The number of corona deaths in Italy is falling. The country is preparing to restart. But the drastic economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic are clear. The news ticker.
- Coronavirus pandemic * in Italy : The Mediterranean country is pushing ahead with easing in the corona crisis * - the number of Covid 19 deaths is falling steadily.
- But: There are signs of drastic consequences for the Italian economy .
- Here you will find the basic facts about the corona virus * and the corona news from Germany. You can also find current case numbers in Germany here as a map *. The following recommendations for corona protective measures * are currently available .
Update from May 14, 7.47 a.m .: Summer vacation on the beach ? Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte gave hope to his own countrymen. But whether and when tourists from abroad can go back to Italy is unclear. In any case, South Tyrol has already rushed ahead and will open hotels again at the end of May - and court German tourists. In the meantime, the country is getting lost in seemingly absurd discussions about distance rules on the beach , in the sea and for children digging in the sand.
Lido operators are up in arms against suggestions that rows of parasols must be up to five meters apart or that sun beds should be disinfected after every change . Access should only be given with bookings in advance. At the moment, however, this is still a long way off: even the Italians are not yet allowed to travel from one region to another.
Corona crisis in Italy: Conte presents billions of aid packages
Update of May 13, 9:56 p.m .: With a new aid package worth around 55 billion euros, the Italian government wants to help the troubled economy and the citizens of the Corona crisis . The corresponding program was presented by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in Rome on Wednesday.
"We worked on it day and night," he said. Support measures for economic sectors such as tourism, agriculture, construction and culture are planned. There is also money for the unemployed and families. There should be grants for babysitters, as schools and daycare centers are still closed.
The healthcare system and schools are also to be strengthened with billion dollar injections. The government also plans to launch programs for medium and small businesses.
Corona virus in Italy: Series A re-start is certain
Update from May 13, 6.41 p.m .: The number of deaths in Italy increased slightly compared to the previous day. While there were 172 Corona deaths on Tuesday, 185 died of Covid 19 on Wednesday. But the number of newly infected people fell below 1,000 (888) on Wednesday compared to Tuesday (1,402).
Update from May 13th, 6:22 pm: Will something like normal soon return to Italy ? At least this message should be for the football-crazy Tifosi balm on their battered souls.
The Italian football league suggests resuming Serie A matches on June 13, according to a media report . As the sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport wrote, a majority of the clubs chose this date at a video conference on Wednesday.
The aim is to end the season, which was interrupted due to the Corona crisis , by August 2 to make room for the Champions League and the Europa League . However, there is still no government approval in Rome.
Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora had rather said on Monday that he had to wait at least a week and new results on the infection numbers to decide on dates for the start of the game.
Corona virus in Italy: borders in the north are tight for now - plan for school opening is in place
Turin: Police clear a public square because of the corona pandemic.
© dpa / Marco Alpozzi
Update of May 13, 3:48 pm: In the corona crisis, the Italian government wants to legalize the employment of thousands of migrants who are currently working illegally in the country. The agreement was "a victory for the dignity and respect of many people who lived in very difficult circumstances," said Agriculture Minister Teresa Bellanova to the state broadcaster "RAI". The agreement should apply to harvest workers, domestic workers and caregivers and protect them from exploitation. It was also necessary because the country was short of seasonal workers, for example from Romania or Bulgaria , because of the Corona crisis .
Corona virus in Italy: borders in the north are tight for now - plan for school opening is in place
Update from May 13, 2:58 p.m .: There is a plan for the reopening of schools in Italy . This step is planned for September , i.e. for the beginning of the new school year. This is reported by "ntv" with reference to Education Minister Lucia Azzolina . As a result, an earlier start is too uncertain due to the current situation.
Update from May 13, 1:42 p.m .: The Austrian side will not reopen the border to Italy anytime soon. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in Vienna: "Currently, there is no basis for thinking about an opening of the border with Italy." The ÖVP leader pointed to the still high infection figures with the coronavirus in southern neighboring country.
A woman is spat on at a London train station by a suspected corona infected woman - now she is dead.
Corona crisis in Italy: holiday destinations like Florence suffer particularly from lockdown
Update of May 13, 8:53 p.m .: The economic consequences of the corona pandemic are becoming increasingly clear across Italy . The popular holiday destination of Florence is particularly affected . Usually the place is flooded with tourists, now there is a huge hole in the city budget: The mayor has now raised the alarm about the lack of holidaymakers .
“A year ago we won't go back to normal. We are in so much trouble that we decided not to open the city museums on May 18th , starting with the Palazzo Vecchio, ”Dario Nardella told the Corriere della Sera newspaper . The reason: it would cost around 1.5 million euros to open the museums of the Italian city by the end of June. "Money we don't have," said Nardella.
Update from May 12, 9:55 p.m .: Italy is getting more and more under control of the coronavirus pandemic after difficult weeks and months.
Corona crisis in Italy: Veneto and Emilia-Romagna want to open beaches
It is now a matter of boosting the economy in the Mediterranean country - not least through tourism. For example on the Adriatic coast .
Many regions want to reopen their beaches as soon as possible after a long standstill. For sunbathing and bathing, however, social distance should apply until further notice in the Corona crisis .
Riccione: The crowded beach of the Italian seaside resorts Riccione and Rimini on the Adriatic.
© dpa / Matthias Schrader
As of next Monday (May 18), Emilia-Romagna wants to reopen bars, restaurants and hairdressers as well as access to the sea, as the region announced on Tuesday.
Too long a blockade of the economy would have "serious social effects", said the tourism representative Andrea Corsini. The Emilia-Romagna is home to well-known Adriatic seaside resorts such as Rimini.
Veneto also wants to "open everything that is possible from Monday," said regional president Luca Zaia. Liguria also wants to lift the ban on beaches around Genoa .
Corona crisis in Italy: largest economic stimulus program in the country's history
First registration from May 12th - Munich / Rome - This number is tough . The Corona crisis has caused Italy's sovereign debt to grow rapidly. As the Swiss NZZ reports, the country is plagued by liabilities of over 2500 billion euros (!). Even before the coronavirus pandemic *, the EU member was heavily in debt.
According to the report, the commitments amounted to 2410 billion euros at the end of 2019. According to the NZZ, this corresponds to a quarter of the debt in the entire euro zone.
At the beginning of April, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced a stimulus package worth over 400 billion euros, it was the largest state program in the country's history, the Prime Minister said at the time.
Corona crisis in Italy: containment of the coronavirus pandemic continues
At the end of April, the third largest economy on the European continent expanded its financial aid due to the Corona crisis * by, for example, the self-employed by another 40 billion euros. It is already clear that Italy will need more money. However, the German government, for example , has so far rejected so-called corona bonds .
Turin: Police clear a public square because of the corona pandemic.
© dpa / Marco Alpozzi
Italy is not considered creditworthy by creditors in the international financial markets because of its high liabilities. Meanwhile, efforts to curb the coronavirus pandemic and insidious lung disease Covid-19 continue.
Corona crisis in Italy: cry for easing is getting louder
In Turin, police officers in protective clothing have cleared a public square where more than 40 homeless people have settled. On May 12, at 6 a.m., the police transporters arrived in a sensational action.
The cry for further and faster easing is getting louder between Bari and Rome, between Milan and Cagliari . In the coming weeks, the regions should be allowed to decide how quickly and extensively they will return to normal. Finally, summer is approaching, and with it the high tourist season on the Mediterranean - even in times of Corona *.
A virologist attacks Armin Laschet in Markus Lanz's “ZDF” program and reports of his own oppressive late-stage corona.
In Germany, virologist Christian Drosten raises the alarm about dealing with expert opinions and makes a proposal for restaurants without an outside area.
pm with material from dpa
* Merkur.de and fr.de are part of the Germany-wide Ippen digital editorial network