Berlin, July 7, (dpa/GNA) – Cases of the coronavirus are rising in Germany again, the country’s health officials reported on Wednesday, while the number of deaths from the virus continued its steady decline.
The official disease control body, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), put new infections over the past day at 985 in the early hours of Wednesday. The figure a week ago was 808.
The RKI said 48 people had died over the past 24 hours, down from 56 a week ago.
Health Minister Jens Spahn urged people to take up vaccination offers. Speaking during an interviewed with national public broadcaster ARD on Wednesday, he warned that infections would rise in autumn.
“That is what we will see in the autumn and winter, what we are seeing in the United Kingdom and other countries. Wherever there is insufficient vaccination, there will be many infections in those population groups,” he said.
All young people and children who opt for vaccination could receive their first shot by the end of August, Spahn said. “The vaccines are there,” he said, stressing that vaccination was voluntary.
Combatting the virus was a team effort, Spahn said. “If we, as Germany, as Europe want to get through the pandemic, we need a high vaccination rate,” he said.
Amid calls by some in the government for all pandemic restrictions to go, Spahn said that masks would likely have to be worn this autumn and winter under certain circumstances.
There is concern in Germany over the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19, which is seen as more infectious.
GNA