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RKI

‘Third wave has already begun’: Germany records sharp increase in Covid-19 cases

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) recorded a 20 percent rise in new coronavirus cases compared to a week ago on Thursday, leading its director to warn that a third wave of infections had started.

‘Third wave has already begun’: Germany records sharp increase in Covid-19 cases
People wearing masks on the Hamburg harbour front. Photo: Ulrich Perrey/DPA

“We have very clear indications for the fact that the third wave has already begun in Germany,” said RKI boss Lothar Wieler.

“I am very worried,” he said in conversation with journalists in Geneva, adding that it was important that people kept wearing masks and maintaining a safe distance from other people.

On Thursday, 14,356 new confirmed infections were recorded in a 24-hour period, an increase of 2,444 on the previous week and a level not seen since the beginning of February.

The 7-day incidence also rose from 65.4 to 69.1 infections for every 100,000 residents of Germany. A month ago the 7-day incidence was 64.2 per 100,000 inhabitants.

A further 321 deaths were recorded, while intensive care occupancy was at 2,736 beds, down from 5,762 at the high point in winter.

At the last lockdown summit the federal states and the government agreed upon a tentative re-opening of the economy, but they tied it to the 7-day incidence level.

If the incidence rates were to rise significantly to a level above 100, it could lead regional governments to “pull an emergency brake” and shut businesses back down.

Wieler said on Thursday that Germany’s vaccine campaign was a race against new, more transmissible, variants of the virus.

“We see effects already in those who are over 80. The incidence is on the decline, tremendously,” he said.

He expressed confidence that 80 percent of the population could be immunized by the autumn as long as constant supplies of the vaccines were maintained.

“If we achieve that then we can lift all of the measures.”

SEE ALSO: How freely will people be able to travel to and from Germany this summer?

Member comments

  1. Entirely the fault of the German government. There wouldnt be a third wave if they had a functional vaccine rollout.

    1. That would help, but if people stopped disregarding the rules & the advice, very few people would become infected. Everywhere you see the “It doesn’t really apply to me” attitude. And then the surprise when they get it and pass it on.

      1. That’s true – “It doesn’t really apply to me” altitude is a big problem. But looking at how German government handles the situation and vaccine rollout it seems like they have the very same altitude too.

        1. The while EU rollout was a mess. I agree with them being careful about the efficacy of certain vaccines, but they just ordered too few, & don’t have a good enough policy for getting peole vaccinated even if they had enough

      2. Very true.

        I’m shocked every time I see people – especially teenagers – grouped together on the streets with no respect for social distancing…and no masks!

        I have been following the rules – set by the government – from the very start.

        And still…no vaccine and certainly no access to Neustarthilfe (the online link is ridiculous and throws you out every time)….and, yet, I have to watch as people (who have a salary or parents paying for them) prolong this hardship and loss of money for so many with their selfish behaviour.

    2. It is stupid and naive to say that it’s a fault of government. People don’t follow the rules and they are paying the price.

      1. Not at all stupid. Have a look at the UK right now. They have a successful vaccine rollout and cases are dropping dramatically. No threat of a third wave there. We would not be having a third wave if a good proportion of the population were immune to the virus.

  2. No luck if you are self-employed and trying to access the Neustarthilfe application link.

    It has been unresponsive for days now.

    It feel like the government does not want to help on any level – no aid and no vaccine.

  3. I find it strange that numbers were dropping dramatically and all of a sudden they are rising again. I listened to a vaccine developer called Geert Vanden Bossche being interviewed and also read his letter to the WHO and other organisations its on twitter.com/GVDBossche/

  4. Life here in the USA isn’t any better. They want to vaccinate everyone but the supply isn’t there and there is much waste and churn. They haven’t even finished all the nursing homes yet.

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HEALTH

Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

It’s back again: amid sinking temperatures, the incidence of Covid-19 has been slowly rising in Germany. But is this enough to merit worrying about the virus?

Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

More people donning face masks in supermarkets, friends cancelling plans last minute due to getting sick with Covid-19. We might have seen some of those familiar reminders recently that the coronavirus is still around, but could there really be a resurgence of the virus like we experienced during the pandemic years?

According to virologists, the answer seems to be ‘maybe’: since July, the number of people newly infected with Covid-19 has been slowly rising from a very low level.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), nine people per 100,000 inhabitants became newly infected in Germany last week. A year ago, there were only around 270 reported cases.

Various Corona variants are currently on the loose in the country. According to the RKI,  the EG.5 (also called Eris) and XBB.1.16 lines were each detected in the week ending September 3rd with a share of just under 23 percent. 

The highly mutated variant BA.2.86 (Pirola), which is currently under observation by the World Health Organisation (WHO), also arrived in the country this week, according to RKI. 

High number of unreported case

The RKI epidemiologists also warned about a high number of unreported cases since hardly any testing is done. They pointed out that almost half of all registered sewage treatment plants report an increasing viral load in wastewater tests.

The number of hospital admissions has also increased slightly, but are still a far cry from the occupation rate amid the pandemic. Last week it was two per 100,000 inhabitants. In the intensive care units, only 1.2 percent of all beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients.

Still, a good three-quarters (76.4 percent) of people in Germany have been vaccinated at least twice and thus have basic immunity, reported RKI. 

Since Monday, doctors’ offices have been vaccinating with the adapted vaccine from Biontech/Pfizer, available to anyone over 12 years old, with a vaccine for small children set to be released the following week and one for those between 5 and 11 to come out October 2nd.

But Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has so far only recommended that people over 60 and those with pre-existing conditions get vaccinated.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Who should get a Covid jab this autumn in Germany?

“The pandemic is over, the virus remains,” he said. “We cannot predict the course of coming waves of corona, but it is clear that older people and people with pre-existing conditions remain at higher risk of becoming severely ill from Covid-19”

The RKI also recommended that people with a cold voluntarily wear a mask. Anyone exhibiting cough, cold, sore throat or other symptoms of a respiratory illness should voluntarily stay at home for three to five days and take regular corona self-tests. 

However, further measures such as contact restrictions are not necessary, he said.

One of many diseases

As of this autumn, Covid-19 could be one of many respiratory diseases. As with influenza, there are no longer absolute infection figures for coronavirus.

Saarbrücken pharmacist Thorsten Lehr told German broadcaster ZDF that self-protection through vaccinations, wearing a mask and getting tested when symptoms appear are prerequisites for surviving the Covid autumn well. 

Only a new, more aggressive mutation could completely turn the game around, he added.

On April 7th of this year, Germany removed the last of its over two-year long coronavirus restrictions, including mask-wearing in some public places.

READ ALSO: German doctors recommend Covid-19 self-tests amid new variant

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