The 7-day incidence of coronavirus in Germany has reached 110. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported the nationwide number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants per week this Monday morning at 110.1. By comparison, the previous day's figure was 106.3, and a week ago it was 74.4. Health offices in Germany reported 6573 new Corona infections to the RKI within one day. Across Germany, 17 deaths were recorded within 24 hours, according to the new data. A week ago, there had been 10 deaths. The number of people who died from or with the involvement of a proven infection with the Sars-CoV-2 virus thus rose to 95,117.The RKI counted 4,472,730 confirmed infections with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic. The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections are not detected. The RKI reported the number of those who recovered as 4,215,200.

The number of Corona patients admitted to hospitals per 100,000 population within seven days - the most important parameter for a possible tightening of Corona restrictions - was given by the RKI on Friday as 2.68 (Thursday 2.45). No figures will be released on this over the weekend. The indicator must take into account that hospital admissions are sometimes reported with delay. A nationwide threshold value, from when the situation is to be seen as critical, is not provided for the hospitalization incidence, among other things because of large regional differences. The previous maximum value was around 15.5 around Christmas.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) continues to believe that phasing out the so-called epidemic situation of national scope in the pandemic is appropriate - despite much criticism of this stance. He told ZDF's "heute-journal" on Sunday, "The state of emergency, established by the Bundestag, that can be ended in my view because four out of five adults have been vaccinated."

This topic has been the subject of controversial debate for days, also in view of the currently rising infection figures. Critics fear a "patchwork" of measures and regulations when the "epidemic situation of national scope" runs its course.

Spahn said the end of the epidemic situation of national scope does not declare the pandemic over. "I also consistently say, as do many others, we will continue to need precautionary measures in the fall and winter." He said a change in the law would allow states and local authorities to take these measures separate from the state of emergency.

"I also expressly support that," Spahn said. He also strongly advocated that there be special protective measures in schools and nursing homes, for example. Things are not yet as they were before Corona, he said. "We now in a state of special caution, where certain protective measures also continue to apply."

The Bundestag had extended the "epidemic situation of national importance" for another three months at the end of August. It will automatically expire if not extended again by Parliament. The "epidemic situation" gives federal and state governments powers to issue regulations on Corona measures such as mandatory masks, distance and contact restrictions, or vaccine procurement.

SPD health politician Karl Lauterbach warned of a sharp rise in the number of infections among children. "We will see significantly more outbreaks in schools after the fall vacations because children will no longer be able to ventilate for long," he told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, referring to the approaching winter. "There will also be chains of infection in businesses. The same goes for bars and restaurants. We can expect a continuous increase."

Lauterbach suggested the following approach at schools: "Testing three times a week, that would be my suggestion, in the morning with antigen tests, because these detect the predominant delta variant very reliably." For this, he said, there should be five testing days in a row for contacts of infected people. "That way, we could virtually end the uncontrolled pandemic in schools." He said he feels sorry for the children who are now at risk of Long Covid.

The president of the Education and Science Union (GEW), Maike Finnern, said, "Nationwide, schools are in a better position this fall in terms of preventive health than they were a year ago, and the vaccination rate among school employees is extraordinarily high." However, she criticized the fact that many schools are still not equipped with air filters. "There is an urgent need for action here," she said.

Image by Alexandra Koch