As of Wednesday night, the officially confirmed number of Corona infections in Berlin lies at 7474.
- There have been 8144 confirmed cases in Berlin to date.
- So far, 7125 people have been declared recovered from Covid-19.
- Of those infected so far, 3982 are male, 4154 are female. Eight did not specify their gender.
- 128 people are currently in hospital as a result of the virus, 32 are in intensive care.
- The total number of casualties lies at 213, 15 of them were under 60 years of age. The average age of the deceased was 81.
- Today’s R number* lies at 0.48, the number of weekly new infections per 100,000 Berliners is at 13.58, with 2.6 percent of ICU beds taken up by Covid-19 patients.
*The R number is the average number of people an individual with the virus infects. While a useful indicator of how fast Covid-19 is spreading, the number can be skewed by small local clusters of infections.
Berlin restricts travel from German Corona hotspots, police mask checks set to start, Covid-19 cases surge among young people
Following Corona outbreaks in the North Rhine-Westphalian towns of Gütersloh and Warendorf, Berlin and Brandenburg are introducing restrictions on people coming from affected areas after the Senat came to an agreement this afternoon. Individuals arriving into Berlin from the towns must go into quarantine for two weeks unless they are able to present a recent negative Covid-19 test. Many German regions have introduced similar measures in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus after 1500 people tested positive after a major outbreak at the Tonnies meat production plant in the western state.
New penalties for failing to wear a face mask on public transport will come into force on Saturday. Police are set to patrol Berlin’s U-Bahn, bus and tram network to enforce the law, contrary to previous reports that the BVG’s own staff would be responsible for the checks. The penalties, which can be as much as €500, also apply to those visiting shops, restaurants and bars. But just how many rule-breakers will have to pay up remains to be seen: rather than issuing on-the-spot fines, police officers will take down the offender’s details and forward it to the Gesundheitsamt, which is responsible for processing the charge. Police have already criticised the public health bodies for failing to follow up on offences.
Latest figures show the number of coronavirus cases among young Berliners is rising sharply. While the overall number of Covid-19 infections grew by 26 percent in the past month, for those aged 0–14, case numbers more than doubled. The growth was highest among five to nine-year-olds, with an increase of over 150 percent. This means young people currently have by far the highest transmission rate. A spokesperson for the Senat’s education, youth and family administration told RBB this was due to the easing of the coronavirus restrictions. "As the contact rules have been progressively relaxed, more young people have been coming together in public spaces,” the spokesperson said. Schools and Kitas have been gradually reopening across Berlin since the start of May.
Senat announces further aid package, new funding for struggling students
Today the Senat approved a new €1.8 billion aid package to boost Berlin's economy including support for creative and cultural workers, event organisers, students and volunteer associations. The federal government is contributing €1.3 billion to the fund through a grant program for small and medium-sized businesses. Announcing the new funding, Economic Senator Ramona Pop (Greens) hailed what she called the "second phase in the crisis, in which we will act with more purpose than with the previous aid programmes."
Part of the deal announced today is an additional €5 million in funding for students facing financial difficulties as a result of the crisis. Of that cash, €2 million is intended for international students who were unable to apply for financial aid under the federal government’s newly launched scheme. The remaining €3 million is earmarked for students who lack the computer equipment needed for online lectures. The cash will be distributed via Berlin’s student unions.
Filmpark Babelsberg and aquarium reopen
This Saturday Filmpark Babelsberg is reopening to visitors for the summer season, more than three months later than planned. Guests at the Potsdam studio backlot can watch stunt and western shows as well as film animals being trained. Capacity is being reduced by half to ensure compliance with distancing rules, with visitors being asked to give their personal details upon arrival.
For those wanting to share their Saturday with sea life, the aquarium at Zoo Berlin is scheduled to reopen tomorrow after a 15-week closure. And as with visits to the animals next door, guests wanting to check out the fish must first get an online ticket, respect the 1.5m distancing rule and wear a mask.
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