‘Cases in Germany 10 times more than official numbers’

FRANKFURT: More than 10 times as many people in Germany have likely been infected with the coronavirus than the number of confirmed cases, researchers from the University of Bonn have concluded from a field trial in one of the worst-hit towns.

The readings come as Germany took further steps on Monday to ease restrictions, with museums, hairdressers, churches and more car factories reopening under strict conditions. About 1.8 million people living in Germany must have been infected, more than 10 times the number of about 165,000 confirmed cases so far, the team led by medical researchers Hendrik Streeck and Gunther Hartmann concluded. “The results can help improve the models to calculate how the virus spreads. So far the underlying data has been relatively weak,” Hartmann said.

The team analysed blood and nasal swabs from a random sample of 919 people living in a town in the municipality of Heinsberg, which had among the highest death tolls in Germany.

ITALY STRUGGLES TO EXPLAIN NEW SURGE

ROME: Italy recorded almost 50% more fatalities in March than usual, according to new official data showing that the real coronavirus death toll could be far higher than the 29,000 reported.

The data was released on a day Italy eased nine weeks of confinement. Italians were allowed to stroll in parks and visit their relatives again. Small businesses will reopen after two weeks.