6.38 p.m .: According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the omicron sublines, which have been increasing proportionally for a few weeks, are already dominant. “The strong growth of BA.4 and BA.5 in particular, but also BA.2.12.1, suggests that these variants currently already make up the majority of the evidence,” says the RKI weekly report on Sars-CoV-2 from Thursday evening. It is based on evaluations of virus variants.
This data in the report always refers to the week before last: BA.5 made up around 24 percent of the positive samples in a random sample at the time, which again corresponds to around a doubling of the value from the previous week. BA.4 and BA.2.12.1 were both around four percent. Because of the greater spread compared to the previously dominant pathogens, these variants could contribute to a renewed increase in the number of infections, it said.
In the development of the seven-day incidence, the RKI speaks of a significant increase of around one third for the past week compared to the previous week. All age groups are affected. More outbreaks in old people’s and nursing homes and in medical treatment facilities have also been recorded again. “With the further increase in the number of infections, a renewed increase in infection pressure on vulnerable groups of people is to be expected.” An RKI map on the development of the infection process shows many districts with increased case numbers, especially in north-west Germany.
11.25 a.m .: The expert Klaus Stöhr sees the current increase in the number of corona cases in Germany calmly. In the ZDF “Morgenmagazin” he spoke on Thursday of “irrelevant reporting incidences”. You have to pay attention to the development in the hospitals. “And we don’t really see any increase there. But on the contrary. The situation is as relaxed as one could hope for in the summer. And nothing will change dramatically about that, ”said Stöhr, who is a member of the expert committee for the scientific assessment of the state corona restrictions.
Stöhr emphasized that the broad, long-lasting protection for each person only comes from the infection. “Anyone who is now calling for masks should always not be forgotten, they are actually taking away from people the opportunity to come to terms with the corona virus in the long term.” You should have been vaccinated before an infection. Anyone who wants to protect themselves in the long term must be vaccinated, said Stöhr. But only the combination of vaccination and infection brings the “long and safe protection”.
7.30 a.m .: The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the nationwide seven-day incidence on Thursday morning as 480.0. This is evident from numbers that reflect the status of the RKI dashboard at 5 a.m. The day before, the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week was 472.4 (previous week: 276.9; previous month: 439.2). However, the incidence does not provide a complete picture of the infection situation. Experts have been assuming for some time that there will be a large number of cases not recorded by the RKI – mainly because not all infected people have a PCR test done. Only positive PCR tests count in the statistics. In addition, late registrations or transmission problems can lead to a distortion of individual daily values.
The health authorities in Germany recently reported 89,142 new corona infections (previous week: 77,636) and 73 deaths (previous week: 90) to the RKI within one day. Here, too, comparisons of the data are only possible to a limited extent due to the test behavior, late registrations or transmission problems. In general, the number of registered new infections and deaths varies significantly from weekday to weekday, as more and more federal states do not transmit to the RKI, especially at weekends, and report their cases later in the week.
The RKI has counted 27,096,571 infections with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic. The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections go undetected.
5.45 p.m .: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started testing a Biontech/Pfizer vaccine adapted to new variants of the coronavirus, which is intended to provide better protection against Omicron, among other things. The EMA announced on Wednesday in Amsterdam that a so-called “rolling examination process” had started. At the same time, she emphasized that details about the future vaccine, “for example, whether it should specifically target one or more Covid variants”, are not yet clear.
For their part, the Mainz-based Biontech company and its US partner Pfizer stated that they are currently examining “various candidates of the adapted variant-based vaccine”. “The composition of the variant-based vaccine will be coordinated with regulatory authorities worldwide to determine an appropriate approach for the booster vaccine protection in autumn 2022.” According to the information, the EMA process that has now been initiated begins with the examination of data on chemical properties and production as well as control data. “As clinical data become available, including data on immunogenicity against omicron and the subvariants, these will be submitted in a phased manner.”
4.38 p.m .: Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has criticized the “vaccination fatigue” in Germany. This is a “phenomenon that we really don’t understand well because the vaccinations work well, have very few side effects and are very well studied,” Lauterbach told RTL / ntv. It is difficult to say how large the vaccination gap is among older people, since Germany has “no good data” here, according to Lauterbach: “For the over 60-year-olds, there are definitely over two million people who are not vaccinated. “
Nevertheless, the vaccination target of 80 percent is still being adhered to: “We have not given up on the vaccination target. We are working on this vaccination goal.” According to the minister, another vaccination campaign is also being worked on. However, the obligation to vaccinate is completely off the table: “We have shelved that. The majorities in the Bundestag were very clear and, to be honest, I don’t know where the majorities for compulsory vaccination should suddenly come from. Therefore: We will not pursue that again, ”said Lauterbach.
1.50 p.m .: Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) warned of a corona summer wave. You are now dealing with variants that could also spread well in the summer: “I assume that this time we will get a real summer wave,” said Lauterbach to “rtl / ntv”. Lauterbach added that he thinks “four-digit incidence figures are possible”.
Although there is no reason to panic, the number of deaths would also increase again: “If we have a higher incidence, then unfortunately the number of deaths will also increase.” According to the Minister of Health, this only becomes apparent with a delay. Lauterbach said that this is not a summer wave that “must or should spoil our vacation”, but this summer will not be as relaxed as the previous one: “We will have more cases and you have to live with that.”
In this context, Lauterbach recommended wearing masks indoors. In the direction of risk groups, Lauterbach said: “I would actually recommend a fourth vaccination to them.” But you cannot vaccinate the wave: “The vaccines are not strong enough for that.”
Wednesday, June 15, 5:17 a.m .: The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the nationwide seven-day incidence on Wednesday morning as 472.4. This is evident from numbers that reflect the status of the RKI dashboard at 5 a.m. The day before, the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week was 447.3 (previous week: 238.1; previous month: 452.4). However, the incidence does not provide a complete picture of the infection situation. Experts have been assuming for some time that there will be a large number of cases not recorded by the RKI – mainly because not all infected people have a PCR test done. Only positive PCR tests count in the statistics. In addition, late registrations or transmission problems can lead to a distortion of individual daily values.
The health authorities in Germany recently reported 92,344 new corona infections (previous week: 84,655) and 112 deaths (previous week: 145) to the RKI within one day. Here, too, comparisons of the data are only possible to a limited extent due to the test behavior, late registrations and transmission problems. In general, the number of registered new infections and deaths varies significantly from weekday to weekday, as more and more federal states do not transmit to the RKI, especially at weekends, and report their cases later in the week.
The RKI has counted 27,007,429 proven infections with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic. The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections go undetected.
9:54 p.m .: The head of the Institute for Virology at the University of Bonn, Prof. Hendrik Streeck, has mixed feelings about the coming autumn and winter – especially with regard to one event: the World Cup in Qatar. We won’t be looking at these outside, as usual, during public viewing, but indoors. “As a result, we may also create larger outbreaks again, or it can also lead to a superspreading event and you have to prepare for that.”
The protective masks could be a help again. “We know that the mask works and that the mask provides protection.” But above all, the risk groups in old people’s and nursing homes must be better protected. This includes good hygiene concepts, but also a fourth vaccination for risk groups. Younger people don’t need this at the moment, a triple vaccination is enough for them.
The corona numbers are currently rising again in Germany. The new Omikron variant is responsible for this, among other things. “BA.5 has an increased immune escape,” says Streeck. “People who have been vaccinated can become infected again because the immune system can no longer recognize the variant quite as well. In addition, it is also slightly more contagious.”
9:35 p.m .: A laboratory association is currently assuming that there are already high proportions in Germany for the Omicron sublines BA.4 and BA.5, which are currently contributing to the increasing number of corona cases. For this week, based on the speed of spread so far, it can be assumed that BA.4 probably accounts for around 15 to 16 percent of the infection process and BA.5 40 to 50 percent, said Michael Müller, Chairman of the Association of Accredited Laboratories in Medicine (ALM). Tuesday. He expects it to continue to spread until around mid-July, with the number of infections remaining high as a result. BA.4 could still prevail over BA.5 in the next few weeks.
The data on virus variants published by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) always refer to a period of two weeks ago. Müller made an extrapolation of the latest RKI information. “In any case, this summer will be different than the summers before. It can also be lived differently,” said Müller, referring to the high rate of people in the population who had contact with Sars-CoV-2 through vaccination and/or infection.
Tuesday, June 14, 5:10 a.m .: The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the nationwide seven-day incidence on Tuesday morning as 447.3. The day before, the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week was 318.7 (previous week: 199.9; previous month: 477.0).
The health authorities in Germany recently reported 105,840 new corona infections and 107 deaths within one day to the RKI.
However, the incidence does not provide a complete picture of the infection situation. Experts have been assuming for some time that there will be a large number of cases not recorded by the RKI – mainly because not all infected people have a PCR test done. And only positive PCR tests count in the statistics.
9:15 a.m .: Travelers from abroad to the United States no longer have to present a negative coronavirus test before their flight from Sunday. This was announced by the health authority CDC on Friday (local time) in Washington. The pandemic has “entered a new phase” due to widespread vaccination, the availability of treatment options and growing immunity within the population, the authority justified the step. This has reduced the risk in the USA of becoming seriously ill with corona or even dying. The US travel industry had long been calling for an end to the test requirement for fully vaccinated air travelers.
Until now, travelers with destinations in the USA had to be tested the day before their international flight and were only allowed to board with a negative result. The test requirement applies regardless of vaccination status and applies to both foreigners and Americans. Excluded are people who have just recovered from Covid-19 and can show a letter from a doctor or health authority. For flights within the USA, on the other hand, there is no longer a test requirement and, according to a ruling by a federal court, there is no longer a requirement to wear a mask.
The US travel industry has called for the obligation to test to be ended as quickly as possible. In a letter from airlines, airports, hotel chains, associations and companies from the industry to the White House coronavirus coordinator last month, it was said that the economic losses due to the measure were significant. It was also pointed out that there is no obligation to test at the land borders with Canada and Mexico.
7:24 a.m .: The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the nationwide seven-day incidence on Saturday morning as 348.9. This is evident from numbers that reflect the status of the RKI dashboard at 5 a.m. The day before, the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week was 318.7 (previous week: 270.3; previous month: 507.1). However, the incidence does not provide a complete picture of the infection situation.
Experts have been assuming for some time that there will be a large number of cases not recorded by the RKI – mainly because by far not all infected people have a PCR test done. Only positive PCR tests count in the statistics. In addition, late registrations or transmission problems can lead to a distortion of individual daily values.
The health authorities in Germany recently reported 65,337 new corona infections (previous week: 41,087) and 77 deaths (previous week: 73) to the RKI within one day. Here, too, comparisons of the data are only possible to a limited extent due to the test behavior, late registrations or transmission problems. In general, the number of registered new infections and deaths varies significantly from weekday to weekday, as more and more federal states do not transmit to the RKI, especially at weekends, and report their cases later in the week.
The RKI has counted 26,803,867 proven infections with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic. The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections go undetected.
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