Berlin nightlife shuts early as coronavirus cases spike in Europe, top 10 million in Latin America

Governments across the globe are struggling to keep up with a sharp rise in infections and manage growing public frustration over new restrictions

Latin America and the Caribbean, with more than 360,000 deaths according to official figures, is the region worst hit in terms of fatalities

3-MIN READ3-MIN

A bar owner closes up early in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district on Saturday. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:13pm, 11 Oct 2020Updated: 7:28pm, 11 Oct 2020

A coronavirus curfew has closed doors early on German capital Berlin’s legendary nightlife in a bid to limit surging infections, while in Latin America and the Caribbean the number of cases passed 10 million.

Bars and restaurants closed at 11pm on Saturday in Berlin under a partial curfew announced until October 31, with the capital following in the footsteps of financial hub Frankfurt where a curfew had already been imposed, but starting an hour earlier.

With more than 400 new cases daily in Berlin, the early shutdown also covers all shops except pharmacies and petrol stations in a bid to prevent sales of alcohol late at night.

“This is not the time to party,” said Berlin mayor Michael Muller in a message addressed to young people, who are driving new infections higher. “We can and we want to prevent another more severe confinement.”

A bar worker pours a beer at a bar in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district on Saturday. Photo: AFP

German Chancellor Angela Merkel had already warned on Friday that high-infection areas would be given 10 days to bring down cases or face tougher action, calling big cities the “arena” to keep the pandemic under control.