Merkel says virus spike is a threat to work achieved

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday said her country must avoid a rise in coronavirus cases, which would "risk everything we have achieved" and threaten ecomy, as well as people's well-being.

"We must t let it happen that again - nationwide restrictions - which would again threaten high ecomic and emotional losses," she said.

Merkel defended her government's record over pandemic, telling lawmakers that country h fared well compared to many of its peers.

far-right Alternative for Germany, largest opposition party, accused Merkel during a budget debate in Parliament of using crisis as an excuse to spend taxpayers' money and promote what it described as “corona socialism.”

Merkel rejected charge, ting that despite putting toger an unprecedented stimulus pack and breaking its previous borrowing rules, Germany continues to have lowest public debt ratio of all countries in Group of Seven industrialized nations.

Germany, like many of its European neighbors, has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks.

Official figures released Wednesday showed 1,798 new cases nationwide in last 24 hours.

Chancellor also hailed Belarusian anti-government protesters, ting she was soon due to meet opposition leer Sviatlana Tsikhauskaya.

"When you see cour of women shown on streets for a life free of corruption, I can only say that I mire it and I find it very impressive," she said.

Merkel also expressed concern about recent developments in Hong Kong, saying semi-automous territory's "one country, two systems" framework was being "increasingly undermined."