Status: 19.12.2021 6:56 a.m.
The number of corona cases in Germany continues to decline. Still, say experts. You expect a trend reversal because of the Omikron variant. Health Minister Lauterbach hopes to delay its spread.
So far, the Omikron variant has only appeared sporadically in Germany. This can probably explain that the number of corona cases has been falling for weeks – even today. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the seven-day incidence is 315.4. The previous day the value was 321.8. The number of reported new infections is also continuing to decline: 29,348 new cases were there in the morning – a week ago the value was 32,646 infections.
Experts anticipate a trend reversal
According to experts, however, this trend is unlikely to continue for much longer. Because of the more contagious Omicron variant, they expect numbers to rise again soon. Currently, practically all infections in Germany are still caused by the delta variant. According to the RKI, the number of cases with infection from the new, worrying variant Omikron has increased in recent weeks. This is one of the reasons why the authority comes to the conclusion in its weekly report: “The number of cases is not falling rapidly enough in view of the persistently high levels of stress in the intensive care units and the impending additional stress caused by the Omikron wave.”
“We cannot prevent the spread”
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach sees it similarly. With regard to the spread of Omikron in Great Britain and the classification as a virus variant area, he said: “We cannot prevent the spread, only delay it. The longer it takes Omikron to get Germany under control, the better.” Because it is still not certain how severe the courses are in the event of an infection with the variant.
The head of the German Hospital Association, Gerald Gaß, had previously warned: If it is confirmed that Omikron is much more contagious than Delta and the severity of the courses is comparable, in the worst case you will have to deal with a large number of seriously ill patients at the same time: “For the hospitals, this would be a further aggravated situation that goes beyond everything that we have experienced so far.”
Warning from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Meanwhile, numerous people took to the streets against the government’s corona policy again at the weekend: On Saturday there were protests against the corona measures and the vaccination campaign in several cities. It remained largely peaceful. After an initial overview, however, there was no violence or clashes with the police this time.
Meanwhile, the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang, warned in the newspapers of the Funke media group against a “right-wing extremization” of the protests. He was also concerned about attacks on police officers and journalists during demonstrations. “We see attempts to intimidate political decision-makers and an extraordinary brutalization of the debate in the social media: From violent fantasies to death threats, which are directed not only against politicians, but also against scientists and doctors.”