Call from Belgium: “Close Brabant cafes” | Inland

Follow all the latest developments around the corona crisis in this live blog.

December 31, 2019, the coronavirus Covid-19 was first detected in a person in China. The virus has now spread all over the world. The number of infections worldwide has been estimated at over 156,000, reports Johns Hopkins University. 5,833 people died from the virus and nearly 75,000 recovered. In this message you will find the developments of Sunday March 15.

In the Netherlands, 12 people have now died of the disease. The virus has been detected in 959 people. View the map of the Netherlands here.

These are the main points:

• Belgians flood cafes and shops in Dutch border towns: “Absurd”
• Schools must close, says Federation of Medical Specialists (FMS)
• Trump tests negative for coronavirus
• Alarm in Limburg about corona: “Code red”
• Family of Sehraz (16) who is in intensive care: “The proof is there!
• The cabinet will again discuss the closure of the schools on Sunday.
• Hundreds of Dutch people strand on holiday: “It can take weeks”
• France closes cafes, shops, restaurants and cinemas

“Close Brabant cafes”

“People with little citizenship just cross the border to go to a restaurant or café in the Netherlands.” Mayor Paul van Miert of the Belgian border town of Turnhout fears the consequences of this catering tourism. “The virus mutates and spreads very quickly and we can currently miss a Dutch-Belgian cross-contamination as a toothache,” says Van Miert.

Reason enough for the mayor to send a letter to mayors John Jorritsma of Eindhoven, Theo Weterings of Tilburg and Paul Depla of Breda. “May I therefore politely ask you as the citizen father of a – albeit small – center city to shed your weight as mayors and convince your higher government to also bring the Dutch directives and measures in line with those of the southern neighbors. . ”

By drawing a line, Van Miert hopes to better fight the lung virus on both sides of the border.

China

China reported twenty new coronavirus infections on Sunday, including four in the metropolitan city of Wuhan, where the virus was first discovered late last year. The number of people who died from the effects of the lung virus increased by ten to a total of 3,199.

The National Health Commission in China said on Thursday that the peak in corona infections was over. Since the outbreak started, more than 80,000 Chinese have contracted the lung virus, about 65,000 of whom have since recovered. Elsewhere in the world, the number of infections is increasing rapidly.

South Korea

The number of new infections is steadily decreasing in South Korea. In the past 24 hours, 76 residents were infected, compared to 107 a day earlier. More than 8,000 people have contracted the virus, 75 of whom have died.

Self-isolation

All international travelers arriving in Australia from midnight Sunday (local time) are required to self-isolate for 14 days. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced this on Sunday. Cruise ships from foreign ports are not welcome in the country for the next 30 days.

“We will have to get used to some changes in our way of life,” said Morrison.

In Australia, 250 people are infected with the coronavirus, three people have died from the effects of the lung virus.

Borders closed

Estonia and Lithuania close their borders to most foreign travelers. Latvia is also imposing measures to prevent the spread of the new corona virus. “The government has decided to set up temporary border controls across the border,” said Estonia Prime Minister Jüri Ratas.

Airspace and schools closed

Sint Maarten will close the airspace for all flights from Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States from Tuesday because of the corona virus. The measure applies for two weeks. Ships from the areas are also no longer welcome on the island. That was announced by Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs on Saturday (local time).

The Surinamese government decided on Saturday to close all schools until April 14. It is one of the measures by which the country is trying to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Online

The service in the Tilburg Opstandingskerk was canceled on Sunday, but Reverend Otto Grevink turned to the internet. The celebration is broadcast live via the internet via a webcam. “In this time of social abstinence, we try to be together, to encourage each other and to experience something with each other,” says Grevink. He does not rule out the possibility of his service being followed by people in other parts of the country, including non-believers.

Still vote

On Sunday, the French vote for mayors and city councils in nearly 35,000 municipalities. More than 900,000 candidates have registered.

The government has not postponed the ballot because of the corona virus. She says measures have been taken to keep the coronavirus out of polling stations. Voters can bring their own pen, but casting your vote is not dangerous, stressed Minister Christophe Castaner (Home Affairs).

Despite drastic measures against the corona virus that partially paralyze public life, Bavaria has decided not to postpone municipal elections. On Sunday, elections will therefore be held in more than 2000 municipalities and more than seventy districts.

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