Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff says Germany won't loosen its restrictions on public life before April 20.

German authorities closed non-essential shops and banned gatherings of more than two people in public at the beginning of the week. Schools, bars, restaurants and clubs are also closed.

Merkel's chief of staff, Helge Braun, told Saturday's edition of the daily Tagesspiegel that ``we are not going to talk about any easing before April 20 - until then, all measures will remain in place.'' He said that officials will say ``in a timely manner before then'' what will happen after that date.

Braun said that ``the older and the sick will have to reduce their contacts for significantly longer.''

Germany has recorded more than 50,000 cases of the new coronavirus, according to a tally by John Hopkins University, with 351 deaths - a lower death rate than in many other countries.

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