Germany Sees Rise In New Cases

Fears of a second wave of Covid19 when countries lift lockdowns were raised yesterday after Germany saw a spike in cases.

- Steph Spyro

The nation’s virus reproduction rate – the number of people each confirmed patient infects – has risen above one.

The worrying increase came just days after Chancellor Angela Merkel began easing restrictions after mounting pressure from the nation’s 16 federal states.

Karl Lauterbach, a Social Democrat lawmaker and professor of epidemiology, said: “It has to be expected that the R rate will go over one and we will return to exponential growth.

“The loosening measures were far too poorly prepared.”

But Mrs Merkel said she had the power to reimpose tighter restrictions if infections picked up after allowing restaurants, hotels and all stores to open.

German leaders have also had to contend with violent protests against their pandemic restrictions by conspiracy theorists and those who believe the virus is harmless.