The first signs that transmission of the novel coronavirus has
again picked up were visible in German official data, just as the
country attempts a cautious easing of its lockdown measures.
The reproduction or infection rate under close watch by health
authorities mounted again to around 1.0, meaning each infected
person passes the virus on to one other, figures from the Robert
Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control showed late Tuesday.
Ministers and virologists have hammered home the importance of
squeezing the number below 1.0.
And the country has seen days of intense media and political
debate after Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Germany’s federal
states against loosening their lockdowns too quickly.
Since mid-April, the infection rate had sunk as low as 0.7
before inching back up again.
Meanwhile, the mortality rate from the disease has also been
rising day by day.
By Tuesday, it had reached 3.8 percent according to RKI figures,
which remains well below some neighbouring countries such as
France.
The latest data showed 156,337 cases in Germany and 5,913
deaths.
Rising infection and mortality rates could pose a puzzle for
authorities, as a population chafing at lockdown measures is just
beginning to enjoy some refound freedoms and an initial united
front in politics and media crumbles.
Health Minister Jens Spahn earlier in April declared the
pandemic “under control” in Germany, as Merkel and state premiers
agreed smaller shops could open from last week and some pupils
return to school from next Monday.
Meanwhile, some major businesses like car giant Volkswagen have
restarted production in recent days.
Now the less encouraging data will flow into the chancellor’s
deliberations with regional leaders on Thursday, ahead of a new
round of lockdown decisions on May 6.
Until now, the May 6 gathering had been expected to bring
further easing of restrictions.
Merkel’s pleas not to rush a step-by-step unwinding of lockdown
for fear of again worsening the virus’ spread were dismissed or
even blasted as authoritarian by some voices in media and the
opposition.
“Even if we assume that one person infects 1.1 others, we would
reach the limits of what our health system and intensive care beds
can manage in October,” she warned earlier this month.
“If we assume a rate of 1.2… we would reach the health system’s
limit in July. And with a rate of 1.3 — it doesn’t sound like much
— we would get there in June already,” she added.
AFP
The first signs that transmission of the novel coronavirus has
again picked up were visible in German official data, just as the
country attempts a cautious easing of its lockdown measures.
The reproduction or infection rate under close watch by health
authorities mounted again to around 1.0, meaning each infected
person passes the virus on to one other, figures from the Robert
Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control showed late Tuesday.
Ministers and virologists have hammered home the importance of
squeezing the number below 1.0.
And the country has seen days of intense media and political
debate after Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Germany’s federal
states against loosening their lockdowns too quickly.
Since mid-April, the infection rate had sunk as low as 0.7
before inching back up again.
Meanwhile, the mortality rate from the disease has also been
rising day by day.
By Tuesday, it had reached 3.8 percent according to RKI figures,
which remains well below some neighbouring countries such as
France.
The latest data showed 156,337 cases in Germany and 5,913
deaths.
Rising infection and mortality rates could pose a puzzle for
authorities, as a population chafing at lockdown measures is just
beginning to enjoy some refound freedoms and an initial united
front in politics and media crumbles.
Health Minister Jens Spahn earlier in April declared the
pandemic “under control” in Germany, as Merkel and state premiers
agreed smaller shops could open from last week and some pupils
return to school from next Monday.
Meanwhile, some major businesses like car giant Volkswagen have
restarted production in recent days.
Now the less encouraging data will flow into the chancellor’s
deliberations with regional leaders on Thursday, ahead of a new
round of lockdown decisions on May 6.
Until now, the May 6 gathering had been expected to bring
further easing of restrictions.
Merkel’s pleas not to rush a step-by-step unwinding of lockdown
for fear of again worsening the virus’ spread were dismissed or
even blasted as authoritarian by some voices in media and the
opposition.
“Even if we assume that one person infects 1.1 others, we would
reach the limits of what our health system and intensive care beds
can manage in October,” she warned earlier this month.
“If we assume a rate of 1.2… we would reach the health system’s
limit in July. And with a rate of 1.3 — it doesn’t sound like much
— we would get there in June already,” she added.
AFP