Germany reports another record high in daily cases

International

-DW News

Berlin, Jan 20: Germany is witnessing a record high in daily coronavirus infections for a seventh day.

The country on Thursday reported 133,536 cases of COVID-19 as against 112,323 the previous day, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) showed.

The seven-day incidence rate was also a record at 638.8 new infections per 100,000 people over seven days.

Germany has implemented tighter COVID-19 measures over the last few days, limiting access to bars and restaurants to those who have received their booster shots or people who are tested, along with already being fully vaccinated or recovered. Earlier this week, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach told German RTL broadcaster that he expected the current omicron-fueled wave to peak around the middle of February.

Here’s the latest on coronavirus from across the globe:

Oceania

New Zealand has ruled out lockdowns but will tighten coronavirus measures across the country if there is a domestic transmission of the omicron variant, Prime Minister Jacinda Arden said on Thursday.

The nation will impose a “”red” traffic light protocol within 24 to 48 hours of Omicron arriving in the community, Ardern told reporters.

The measure would make masks mandatory and put caps on public gatherings.

“When we have evidence of Omicron transmitting in the community we won’t use lockdowns, instead the whole country will move into Red within 24 to 48 hours,” Ardern said.

“We know from other countries it can take as little as 14 days for omicron cases to grow from the hundreds into the thousands,” she said.

“It’s a case of when not if, and that’s why we need to prepare,” she said.

The isolated nation has so far remained mostly free of the omicron variant, with most such cases contained in its border facilities.

Asia

In China, Beijing is bolstering anti-pandemic measures amid a rise in local cases.

The measures include inspections of its cold-chain firms and urging residents to avoid unnecessary gatherings.

The city of 21-million people has registered under ten local infections since January 15, a minuscule number compared with the rest of the world. However, officials are eager to keep the pandemic is check as the Chinese capital prepares to host the Winter Olympic in February.

Americas

The new COVID-19 case count in Mexico reached a daily record with over 60,000 infections on Wednesday, according to official numbers.

The health ministry registered a total of 60,552 new coronavirus infections, the most since the pandemic began, as the country gears up for an omicron-fueled fourth wave.

Due to a shortage of tests, authorities are asking people to isolate at home rather then get tested for COVID-19.

Source: DW