Germany logs highest number of daily coronavirus cases since May
Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has registered the highest number of new infections in Germany in more than three months, it reported on Wednesday.
Within one day, German health authorities reported 1,510 new coronavirus infections.
The last time a higher number was registered was May 1st, with 1,639 new infections. The peak of new daily recorded infections was in April, with more than 6,000.
READ ALSO: 'The trend cannot continue': Merkel rules out easing coronavirus restrictions as cases spike
After that, numbers began to drop significantly, but since the end of July have been rising again.
As of Wednesday morning, Germany had a total of 228,129 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Of those, 204,130 have reported themselves to have recovered. There have been 9,246 deaths due to the virus.
In response to Germany’s rising numbers, Finland announced Wednesday it was requiring travellers from the Bundesrepublik to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival.
It imposed the same restriction on some other European countries with rising coronavirus numbers, such as Greece and Denmark.
Test debacle
The newest numbers come amid a debate in Germany about who is entitled to a free coronavirus test.
Currently those returning from Robert Koch Institute-designated risk areas and teachers are able to be tested for the virus free of charge.
Yet "that must also apply to hospital personnel," said Susanne Johna, chairwoman of the doctors' Marburger Bund association, to the newspapers of the Funke media group.
READ ALSO: IN NUMBERS: What's the latest on the coronavirus situation in Germany?
At the moment, health insurance companies only automatically pay for the cost of testing doctors and nurses when they suffer from symptoms.
"It should not be the case that in many cases, in order to carry out tests on clinic staff, permission from the local health authority must first be obtained," Johna said.
Meanwhile, Social Democratic politician Karl Lauterbach estimated that a safe, well-tested vaccine should be available as early as the beginning of 2021, he told the editorial network RND on Wednesday morning.
Comments
See Also
Within one day, German health authorities reported 1,510 new coronavirus infections.
The last time a higher number was registered was May 1st, with 1,639 new infections. The peak of new daily recorded infections was in April, with more than 6,000.
READ ALSO: 'The trend cannot continue': Merkel rules out easing coronavirus restrictions as cases spike
After that, numbers began to drop significantly, but since the end of July have been rising again.
As of Wednesday morning, Germany had a total of 228,129 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Of those, 204,130 have reported themselves to have recovered. There have been 9,246 deaths due to the virus.
In response to Germany’s rising numbers, Finland announced Wednesday it was requiring travellers from the Bundesrepublik to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival.
It imposed the same restriction on some other European countries with rising coronavirus numbers, such as Greece and Denmark.
Test debacle
The newest numbers come amid a debate in Germany about who is entitled to a free coronavirus test.
Currently those returning from Robert Koch Institute-designated risk areas and teachers are able to be tested for the virus free of charge.
Yet "that must also apply to hospital personnel," said Susanne Johna, chairwoman of the doctors' Marburger Bund association, to the newspapers of the Funke media group.
READ ALSO: IN NUMBERS: What's the latest on the coronavirus situation in Germany?
At the moment, health insurance companies only automatically pay for the cost of testing doctors and nurses when they suffer from symptoms.
"It should not be the case that in many cases, in order to carry out tests on clinic staff, permission from the local health authority must first be obtained," Johna said.
Meanwhile, Social Democratic politician Karl Lauterbach estimated that a safe, well-tested vaccine should be available as early as the beginning of 2021, he told the editorial network RND on Wednesday morning.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.