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 the economy, as well as people's well-being.

"We must not let it happen that again - nationwide restrictions - which would again threaten high economic and emotional losses," she said.

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

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

Merkel rejected the charge, noting that despite putting together an unprecedented stimulus package and breaking its previous borrowing rules, Germany continues to have the lowest public debt ratio of all countries in the 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 the last 24 hours.

The Chancellor also hailed Belarusian anti-government protesters, noting she was soon due to meet opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

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

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