London | Germany is anxiously monitoring the COVID-19 resurgence in the Gütersloh region of its western industrial heartland, as a localised lockdown of more than half a million people is due to be lifted or extended on Tuesday.

The week-old outbreak, centred on a 7000-worker abattoir and its associated housing for eastern European migrant workers, has become a test of whether a European country can stamp out any coronavirus resurgence with local action before it becomes a national second wave.