- German Chancellor Angela Merkel told parliament Tuesday that "60 to 70%" of the German population will contract the coronavirus.
- Dropping the figure at the outset of a parliamentary meeting, Merkel's proclamation left the room silent, according to a report from Bild, a German tabloid.
- Germany has already seen more than 1,400 confirmed cases for COVID-19, the disease resulting from the virus.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave a grave prognosis to parliament on Tuesday, telling members that "60 to 70%" of the German population will contract the coronavirus at some point, according to Bild.
The German tabloid reported that upon dropping the statistic in the parliamentary meeting, the room fell silent.
Germany has seen more than 1,400 positive test results for COVID-19 so far, with two confirmed deaths.
Merkel went on to tell lawmakers that additional cancelations of events and large gatherings could come depending on the severity of the outbreak.
Postponing parliamentary proceedings is also a possibility, Merkel said.
According to Bild, Merkel came short of calling for any further swift and severe measures and was not more specific but laid out the possibilities facing the nation amid the spread of coronavirus worldwide.
The coronavirus has continued to rapidly spread throughout Europe. Italy, the worst-hit country outside China, instituted a nation-wide lockdown as more than 9,100 people have been infected and 463 died from the virus.