GERMANY today saw its total number of coronavirus infections pass one million, the Robert Koch Institute for disease control said.

The institute recorded more than 22,000 new daily cases, pushing the country’s total beyond the one million mark.

Germany had largely contained the spread of the virus in the spring but has been hit hard by a second wave of infections.

The number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care nationwide has soared from just over 360 in early October to more than 3,500 last week.

Most populous North Rhine-Westphalia state has recorded more than a quarter of all cases, ahead of Bavaria’s 198,000 confirmed infections. Berlin has seen 62,000 cases since the start of the pandemic. 

Chancellor Angela Merkel this week announced Germany was extending its current coronavirus restrictions through to early January unless there is a dramatic drop in infections.

Rules will ease over the festive period to accommodate Christmas and New Year celebrations, allowing meetings of up to 10 adults from December 23 to New Year’s Day.

Europe’s biggest economy has shuttered restaurants, bars, sporting facilities and cultural venues, though schools and shops remain open. – AFP, November 27, 2020.