BERLIN — Germany’s Disease Control Agency reported Thursday that the country has seen the most coronavirus cases since the beginning of the pandemic.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (or RKI), 33,949 cases were registered within the last 24 hours. This is an increase of 28,037 daily cases one week ago. On Dec. 18, 2020, 33,777 cases had been added to the record.
This all-time record is due to the fact that the country’s federal health minister Jens Spahn will meet with 16 state ministers to discuss ways to reduce the spread of the virus during winter, when intensive care units are filling up again and children are getting more infections.
The RKI reported Thursday that 165 people had died, compared to 126 a week earlier. The number of Germans who have died due to COVID-19 has increased to 96,192.
Senior officials in the health sector have repeatedly called on German citizens who have not been vaccinated to do so. Spahn admitted Wednesday that there are many people who can’t be convinced.
Official data shows that around two-thirds (83 million) of Germany’s population have completed their first round of vaccination. 16.2 million people aged 12 and above are still unvaccinated, including 3.2 millions over-60s.
Officials agreed to make booster shots available for over-60s as well as staff at nursing homes, but so far only 2 million have been administered.
Contrary to European counterparts, Germany doesn’t require professional groups to be vaccinated against coronavirus. However, some indoor facilities and events are restricted to those who have been vaccinated or have recently recovered from being tested. Some regional governments are trying to tighten these rules.
After several recent deaths in senior citizens homes, pressure is mounting to require mandatory testing in nursing homes.
Ulrich Weigeldt (head of the association for family doctors) demanded that all employees in hospitals or nursing homes receive mandatory coronavirus vaccines on Thursday.
Weigeldt stated that no unvaccinated person should come in contact with vulnerable groups, whether as a professional or visitor. This applies to nursing homes, senior citizen homes, and intensive care units.
