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A record number of new infections and more and more cases whose origin cannot be determined – the process is dynamic, says RKI chief Wieler. However, there is no reason to change your strategy in the fight against the corona virus.
Against the background of a sharp increase in new corona infections in Germany, the president of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Lothar Wieler, described the crown situation in Germany as “very serious”.
“We are not powerless,” he said, referring to the behavior of all citizens. “At the moment, we still have a chance to slow the spread of the virus.” However, the prerequisite for this is constant compliance with hygiene rules. More people would have to adhere to the so-called AHA + L rule. However, the virus is expected to spread strongly and also “uncontrollably” in some regions, Wieler said.
Crown buds, especially in the private sphere
The RKI president noted that compared to the first wave of the pandemic, the spread of the virus in private homes is increasing significantly today. The reason is that people are mainly infected during private encounters and take the virus home. This should be avoided by complying with hygiene regulations. Infections in local public transport or in hotels, on the other hand, are quite rare.
The number of cases has increased since the beginning of September and “faster and faster.” It is a “drastic and very dynamic event,” Wieler said. In total, three times more cases were reported in the last seven days than two weeks ago. At the moment, younger people are still more likely to be affected. Therefore, there are milder diseases. But the proportion of older people is also increasing.
Wieler: No need to change strategy
The number of Covid 19 patients in hospitals is also growing. Currently, 943 people would have to be treated in intensive care. This is double what it was two weeks ago.
The RKI chief explained that deaths in spring were higher than now in autumn, and said that at the beginning of the pandemic, Germany had been somewhat surprised by the speed of spread. The protection of risk groups such as the elderly or the sick has not yet been so good. Meanwhile, nursing homes or hospitals will be better protected.
Wieler stated that he currently sees no reason to change Germany’s strategy in the fight against the corona virus. Containment, protection and mitigation are the three pillars for a successful approach to the pandemic, said the RKI president. Germany has followed this strategy from the beginning. It is therefore not foreseeable that in the foreseeable future I will be where Belgium or the Netherlands are today.
More than 11,000 new infections
In the morning, the RKI reported a new record for new corona infections. According to health authorities, 11,287 cases were reported in 24 hours. The previous high since the start of the pandemic in Germany was reached on Saturday with 7,830 new infections.
Appeal to health authorities
The head of RKI praised the employees of the health authorities. “You’re doing a great job, keep it up!” At the same time, Wieler appealed to those who work there to persevere despite today’s sometimes excessive demands. The excessive demands of some health authorities are “serious and worrying.” But one must maintain all efforts even under these circumstances and must not give up, but continue “to the best of my knowledge.”
Wieler noted that in several other countries contact tracing had been interrupted a few months ago with corresponding consequences because they had not done so anymore, for example Sweden and Great Britain.
Overload in various districts and cities
According to the RKI, some cities and districts are currently unable to fully guarantee the prescribed protection against infection in the pandemic. The bottlenecks included the identification of cases and the follow-up of contacts.
Meanwhile, high levels of corona infections in various regions of Germany have led to new, sometimes massive, restrictions for citizens. In the hardest hit Berchtesgadener Land district in Bavaria, people can only leave the apartment for valid reasons. Schools, kindergartens, leisure facilities and restaurants must be closed.
