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Thursday, October 8, 2020
With the increase in crown numbers, large cities in Germany are increasingly in the spotlight. In Berlin and Frankfurt am Main, new infections have passed the critical mark. Politicians and experts call for swift action before the situation escalates completely.
The federal government and scientists are alarmed by the increase in the number of infections in Germany. The focus is increasingly on developments in large cities. Health Minister Jens Spahn called for vigilance and swift countermeasures in place to keep the situation under control. The president of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Lothar Wieler, warned: “The virus may spread uncontrollably.
Chancellor Angela Merkel still wants to avoid a second lockdown. “I do not want a situation like that of the spring to be repeated,” he told a plenary meeting of the Central Association of German Crafts. The closure was a momentous turning point for the population.
According to a count by ntv.de, health authorities reported 4198 new corona infections in the last 24 hours at night. That’s 750 more than Wednesday, when 3,439 new infections were reported, a new record since mid-April. The number of infections is also increasing considerably in Germany.
In Berlin, the strongest increase since the beginning of the pandemic
Development in big cities is considered key in Germany. In the capital, Berlin, and in Frankfurt am Main, the so-called 7-day incidence has already exceeded the critical value of 50. In Berlin, the value jumped to 52.8 in the late afternoon. Previously, it was only above the 50 limit in some districts. According to the status report, 498 new corona cases were added in the federal capital. This is the largest increase since the pandemic began.
Berlin’s ruling mayor did not want to rule out further restrictions after the figures were released. “We want to avoid a blockade like the one we already had,” said the SPD politician. He called on Berliners to stop having wild parties for the time being, stick to distance rules and limit social contacts as much as possible.
In Frankfurt am Main, the value shot up to 59.1 at night. The city announced that the escalation of the red level of the state of Hesse had occurred. Therefore, a reduction in the contact density is required. A curfew is planned between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. in the banking metropolis starting Friday. In the morning, the number of sick per 100,000 inhabitants for seven consecutive days in Frankfurt was 47. “I am very worried that after a long period of time we will have another infection in a nursing home and nursing home with eight infected residents “said the head of the Department of Health, Stefan Majer.
Merkel wants to consult with city representatives
Consequently, Merkel wants to discuss the situation with the mayors of the eleven largest German cities this Friday in a video conference. Chancellery chief Helge Braun said on RTL / ntv’s “early start” that in some big cities you can see not only that the important threshold of 50 is being exceeded, but also that the numbers are increasing very rapidly. “This means that contact tracing in health authorities may no longer work in some places, and this is the classic start of a second wave.” Control over these regions must be regained. At the same time, contact restrictions should be considered again. Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher recently said on ZDF: “The pandemic will be decided in the metropolises.”
Health Minister Spahn emphasized that it is important to prevent faster growth from reaching a time when “we lose control.” Now it comes down to the balance between confidence and mindfulness. This also affects all citizens, by observing protection rules such as distance and masks, as well as being careful when celebrating. This pandemic is also “a test of character for us as a society” that can only be passed together.
RKI president Wieler said there was no way of knowing how the situation would develop in the coming weeks. “We may be seeing more than 10,000 new cases a day.” The goal is to allow as few infections as possible. Then the health system will not be overloaded and only then will many difficult courses be avoided.
