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Germany has entered a strict lockdown in an effort to control growing coronavirus cases, as the number of deaths recorded by Covid-19 increased by 952, the highest daily increase so far.
Fears that the pandemic is spiraling out of control in Germany, Europe’s largest economy, prompted Chancellor Angela Merkel and all 16 state governors to announce a tough shutdown on Sunday until January 10 at the earliest.
Stores and schools will remain closed starting today in a tightening of restrictions leading up to Christmas after a partial closure in November, which closed bars and restaurants but failed to contain a second wave of the pandemic.
Germany was more successful than many European countries in keeping the coronavirus under control in the first wave of spring, but the situation looks very different now.
The Robert Koch Institute for Infectious Diseases put the number of confirmed coronavirus cases at 1,379,238, an increase of 27,728. The total death toll in Germany is 23,427.
The previous highest daily increase in deaths was 598 on Friday.
Merkel told politicians yesterday that she was concerned about the coronavirus trend and warned them that January and February would be very difficult months.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn has said the country should start administering vaccines against the coronavirus 24 to 72 hours after the BioNTech and Pfizer vaccine gets EU approval and could start as soon as Christmas.
European authorities are expected to approve the vaccine next week. The United Kingdom and the United States have already started implementing a vaccine.
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