BERLIN: Germany is calling up tens of thousands of reservists to help in the country’s battle against the coronavirus pandemic, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Thursday.
The army began mobilizing its first batches of reserve troops over the weekend, said the minister, adding that it will next standby “other reservist troops in through very targeted calls, and through a general call.”
Europe’s biggest economy has a pool of 75,000 reservists for whom the army has updated contact details, the minister said.
Some 2,300 reservists responded to the weekend mobilization call, including more than 900 who can be deployed to health services, said Kramp-Karrenbauer.
Describing the fight against COVID-19 a marathon, the minister said soldiers can step in when the capacity of civil forces is exhausted.
“We can and will deliver what is needed from us,” she said.
The German government is accelerating efforts to ramp up capacity to treat patients, as official data show the number of infections soaring past 10,000.
The numbers, which also include 20 deaths, are compiled by the disease control agency Robert Koch Institute using information from regional authorities of cases tested for the virus.
But depending on an individual state’s policies, many other possible infections may not be reflected in the numbers because the patients have not been tested as they show only mild symptoms or have not been in contact with a known case.
Speaking at a separate press conference, Health Minister Jens Spahn said regulations will be eased for employees in medical services to help in hospitals, to take the pressure off qualified nurses and doctors.
Germany calls up reservists in coronavirus battle
https://arab.news/jx5ze
Germany calls up reservists in coronavirus battle
- The army began mobilizing its first batches of reserve troops over the weekend
- Europe’s biggest economy has a pool of 75,000 reservists for whom the army has updated contact details
Two high-speed trains derail in Spain, broadcaster reports five people killed
- The accident happened near Adamuz, which is near Cordoba
MADRID: Two high-speed trains derailed on Sunday in southern Spain, the rail network operator said, and state-run television channel RTVE said five people had died, citing police sources.
The accident happened near Adamuz, which is near Cordoba. An unknown number of passengers have been injured, RTVE said, citing Civil Guard sources.
“The Iryo 6189 Málaga — (to Madrid) train has derailed from the track at Adamuz, crashing onto the adjacent track. The (Madrid) to Huelva train which was traveling on the adjacent track has also derailed,” Adif, which runs the rail network, said in a social media post.
Adif said the accident happened about ten minutes after the Iryo train left Malaga heading toward Madrid at 6:40 p.m. (1740 GMT).
Iryo is an Italian-run private rail operator. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Adif has suspended all rail services between Madrid and Andalusia.
Andalusia emergency services said on social media that all rail traffic had been halted and emergency services were on their way, including at least nine ambulances and emergency support vehicles.
Salvador Jimenez, a journalist for RTVE who was on board the train from Cordoba to Madrid, shared images showing the rear carriage of the train lying on its side, with evacuated passengers sitting on the side of the carriage.
