People enjoy the sunset ahead of a curfew as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Frankfurt, Germany, April 23, 2021. REUTERS\/Kai Pfaffenbach<\/p>\n
A third wave of the coronavirus pandemic seems to have peaked in Germany and a record number of vaccinations should help turn the tide, although it is too soon to sound the all-clear as hospitals remain overloaded, health officials said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"The figures must not only stagnate, they must go down,\" Health Minister Jens Spahn told a news conference, adding that a sustainable fall was a prerequisite for the lockdown to ease.<\/p>\n
\"Two to three days is not a trend. It is a good signal but what is decisive is to make a trend out of it,\" he said, adding nearly 1.1 million people were vaccinated on Wednesday, more than 1% of the population and more than on any other day so far.<\/p>\n
Germany's seven-day average of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people fell on Thursday for the third day in a row to 155 - its lowest level in two weeks, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed.<\/p>\n
The incidence figure - a key metric used by the German government to determine when to tighten or ease lockdowns - hit 169 on Monday, but has fallen each day since then. The last time it was under 160 was on April 14, when the incidence was 153.<\/p>\n
RKI President Lothar Wieler cautioned that the pandemic would not be over until it was under control around the world, noting that global cases had risen 24% in the last week.<\/p>\n
LOCKDOWNS<\/p>\n
New legislation enables the federal government to impose curfews from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in areas where cases exceed 100 per 100,000 residents on three consecutive days. The rules also include stricter limits on private gatherings and shopping.<\/p>\n
Schools will have to close and return to online lessons if cases reach 165 per 100,000 residents on three consecutive days.<\/p>\n
If the European Union's watchdog approves COVID-19 vaccines for children, Germany will be able to vaccinate under 12-year-olds during the summer holidays at the latest, Spahn said.<\/p>\n
The number of new confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 24,736 on Thursday - almost 5,000 fewer than those recorded a week ago - bringing Germany's total caseload since the start of the pandemic to 3,357,268.<\/p>\n
The total COVID-19 death toll rose by 264 to 82,544.<\/p>\n
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.<\/p>\n
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Germany's COVID-19 incidence falls to lowest in 2 weeks - Reuters<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" People enjoy the sunset ahead of a curfew as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Frankfurt, Germany, April 23, 2021. REUTERS\/Kai Pfaffenbach A third wave of the coronavirus pandemic seems to have peaked in Germany and a record number of vaccinations should help turn the tide, although it is too soon to sound the all-clear as hospitals remain overloaded, health officials said on Thursday Continue reading