Germany to extend partial lockdown until Dec. 20 - Merkel

Germany will extend restrictive measures imposed early this month under a month-long "lockdown light" to slow the spread of the coronavirus until Dec. 20, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday.

"The exponential growth of infection numbers has been broken, the steep curve has become a flattened curve," Merkel said after talks with leaders of Germany's federal states.

"But infection numbers remain at a level that is far too high. The situation doesn't allow us to lift the measures agreed for November."