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“We have to assume that more people will die”
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Robert Koch Institute Comments on Massive Rise in New Corona Infections
The situation of the crown in Germany is getting worse. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the number of new infections has risen to more than 10,000. RKI President Lothar Wieler provides information on the latest developments.
The situation is very serious: the president of the Robert Koch Institute, Lothar Wieler, is concerned about the latest developments in new corona infections in Germany. However, he still sees the possibility of slowing the spread of the virus.
reThe number of new coronavirus infections in Germany has risen to more than 10,000 registered cases in one day for the first time since the pandemic began. As announced by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Thursday morning, 11,287 new cases of infection had been recorded the day before.
RKI chief Lothar Wieler told a press conference in Berlin: “In the meantime, the situation has become very serious in general,” but added: “We currently have an opportunity to slow the spread of the virus.” And everyone can contribute. “We are not powerless.”
Wieler appealed to everyone to join the AHA Rules keep. This means keeping your distance, washing your hands regularly, and wearing a mask every day.
“Most people get infected in their private lives”
However, the virus is expected to spread strongly and also “uncontrollably” in some regions, Wieler said. The number of cases has been increasing since the beginning of September and also “faster and faster”. It is a “very dynamic event”.
He is particularly critical private parties and meet friends. Compared to the first wave of the pandemic, “a large proportion of people are infected in their private lives.” There are also outbreaks in workplaces. Wieler highlighted meat processing companies. “School breaks they tend not to be that common. ” Children are not driving the pandemic either. However, he emphasized: the more the number of cases increases, the more often schools are affected.
When asked if it was appropriate to close schools for a few weeks, Wieler said: “At that time there was a lot of uncertainty and there was no data on the schools. At this stage I believe that the closure is correct ”. However, he claimed that the institute would only make recommendations. How they would be interpreted would be decided in situ. Contagions in Public transport services or in Hotels they are also quite rare.
According to Wieler, the goal is: “As few new infections as possible.” Today, younger people are particularly affected by mild illnesses. However, hospitalization is increasing, also because people over 60 years of age are increasingly affected. “We have to assume that more people will die.”
In response to criticism that more tests were being done and therefore the number would increase, Wieler said: “The number of those who tested positive is also continuously increasing.” Meanwhile, it is more than three percent, regardless of age. He 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, says Wieler. There are currently 30,000 intensive care beds in German hospitals. 943 of them are busy due to intensive medical treatment of corona patients, compared to the previous day, an increase of 64.
