Dozens of Romanians test positive for coronavirus in Berlin’s Neukolln district

A total of 57 Romanian citizens living in the Neukolln district in Berlin tested positive for coronavirus, and one of them is in critical condition, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) announced on Thursday, June 18, according to local Agerpres.

Around 370 households are under quarantine, the Romanian ministry also said, quoting local authorities' information. The exact source of this COVID-19 outbreak in Berlin is still unknown, but "initial findings indicate that the infections occurred after residents took part in religious processions, as well as following individual services held at the homes of several families," MAE said.

The local authorities are helping those affected by this outbreak with grocery shopping. Everyone who was placed in quarantine would receive papers justifying the reason for absence from work and financial compensation.

The Sun reported that leaders of Germany's capital became alarmed at how "incredibly fast" the coronavirus was spreading among residents in the south of Berlin. Neukolln mayor Martin Hikel said: "The special thing here is that it went so incredibly fast. We realized quite soon that whole apartment blocks were concerned and that we had to put them under quarantine."

Earlier this month, dozens of students and teachers at a primary school in Berlin were placed under quarantine after five Romanian children going at the same school tested positive for coronavirus.

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