesliga Restart Announced... Germany Reports Over 1,200 New COVID-19 Cases

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[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] In Germany, which has begun easing lockdown measures by announcing the resumption of the professional football league Bundesliga, the number of new COVID-19 infections has once again exceeded 1,200. Just a week after the German government announced the easing of lockdown measures, the number of confirmed cases has sharply increased again, sparking controversy over the relaxation measures.

According to Bloomberg News, on the 8th (local time), data from Johns Hopkins University showed that the number of new COVID-19 cases in Germany the previous day was 1,268, bringing the total confirmed cases to 169,430. This is the highest daily number of confirmed cases in the past week. Earlier this month, as the number of new cases dropped below 1,000, the government hinted at easing the lockdown, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced the easing of lockdown measures on the 6th. Accordingly, stores have reopened, and the professional football league Bundesliga is set to resume from the 16th with matches held without spectators, signaling active moves toward reopening.

Despite growing concerns about a resurgence of COVID-19, regional governments are reportedly continuing to push forward with easing measures. In the Thuringia region of Germany, even though the weekly number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people exceeded 50?the threshold Chancellor Merkel set as a criterion for easing measures?local politicians have stated they will continue with the relaxation measures, causing controversy. In Germany, the economic crisis has deepened due to prolonged lockdowns, with industrial production falling by 9.2% in March, strengthening calls to reopen the economy despite concerns about a COVID-19 resurgence.

Not only Germany but also other European countries have begun easing lockdown measures one after another. France announced it will gradually lift the nationwide lockdown starting on the 11th, and the Netherlands will lift the school closure order for elementary schools from the 11th. However, in Russia and the United Kingdom, where the number of confirmed cases and deaths is rapidly increasing, existing lockdown measures remain in place.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.