Euobserver.com

German chancellor Angela Merkel is in a 14-day quarantine and is being forced to work from home after having met a doctor who subsequently tested positive for coronavirus. Germany, this weekend, also banned public gatherings of more than two people unless they are from the same household and closed hair salons and massage parlours until further notice. Most non-essential shops and businesses were already closed.

Czech customs authorities have seized 680,000 masks and respirators on their way from China to the Red Cross, a charity, in Italy, Italian daily La Repubblica has reported. The equipment was seized because the Czechs at first thought unscrupulous businessmen were moving the material in order to speculate on its value.

Hungarian Renew MEP Katalin Cseh on Saturday said she applied to the call of the Hungarian Ambulance Services to join the fight against coronavirus as a medical volunteer. Cseh is a trained physician. "Though my life took a different direction, I believe we all should lend a helping hand if we can," she wrote on Twitter. Hungary has recorded 6 deaths, and 131 infected out of 4443 tested.

In a draft bill Hungary's ruling government seeks special powers uncontrolled by parliament, election, referendums, courts for an indefinite amount of time, rights' groups worry. The bill could be vote on within wight days.

EU nationals who get sick from coronavirus while abroad had better read the small print of their policies, an insurance federation has said.

EU leaders will discuss the coronavirus reponse online, while MEPs will vote on urgent measures by email. Starting accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia will also be high on the agenda.

Governments are attempting to track the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic across Europe using mobile phone data. When it comes to data protection, exceptions are allowed in times of crisis but must be limited in time and scope, critics warn.

Denmark's response includes financial help to freelancers and students, compensation for fixed expenses such as rent and easier access to state-guaranteed loans. But some worry even with that, two-thirds of small businesses could collapse within 10 weeks.

As many European countries face coronavirus-testing shortages, health authorities have warned that there are not enough resources to follow the World Health Organization's recommendation to test as much as possible. Meanwhile, China is providing 50,000 testing kits to Europe.

The EU's anti-fraud office Olaf is launching an investigation into people producing fake medical, personal protection, and hygiene products. The agency published photos of fake masks designed for children being smuggled into and sold in the EU. "Since the very beginning of the pandemic, Olaf has been collecting intelligence and information on this illicit trafficking," it said in a statement.

Portugal has declared a state of emergency, closing all business that do not provide essential services, and saying the army could be used to force people to obey the new anti-pandemic measures. "There is no rationing in shops and no reason for there to be any" prime minister Antonio Costa said on TV. "That's what's important - to save lives, while ensuring that life continues," he added.

Brazil announced it was closing its borders during one month for Europeans starting on Monday, Le Soir reports. The measure targets the entire European Economic Area, which includes the EU and the UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland, but also people from China, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia who are non-resident in Brazil and who do not have urgent reasons to enter the country.

In a press conference, UK prime minister Boris Johnson has raised the prospect of mass testing for coronavirus and social distancing allowing the UK to return to some form of normality by the summer, while stressing that tougher measures such as shutting down cities remained a possibility, the Guardian writes. The next 12 weeks could "turn the tide of this disease", Johnson said on the pandemic.

The US state department has asked all Americans overseas to return home where possible due to the coronavirus. Its "level 4" alert, covering the whole world, is normally reserved for conflict hotpots such as Afghanistan. The alert, published Thursday, warned US citizens not to rely on consular assistance as this may be limited due to staff departures. It warned people not to travel abroad "for an indefinite timeframe".

The EU executive wants to set up a reserve of cricial medical gear, which it would finance almost entirely. It could already be operational next week. There is a "scarcity" of such equipment globally.

The EU is preparing to open talks with North Macedonia and Albania next week after France and the Netherlands got what they wanted.

MEPs will vote via email on emergency legislation to help countries and companies in the wake of the spead of coronavirus. The plenary sessions are to held in Brussels until July instead of Strasbourg.

An EU naval operation set for launch in April off the Libyan coast may be derailed following objections by Austria and Hungary. Both want the power to end the mission should migrants be lured into being rescued.

There is no blueprint for this crisis and in view of the rise of populism, Germany may be lucky to have an experienced leader who can actually read and understand scientific briefings.

2020 was supposed to be the crunch year in the fightback against climate change. However, the coronavirus pandemic has flattened Europe and beyond, which is likely to slow down international negotiations to fight climate change