Germany Covid infection rates reach record high

Health officials are warning of ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated’

Health officials are warning of a "pandemic of the unvaccinated" as Covid infections in Germany hit their highest levels on record amid a stalling vaccine rollout.

Hospitals are filling up and the country has seen 201 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days, according to the Robert Koch Institute, the national disease control centre.

The previous record was set on 22 December last year, when new infections were logged at 197 cases per 100,000 residents.

While it is still a lower rate than in several other European countries, the figure has set alarm bells ringing.

The seven-day infection rate has long ceased to be the only yardstick for Covid-19 policy in Germany, but officials say hospitals are filling up in badly affected areas.

The disease control centre said on Monday that 15,513 new cases were reported over the past 24 hours - down from a record 37,120 on Friday, but figures are typically lower after the weekend.

Germany has struggled to find ways to pep up its slowing vaccination campaign. At least 67 per cent of the population of 83 million is fully vaccinated, according to official figures, which authorities say is not enough.

Unlike some other European countries, it has balked at making vaccinations mandatory for any professional group.

As at many times during the pandemic, Germany has a patchwork of regional rules. Most places restrict access to many indoor facilities and events to people who have been vaccinated, have recovered or been tested - with the latter now being excluded in some areas. Enforcement of these rules is often lax.

Rules on whether schoolchildren must wear masks in class vary from state to state.

Free rapid tests for all were scrapped nearly a month ago in an effort to incentivise more people to get vaccinated.

There are now widespread calls for them to be reintroduced. And officials now advocate booster vaccinations for everyone who got their initial shots six months ago or more.

Germany currently has a caretaker national government following the election in September.

The parties expected to form the next government plan to bring legislation to parliament this week that would allow an "epidemic situation of national scope", in place since March 2020, to expire at the end of the month, while providing a new legal framework for coronavirus measures.

Last week, Germany logged record numbers on new cases on consecutive days.

The country saw 37,120 reported new infections over the past 24 hours on Friday, according to the disease control centre, the Robert Koch Institute.

That compared with Thursday's figure of 33,949 — which in turn topped the previous record of 33,777 set on 18 last year.

Germany's health minister has called for booster vaccinations to be stepped up, for more frequent checks of people’s vaccination or test status and for obligatory testing nationwide of nursing home staff and visitors.

In highly decentralized Germany, state governments bear the primary responsibility for imposing and loosening restrictions.

Additional reporting by AP