BERLIN (GERMANY) – The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany jumped on Thursday by 29,426 to 3.073 million, seen as the biggest increase since January 8. This comes at a time when the government seeks to make way through tougher nationwide curbs so as to contain a third wave of the virus.
Data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed that the reported death toll rose by 293 to 79,381, while the number of new infections per 100,000 residents over seven days saw an increase to 160.1,
Chancellor Angela Merkel wants parliament to grant the federal government temporary powers so that coronavirus lockdowns in areas with high infections could be enforced effectively.
On Thursday, Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz supported the changes to the Infection Protection Act which include curfews once the seven-day virus incidence surpasses 100,000.
“This has helped everywhere, it has been done in many countries around the world – and it has brought the incidence rates down,” he told ARD television, adding something had to be done to limit the spread of the virus.
“We want to have strict rules.”