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 "The rising case numbers may mean that we cannot take further
opening steps in the weeks to come. On the contrary, we may even
have to take steps backwards," Spahn told a weekly news conference.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to meet with leaders of
Germany's 16 federal states on Monday to discuss whether to extend a
lockdown that has been in place since mid-December.
Earlier this month, the group had laid out plans for a gradual
re-opening of the economy, and many shops have since been opened for
appointment-only shopping.
But coronavirus infections numbers have been on the rise in recent
weeks. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany
increased by 17,482 to 2,629,750, data from the Robert Koch
Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday. The
reported death toll rose by 226 to 74,358.
The number of infections per 100,000 people over seven days rose to
96, up from 72 a week ago and from 65 on March 4, when Merkel and
the state premiers laid out their re-opening plan.
[to top of second column] |
 Lars Schaade, vice-president of
the Robert Koch Institute for infectious
diseases, on Friday urged people not to travel
over the Easter holiday period as case numbers
were rising exponentially. There
was a risk that Germany could be in a similar situation by Easter as
it was in at Christmas, he said.
The 7-day incidence reached a high near 200 in late December, soon
after Germany went from a "lockdown lite" that started in early
November, during which schools and stores were open, to a full
shutdown.
The incidence rate decreased following the shutdown but is back at
96 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people, according to RKI data.
(Reporting by Caroline Copley; Writing by Maria Sheahan; Editing by
Kirsti Knolle)
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