Germany's Covid infections hit highest level since May
Germany's seven-day coronavirus incidence rate reached 100 infections per 100,000 people on Saturday for the first time since May, following a surge in cases in recent weeks.
The number hit 100 after rising from 68.7 just eight days ago, the Robert Koch health institute (RKI) said.
The milestone comes a day after the German health ministry warned that "we are seeing an escalation of the situation".
The upwards trend "became visible in almost all age groups over the past week and it is to be expected that the increase in case numbers will pick up speed in the further course of autumn and winter," health ministry spokesman Oliver Ewald said.
READ ALSO: Germany’s ‘real Covid fourth wave’ has started, says health expert
Germany recorded 86 new Covid-19 deaths on Saturday, with the country's total toll rising to 95,077, official figures said.
There were also 15,145 new infections recorded over 24 hours, the figure having risen 31 percent over the last eight days.
The health ministry said Friday that the spike in cases had not yet led to an "increased dynamic" in Covid patients needing intensive care.
Germany's DIVI intensive care association however voiced alarm.
Senior DIVI expert Christian Karagiannidis wrote on Twitter that there was a "very close correlation" between incidence rates and new Covid hospital admissions.
Sehr enge Korrelation von #Inzidenzen und #Covid Intensivneuaufnahmen. Bedenklich: es gibt noch nicht mal mehr einen zeitlichen Versatz von 7-10 Tagen. Inzidenzen bleiben essentiell zur Beurteilung der Lage. Die eigentliche 4. Welle hat jetzt begonnen und nimmt weiter Fahrt auf. pic.twitter.com/3qLRqlKBcH
— ECMO_Karagiannidis (@ECMOKaragianni1) October 21, 2021
"The real fourth wave is beginning now and is gathering speed," he tweeted.
READ ALSO:
On Saturday, he added that the lack of healthcare workers is going to make the winter season difficult, "bringing clinics to their knees".
"There is simply no staff to cover the beds," he wrote.
Warum wird der #corona Winter so schwierig? Vor allem auch weil der #Pflegepersonalmangel die Kliniken zunehmend in die Knie zwingt. Der Vergleich zeigt wo wir heute stehen. Es fehlt schlicht das Personal zum Betreiben der Betten. Neues Personal zum Wiederaufbau ist eine Illusion pic.twitter.com/wNMyR6lg6s
— ECMO_Karagiannidis (@ECMOKaragianni1) October 23, 2021
In the past few months, Covid infections in Germany have been stagnating and decreasing at times, leaving many wondering if a serious fourth wave would emerge. But the sharp increase in recent cases has left little doubt, according to health experts.
"Since the end of September 2021, a rising trend in the 7-day incidences has again become apparent, which became visible in almost all age groups last week," said the RKI in its weekly report.
READ ALSO: Why vaccinated people in Germany are still getting Covid
"It is to be expected that the rise in case numbers will accelerate more in the further course of autumn and winter," the RKI added.
More than 66 percent of the population of Germany, a country of some 83 million people, is fully vaccinated against Covid.
Almost 70 percent have had a first dose.
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The number hit 100 after rising from 68.7 just eight days ago, the Robert Koch health institute (RKI) said.
The milestone comes a day after the German health ministry warned that "we are seeing an escalation of the situation".
The upwards trend "became visible in almost all age groups over the past week and it is to be expected that the increase in case numbers will pick up speed in the further course of autumn and winter," health ministry spokesman Oliver Ewald said.
READ ALSO: Germany’s ‘real Covid fourth wave’ has started, says health expert
Germany recorded 86 new Covid-19 deaths on Saturday, with the country's total toll rising to 95,077, official figures said.
There were also 15,145 new infections recorded over 24 hours, the figure having risen 31 percent over the last eight days.
The health ministry said Friday that the spike in cases had not yet led to an "increased dynamic" in Covid patients needing intensive care.
Germany's DIVI intensive care association however voiced alarm.
Senior DIVI expert Christian Karagiannidis wrote on Twitter that there was a "very close correlation" between incidence rates and new Covid hospital admissions.
Sehr enge Korrelation von #Inzidenzen und #Covid Intensivneuaufnahmen. Bedenklich: es gibt noch nicht mal mehr einen zeitlichen Versatz von 7-10 Tagen. Inzidenzen bleiben essentiell zur Beurteilung der Lage. Die eigentliche 4. Welle hat jetzt begonnen und nimmt weiter Fahrt auf. pic.twitter.com/3qLRqlKBcH
— ECMO_Karagiannidis (@ECMOKaragianni1) October 21, 2021
"The real fourth wave is beginning now and is gathering speed," he tweeted.
READ ALSO:
On Saturday, he added that the lack of healthcare workers is going to make the winter season difficult, "bringing clinics to their knees".
"There is simply no staff to cover the beds," he wrote.
Warum wird der #corona Winter so schwierig? Vor allem auch weil der #Pflegepersonalmangel die Kliniken zunehmend in die Knie zwingt. Der Vergleich zeigt wo wir heute stehen. Es fehlt schlicht das Personal zum Betreiben der Betten. Neues Personal zum Wiederaufbau ist eine Illusion pic.twitter.com/wNMyR6lg6s
— ECMO_Karagiannidis (@ECMOKaragianni1) October 23, 2021
In the past few months, Covid infections in Germany have been stagnating and decreasing at times, leaving many wondering if a serious fourth wave would emerge. But the sharp increase in recent cases has left little doubt, according to health experts.
"Since the end of September 2021, a rising trend in the 7-day incidences has again become apparent, which became visible in almost all age groups last week," said the RKI in its weekly report.
READ ALSO: Why vaccinated people in Germany are still getting Covid
"It is to be expected that the rise in case numbers will accelerate more in the further course of autumn and winter," the RKI added.
More than 66 percent of the population of Germany, a country of some 83 million people, is fully vaccinated against Covid.
Almost 70 percent have had a first dose.
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