D.he Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported an increase in the official nationwide seven-day incidence for the third day in a row. The RKI gave the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week on Saturday morning as 220.3.
For comparison: the previous day the value was 214.9. A week ago the nationwide incidence was 242.9 (previous month: 442.9). The health authorities in Germany reported 26,392 new corona infections to the RKI within one day. This is evident from the numbers that reflect the status of the RKI dashboard at 3:45 a.m. Exactly one week ago there were 22,214 infections. Because of the holidays, there is no current data on the percentage of people infected with the Omikron variant. Most recently, the proportion of Omikron infections on Thursday increased by 28 percent compared to the previous day, with late reports being included in the value.
Because there has been less testing and reporting between the years, the RKI assumes that the figures are underreported. On its website, the institute writes: “During the holidays and at the turn of the year, it should be noted when interpreting the number of cases that, on the one hand, fewer people visit a doctor and that no screenings are carried out at work, at school or in daycare centers. this means that fewer samples are taken and fewer laboratory tests are carried out. This means that fewer pathogens are reported to the responsible health authorities. On the other hand, it may be that not all health authorities and responsible state authorities transmit to the RKI every day. As a result, it is possible that only an incomplete picture of the epidemiological situation is shown. “
According to the new information, 184 deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours. A week ago there were 157 deaths. The RKI has counted 7,176,814 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic. The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections are not recognized.
The RKI stated the number of those who had recovered on Saturday at 6,418,300. The number of people who died with or with a proven infection with Sars-CoV-2 rose to 112,109.
Experts are cautiously optimistic
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has been cautiously optimistic about the pandemic. For next year there will be “light at the end of the tunnel,” said the SPD politician on Friday evening in the ZDF New Year’s Eve show from the Brandenburg Gate. The Omikron variant would be another difficult challenge. “But it looks like this variant is a little less dangerous than the Delta variant.” That is a ray of hope. It is not yet known exactly whether this also applies to the unvaccinated.
Several virologists had recently seen cause for cautious optimism about the further development of the corona pandemic in Germany. In the ZDF “heute journal”, researcher Christian Drosten referred to data from South Africa, where the particularly contagious Omikron variant had initially spread: “In a way, that can calm us down. South Africa is certainly a glimpse into a future, into an endemic situation that is just emerging there, ”said Drosten. “Unfortunately, we are still a long way from it.”
Lauterbach said on Friday evening that he shared Drosten’s assessment that “we have this chance”. “But it is only a chance, it is not a certainty,” said Lauterbach, who was connected via video. He was asked about the difference between pandemic and endemic. If the virus became endemic, there would be “at no point in time” the risk that the health system would be overwhelmed. One would then be able to live with the virus; there would be no situation to fear that “would get out of our hands”.
The danger for completely unvaccinated people remains
“And we have this possibility,” said Lauterbach, who, in his own words, was celebrating the New Year with a small group of friends. The omicron variant may form a bridge. “But we do not yet know for sure, because we do not yet know how dangerous the Omicron variant is for those who are completely unvaccinated”.
So is there a slight chance that Corona will someday be like the flu? Lauterbach said the infection will always be slightly different from the flu, so the comparison is not really helpful. “But: I do believe that we can live with the corona virus. That we can get our normal life back completely. That’s what we’re fighting for. And the next year will be decisive for that. ”Lauterbach appealed to people to get vaccinated. He had also advised to be careful on New Year’s Eve.
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