Germany reports new daily coronavirus infection record above 20,000

Berlin, Nov. 6, (dpa/GNA) – Germany reported more than 20,000 new infections with the novel coronavirus over a single day for the first time, the official disease control institute reported on Friday.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said that reports had come in from the regional health authorities of 21,506 infections over a 24-hour period, up from 18,681 a week ago.

On Thursday, the RKI reported 19,990 new infections, a record since the pandemic began.

Up to early Friday, a total of 619,089 infections had been reported in Germany, with the death total at 11,096, up 166 on the day.

The RKI estimates that some 402,500 people have recovered from the disease. It put the reproduction rate at 0.79 on Thursday evening, implying that 10 infected people infect around eight others. The rate was down from 0.81 on Wednesday.

Germany’s 191 laboratories are stretched to the limit and recently reported around 1.6 million tests in one week.

The country is under a partial shutdown aimed at entertainment and leisure facilities until the end of the month in order to slow the spread of the virus.

GNA