BERLIN: Germany’s Covid-19 incidence rate on Monday exceeded 150 for the first time since May, raising concerns about a fourth wave of people wrestling with a change of government in the country.
According to the data, the number of new infections per 100,000 people has reached 154.8 in the last seven days. Robert Koch Institute (RKI) Health Agency – Up from 110.1 a week ago.
Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel On Sunday it called for swift action to tackle the “very worrying” trend, stressing that Germany cannot wait until a new government is in place.
Merkel is due to step down as German leader after 16 years in power, with three parties currently in talks to form the next government after elections in September.
The veteran leader also backed third “booster” jabs, saying Germany “must do something” to make sure they are widely available.
But with only 66.7 percent of the population fully vaccinated, about a third of Germans are not yet fully vaccinated.
In a Forsa survey conducted for the health ministry and published on Thursday, 65 per cent of unaffiliated respondents declared there was “no way” they would take a Covid jab and 23 per cent were “reluctant”.
At the same time, health professionals have reported a new influx of infected people in hospital, most of whom have not been vaccinated.
Merkel defended her right not to be vaccinated in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper on Sunday, but admitted being “very sad” that three million Germans over the age of 60 have still not taken the jab.
Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, the likely next chancellor, said on Sunday that Germany should do what was necessary “to make sure we keep the pandemic under control”.
However, he also said that in a country where a large number of people have been vaccinated, it is no longer possible to respond with strict measures like lockdown.
Scholz’s party has said it aims to form a new government by early December, leaving the country in a sort of political limbo as it faces a surge in new cases. Merkel will remain in power in the meantime but only as acting chancellor.
According to the RKI, Germany on Monday reported 9,658 new Covid-19 cases and 23 deaths in the last 24 hours.
According to the data, the number of new infections per 100,000 people has reached 154.8 in the last seven days. Robert Koch Institute (RKI) Health Agency – Up from 110.1 a week ago.
Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel On Sunday it called for swift action to tackle the “very worrying” trend, stressing that Germany cannot wait until a new government is in place.
Merkel is due to step down as German leader after 16 years in power, with three parties currently in talks to form the next government after elections in September.
The veteran leader also backed third “booster” jabs, saying Germany “must do something” to make sure they are widely available.
But with only 66.7 percent of the population fully vaccinated, about a third of Germans are not yet fully vaccinated.
In a Forsa survey conducted for the health ministry and published on Thursday, 65 per cent of unaffiliated respondents declared there was “no way” they would take a Covid jab and 23 per cent were “reluctant”.
At the same time, health professionals have reported a new influx of infected people in hospital, most of whom have not been vaccinated.
Merkel defended her right not to be vaccinated in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper on Sunday, but admitted being “very sad” that three million Germans over the age of 60 have still not taken the jab.
Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, the likely next chancellor, said on Sunday that Germany should do what was necessary “to make sure we keep the pandemic under control”.
However, he also said that in a country where a large number of people have been vaccinated, it is no longer possible to respond with strict measures like lockdown.
Scholz’s party has said it aims to form a new government by early December, leaving the country in a sort of political limbo as it faces a surge in new cases. Merkel will remain in power in the meantime but only as acting chancellor.
According to the RKI, Germany on Monday reported 9,658 new Covid-19 cases and 23 deaths in the last 24 hours.
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