Categories: CoronavirusWorld News

COVID-19: Germany Extends Foreign Travel Warning To Mid-June

Informations in German, English and Chinese languages about the Novel Coronavirus 2019-nCoV are on display at the Tegel airport in Berlin on January 26, 2020.

 

Germany is extending a warning against worldwide travel until June 14 as curbs remain in place in many countries to stem the coronavirus pandemic, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Wednesday.

“We have not yet reached the point where we can recommend carefree travel,” Maas said. “Therefore it is necessary to extend the worldwide travel warning until mid-June”.

Europe’s biggest economy has brought home 240,000 stranded tourists in the last four weeks, Maas said, adding, “we’re not going to undertake such an action again in the coming summer”.

“We still have a situation where there are entry and exit restrictions in many countries, and international air traffic is grounded,” he said.

Germany would continue to discuss the situation with European partners during this time, he added.

“It will take weeks before things return to normal both here and in other countries. Therefore we do not assume that it is responsible to travel worldwide in the next few weeks, at least until June 14.”

Germany has closed its land borders and the European Union has also sealed external borders to incoming travellers to try to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

READ ALSO: Tokyo Olympics Postponement Will Cost IOC ‘Several Hundred Million Dollars’ – Bach

The government in March agreed to spend 50 million euros ($56 million) in a deal with commercial airlines to fly citizens home from affected regions.

Maas had already dampened German expectations of summer holidays in an interview with the Bild am Sonntag newspaper at the weekend.

“We have already experienced what an infection cluster in a popular holiday destination can do,” he added, referring to a chain of infections that began in the Austrian ski resort of Ischgl.

Germany’s Robert Koch Institute disease control authority on Wednesday reported over 157,000 confirmed coronavirus infections.

AFP

Anthonia Orji

Disqus Comments Loading...
Share
Published by
Anthonia Orji

Recent Posts

Nigerians Mark Good Friday Amid Biting Economy

This year's celebration comes amid a biting economy shaped by the rising cost of living,…

11 mins ago

NSCDC Deploys 2,300 Personnel In Rivers For Easter

The personnel will ensure the protection of critical national assets and forestall any form of…

1 hour ago

Tinubu Preaches Unity, Compassion At Easter, Hails Nigerians’ Sacrifices

Easter is an event that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It…

1 hour ago

Bridging Energy Access Gap Vital For Nigeria’s Economic Growth- NNPCL

To bridge the energy access gap in Nigeria, Kyari said NNPC Ltd was working on…

2 hours ago

South Africa’s Electoral Umpire Bars Ex-President Zuma From May Election

Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in jail in June 2021 after refusing to testify…

2 hours ago

Fallen Crypto Tycoon Bankman-Fried Gets 25-Year Sentence

Although lower than the 40-50 years sought by the government, the Justice Department praised the…

3 hours ago