German to tighten COVID-19 restrictions amid third wave

German Health Minister, Jens Spahn, urged the country’s 16 federal states on Thursday to tighten restrictions quickly amid third wave of the coronavirus.

His appeal came as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases jumped on Thursday by 29,426 to 3.073 million, the biggest increase since 8 January.

The reported death toll rose by 293 to 79,381, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) showed.

“We know from last autumn what happens when we don’t act quickly, adding that doctors expect some 6,000 patients to be in intensive care by the end of the month,” Spahn said.

The Vice Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, defended the changes to the Infection Protection Act, which include curfews once the seven day virus incidence exceeds 100 per 100,000.

“This has helped everywhere, it has been done in many countries around the world – and it has brought the incidence rates down, something had to be done to limit the spread of the virus,” he said.

Spahn said Germany’s vaccination campaign was gaining pace. Around 20% of the population will have been given at least a first dose by the end of April and all adults should have been offered a shot by the end of summer.

Kamila/Reuters