|
 The Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases reported 203,136
positive tests in the last 24 hours, 69,600 cases more than the same
day a week ago.
The seven-day incidence per 100,000 people rose to 1,017 from 941
the previous day, while another 188 people died, bringing the death
toll since the start of the pandemic in early 2020 to 117,314.
Uwe Janssens, a board member of the DIVI association of emergency
and intensive care doctors, told Reuters that hospitals were not
currently overloaded, but that could change in coming weeks.
He warned that if the number of daily infections rises above 300,000
then there could be problems for Germany's critical infrastructure.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has predicted daily cases could
exceed 400,000 by mid-February.
Airline group Lufthansa's cargo arm said a staffing crunch at its
hub in Frankfurt meant it was currently unable to handle sorting of
loose freight from the United States, Canada and Europe.
"Despite comprehensive preventative measures, we are now clearly
feeling the rising infection numbers," Lufthansa Cargo told Reuters
on Thursday, adding that up to 15% of cargo at Frankfurt was
affected by delays.
It said its flight schedule was unaffected, as was transportation of
time-sensitive goods such as organs for transplants or
temperature-controlled cargo.
Rival DHL said its operations in Frankfurt and Leipzig were still
running smoothly.
[to top of second column] |
 The German Hospitals Federation had warned
earlier this week that three-quarters of
hospitals were reporting higher than usual
numbers of staff out on sick leave.
German lawmakers debated on Wednesday whether to
impose compulsory COVID-19 shots, while protesters gathered outside
the parliament building.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz backs compulsory vaccines for over-18s but
his coalition government is divided on the issue and he has told
lawmakers to vote according to their conscience. Many lawmakers, including some from the coalition's junior partner,
the liberal Free Democrats, oppose mandatory vaccines, arguing this
violates the second article of Germany's constitution that
guarantees citizens control over their own bodies.
(Reporting by Emma Thomasson, Andreas Rinke and Ilona Wissenbach;
Writing by Emma Thomasson and Maria Sheahan; Editing by Miranda
Murray and Mark Heinrich)
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