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WORLD NEWS Thursday 19 March 2020

German leader calls coronavirus biggest challenge since WWII

BERLIN (AP) — Germany Those patients are not just
has not faced a challenge abstract statistics but, "a
like the new coronavirus father or a grandfather, a
outbreak since World War mother or a grandmother,
II and every person in the a partner. They are hu-
country must help protect man beings," the chan-
those most vulnerable to cellor said. "And we are a
illness, Chancellor Angela community in which every
Merkel said Wednesday life, every human being,
night in her first direct tele- counts."
vised address to the nation While updating worldwide
other than her annual New infections to more than
Year's speech, 214,000 since the new virus
Merkel, a physicist by train- emerged, Johns Hopkins
ing, who has led Germany University said more than
for over 14 years, said that 82,000 people have recov-
while researchers are rac- ered.
ing to develop a vaccine COVID-19 respiratory illness
to prevent infections and causes only mild or moder-
medications to treat COID- ate symptoms such as fever
19, slowing the spread of and cough in most people,
the virus is currently the only with severe cases more
way to minimize the num- In this photo provide by the German government, German Chancellor Angela Merkel poses for a likely in the elderly and
ber of people who get sick. photo during the recording of her first direct TV address to the nation in over 14 years in power, at those with existing health
"Let me tell you: This is seri- the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, March 18, 2020. problems.
ous. Take it seriously ,too," Associated Press Earlier Wednesday, the
Merkel said in a speech German government said
aired by several public and said. "But our hospitals, too, Germany had 11,973 con- by Johns Hopkins University. it had arranged in coordi-
private TV stations. would be completely over- firmed virus cases as of Among all the people with nation with state officials to
"Germany has an excellent whelmed if too many pa- Wednesday evening, the the virus in the country, 28 increase hospital capaci-
health system, perhaps one tients would be delivered in fifth-highest number in the have died, the university's ties, especially for patients
of the best in the world," she too short a time." world, according to a tally tally said. requiring intensive care. q

Greek police use tear gas on migrants at Turkish border

By COSTAS KANTOURIS on the Greek-Turkish bor- sea border crossings with
THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) der, weeks after Turkey de- Greece and Bulgaria in an
— Police on Greece's bor- clared its borders to Europe effort to contain the spread
der with Turkey used tear open and encouraged mi- of the new coronavirus. But
gas and water cannon grants and refugees living a senior Turkish official said
Wednesday to repel hun- in the country to try cross- that the measure did not
dreds of migrants clustered ing into European Union amount to an end of Anka-
on the Turkish side who at- member Greece. ra's policy of not prevent-
tempted to break down Tens of thousands of peo- ing migrants from leaving
a border fence and enter ple headed to the frontier Turkey.
Greece. despite Greece's insistence The borders were sealed to
The evening clashes took that its eastern border, people and not the trans-
place near the Kastanies which is also the EU's exter- portation of goods, the of-
border crossing. Greek po- nal border, was shut. The ficial added, speaking on
lice said Turkish authorities move came after months condition of anonymity in
also fired tear gas at Greek of threats by Turkish Presi- A riot policeman stands next to a tent as a firefighting vehicle line with Turkish govern-
forces, and migrants later dent Recep Tayyip Erdo- operates in Moria refugee camp on the northeastern Aegean ment protocol.
lit fires on the Turkish side of gan that he would allow island of Lesbos, Greece, Monday, March 16, 2020. The violence on the border
the fence. millions of refugees into Eu- Associated Press came hours after Erdogan
Similar clashes occurred rope unless the EU provided held a four-way video con-
before dawn Wednesday, more support for refugee der which it provides billions neighboring Syria. ference with the leaders of
lasting for about two hours. care in Turkey. of euros in funds in return for On Wednesday, Turkey France, Germany and Brit-
An estimated 2,000 mi- The EU says it is adhering to Turkey caring for more than declared that it was clos- ain to discuss the migrants
grants are still camped out a 2016 deal with Turkey un- 3.5 million refugees from ing down its six land and crisis.q