Merkel Reins In Partying as Europe Struggles With Virus Flare-Up

(Bloomberg) -- Germany is taking aim at public and private parties, joining several other European countries in stepping up restrictions to contain a resurgent wave of coronavirus infections.

Europe’s largest economy will “urgently” recommend that state governments restrict at-home gatherings to 25 people and it will limit meetings in public or rented locations to 50 people if infection numbers rise, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday after discussing the pandemic with the leaders of Germany’s 16 states. The recommendations and limits for local virus hot spots fall short of a nationwide requirement.

“We want to act in a targeted way on a regional basis and not to have a shutdown for the whole country. This absolutely has to be avoided,” Merkel told reporters in Berlin. The German leader cited “difficult times” ahead as colder temperatures set in -- and a “significant increase” in infections in Germany’s large cities.

While the spread of the disease since late July was initially fueled by returning vacationers, get-togethers among friends and family have become a growing concern, especially as the weather turns cooler.

Across Europe authorities are taking steps to try to regain control over the disease, with mandatory face-mask policies being adopted in parts of Italy, Spain’s central government pushing for a lockdown of Madrid, and the Dutch government cracking down on sporting events and bars.

Merkel warned on Monday that unless the current trend is halted, Germany could head into the Christmas holiday with more than 19,000 new Covid-19 cases a day -- nearly triple its spring peak. The country must act quickly to avoid the same rapid rise in infections experienced in European countries such as France and Spain, she told leaders in a closed-door gathering of her party.

Since daily cases began ticking up around the start of August, Germany has relied on targeted local measures in the hardest-hit areas, aiming to avoid a repeat of the sweeping lockdown that hammered economic activity in the second quarter.

Sweden bucked the trend by offering to raise the limit on seated audiences at sporting and cultural events to 500 from 50 starting on Oct. 15 as long as trends don’t deteriorate. The easing was initially planned to be implemented from Oct. 1 but was postponed.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was also relatively optimistc that the original epicenter of the pandemic in Europe could weather the next phase after reinforcing the health system with better monitoring and prevention.

If health and safety rules continue to be respected, “we have the confidence to say that we can tackle the next phase of the pandemic with relative tranquility, moderate optimism,” Conte said.

The recent rise in cases in Germany has mostly been blamed on weddings and other family gatherings. There were 2,292 new virus cases in the 24 hours through Tuesday morning, taking the total to 288,631, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. That’s a long way from the almost 7,000 cases reported at the height of the pandemic in late March.

The death rate has also been far lower than a few months ago, with the number of fatalities in the past 24 hours rising by four to 9,468.

In Germany, the limits on gatherings will be triggered in places with more than 35 infections per 100,000 people over a seven-day period, if states agree to impose the rules. A tighter restriction of 25 people at public gatherings and a recommendation for 10 people at private partys will apply if the number tops 50.

German state leaders also agreed to impose a fine of at least 50 euros if consumers give false information when registering at restaurants and bars.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.