Museums, exhibitions, memorials, zoos and botanical gardens in Germany can reopen in Germany, provided they can fulfill social distancing and hygiene requirements to minimise the risk of infection, German media cited news agency DPA as reporting.

According to a government draft that they cited, these conditions were particularly important for smaller or historic buildings which were often less easily adapted. A 10 million euro ($10.88 million) fund would help museums carry out the necessary modifications, the reports said.

Magazine Focus added that church services would also resume following a period in which they have been banned as part of measures to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus epidemic. The reports did not give a date on which new measures would come into force.

Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to hold a news conference later on Thursday after meeting premiers of the federal states.

Reuters