European militaries continue to fight COVID-19
EU Battlegroup (EUBG) 2020-2 has cancelled planned training exercises as the continent grapples with the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The European 2020 exercise was scheduled for 13-27 March at the Wildflecken and Hammelburg military bases in Bavaria and the Külsheim training centre in Baden-Württemberg.
An ongoing communications exercise, which began on 9 March, will continue but with fewer participants.
Meanwhile, in Italy, military doctors and nurses from more than 60 units have been seconded to support civilian hospitals in Lodi and Milan. Additional military infrastructure such as a field hospital has also been made available to provide an additional 3,500 beds for COVID-19 patients.
More than 7,000 Italian military personnel have been deployed across the country in Operation Safe Roads, which aims to ensure the nationwide lockdown remains in place and travel restrictions are enforced.
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