Evening roundupMonday's key coronavirus developments from Luxembourg and abroad

Starting with Luxembourg

• [block type="summary”]Researchers from the Covid-19 Task Force have concluded that the current acceleration in cases “will put contact tracing beyond its limits” and slowing down the wave can only be achieved by “a common social effort”. They predict up to 1,400 cases per day by mid-November.

  • The latest figures from the Ministry of Health show that 195 new cases of coronavirus were discovered yesterday. The total number of deaths has increased by two and now stands at 147. 1,903 tests were carried out in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate was 10.25%. Over 100 patients are hospitalised, of which 12 in intensive care.
  • The “Covid Consultation Centre” - short CCC - will be set up to relieve general practitioners from the increased influx of symptomatic Covid patients. It opens Tuesday morning at 10 am.
  • Several education institutions announced remote learning on Monday - 620 pupils from the Ecole de Commerce et de Gestion will begin homeschooling on Monday afternoon, as well as all students and staff from the University of Luxembourg.
  • No chains of intra-school infections were reported in the last week, even though the number of students testing positive has grown significantly, the Ministry of Health had reported on Monday morning. RTL Today readers expressed their concern and disbelief in the comments section.
  • The alderman’s college of the municipality of Mamer has decided to cancel all winter festivities held between 27 November 2020 and 3 January 2021, which includes the Christmas market.
  • The health ministry urged people testing positive and those in contact with possible positive cases to go into self-isolation and start the process of contact tracing themselves. Furthermore, paying a visit to vulnerable people, whether at home, in a care home or in hospital, should be avoided, and can even be dangerous.
  • “Stop the fairy tales": Teachers’ union Féduse has called for stricter measures in schools.
  • Ann-Marie Hanff, the president of the Nurses Association (ANIL) spoke to RTL about the recent challenges for hospital staffs in the country. “We have to focus on staying healthy, staying on top of things, and not be burned out by the challenge”, Hanff stated during the interview. Another major concern on the already long list of worries is the shortage of personnel.
  • A court ruled against the health minister’s decision to impose a €2,000 fine on a business owner for not adhering to the new Covid law.
  • While quarantine had already caused major blows to many retailers, it remains doubtful the festive season will be able to make up for the losses incurred. Sunday marked Mantelsonndeg, but sales were disappointing.
  • Luckily the pandemic has not stopped young scientists from exploring and collecting new findings. Mara Manieri won this year’s ‘Jonk Fuerscher’ science competition by looking at the impact fertilisers and manures have on water quality.

  And around the world

  • The German city of Nuremberg has cancelled its world-renowned Christmas market over soaring coronavirus cases, officials said on Monday.

  • Anger was growing in Italy Monday over harsh new coronavirus restrictions brought in to “save Christmas”, while other hard-hit countries enforced curfews in a bid to avoid fresh national lockdowns.

  • [block type="summary”]Germany’s Lufthansa has warned that 30,000 jobs are under threat as it scaled down its winter schedule to levels not seen since the 1970s as demand for travel collapses because of the coronavirus pandemic.