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Once again, the daily death toll from the coronavirus epidemic in Germany reached a record and approached a thousand, with restrictions that froze most areas of social and economic life on Wednesday due to the rapid spread of the virus.
According to data from the Robert Koch National Institute of Public Health (RKI) this Wednesday, 952 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours in relation to a disease caused by a new type of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) (Covid-19 ).
This is a nearly sixty percent increase from the previous record of 598 recorded on December 11. The unprecedented increase can be explained by the fact that data from the most severe province, Saxony, was not transmitted to the RKI the day before due to a technical outage, which is why the two-day data was included in Wednesday’s statement. at the same time.
The situation in Saxony is characterized by the fact that the medical director of the Zittau hospital, located at the meeting point of a small town, on the German, Polish and Czech borders, confirmed on Wednesday that several needy patients had to be treated. in several cases due to overcrowding in the intensive care unit. .
Patients who are left without a ventilator are being admitted to another hospital, which is not easy because the area is the “epicenter” of the epidemic, said director Mathias Mengel.
Zittau is the first documented case in Germany where adequate care has not been provided to all those in need.
At the same time All 16 ranges combined, there is no unmanageable load on the system. The latest summary of Tuesday from the Professional Organization of Intensive Care and Accident Care (DIVI) operates 27,153 intensive beds throughout the country, of which 4,682 are free. Due to Covid-19, 4,735 patients are being cared for, and 57 percent of them (2,679 patients) require mechanical ventilation.
According to RKI statistics, 23,427 deaths so far have driven away the coronavirus epidemic. In the last 24 hours, 27,728 new infections have been registered. This is an extraordinary and broad increase of thirty percent from 20,815 the previous week. The notable increase can also be explained by the data disruption in Saxony. Along with the new cases, SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in 1,379,238 people in Germany.
To stem the second wave of the epidemic in late summer, restrictions were introduced in early November that went well beyond basic infection control measures, such as the near-total cessation of tourism and hospitality and the suspension of cultural institutions. , amateur sports associations and other leisure facilities. and business operations.
The explosive and exponential growth in the number of new cases per day stopped in mid-November, but the expected reversal of the trend was delayed and the virus resumed its accelerated pace in December. Epidemiologists explain this by saying that the number of contacts at risk of infection has fallen by only 40 percent, although at least a 60 percent reduction is needed to stop the wave.
Leaders of the federal and provincial governments have decided on the strictest measures since the first wave of spring due to the rapid deterioration of the epidemic situation.
From Wednesday until at least January 10, only shops selling essential items for daily life can be open, services have also been kept to a minimum, a system of obligations has been introduced in schools and kindergartens, and employers have been asked to work as widely as possible at home. .
Up to five people, including children under the age of 14, can continue to meet members of up to two households. This restriction will be relaxed at Christmas, from December 24 to 26, up to four people can be invited to celebrate each home, but only close relatives. A nationwide ban on gatherings will be introduced on New Years Eve and New Years Day. The sale of fireworks is prohibited. The consumption of alcohol in public places is prohibited from Wednesday.
(MTI)
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