Merkel rival Merz tested positive for coronavirus

BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s longtime rival Friedrich Merz announced on Tuesday that he tested positive for coronavirus and was under self-quarantine at home.

The 64-year-old politician, who has been campaigning to lead the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at a congress planned for this year, said on Twitter that he had mild to moderate symptoms.

“I will be in home-quarantine until the end of this week,” Merz said, and added that he cancelled all his appointments.

Last week, two lawmakers from the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) tested positive and were told to stay in their homes under self-quarantine.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed coronavirus in the country rose to 8,084 on Tuesday. The coronavirus death toll has reached to 20, according to statements by local health authorities.

Germany is the third-worst-affected country by the coronavirus pandemic in Europe, after Italy and Spain.

The federal government announced on Monday that all shops, bars and sport venues across the country would be shut down to stem the spread of coronavirus known as COVID-19.

Essential services such as supermarkets, drugstores, post offices, banks, and gas stations will remain open.

COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China last December, and has spread to at least 152 countries and territories. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a pandemic.

Out of over 189,000 confirmed cases, the death toll now exceeds 7,500, while over 80,500 patients have recovered, according to Worldometer, a website that compiles new case numbers.

The current number of active cases is more than 100,000 -- 94% mild and 6% in critical condition.