The corona numbers are skyrocketing. For the first time, the incidence exceeds 800. The Expert Council warns. The news ticker.
- Corona* in Germany: The incidence is over 800 for the first time.
- The Expert Council calls for preparations for further possible steps.
- This news ticker on the corona pandemic in Germany is updated regularly.
Berlin – The Omicron variant is spreading at a breathtaking pace. The expert council of the federal government is now calling for preparations for possible further steps.
“The highly dynamic infection process currently requires the maintenance and strict implementation of the previous measures,” says a statement published on Saturday evening (January 22). If, as a result of further increasing incidences*, critical levels are reached, for example in terms of hospital admissions, further infection control measures could become necessary. “These should therefore now be prepared in such a way that they can be implemented without delay.”
Corona case numbers in Germany (as of January 23, 2022)
- The 7-day incidence in Germany is currently 806.4.
- In the past 24 hours, the RKI has recorded 85,440 positive corona tests and 54 deaths.
- According to the RKI, there are currently 1,334,800 active corona cases.
- According to the DIVI intensive care register, there are currently 2,373 Covid 19 patients in an intensive care unit. Of these, 1,418 must be artificially ventilated.
Corona in Germany: Too much dynamism in the current wave
Both contact restrictions and booster vaccinations are necessary to slow down the dynamics of the current wave and to protect the health system and critical infrastructure, according to the unanimous recommendation of the 19 council members. It is therefore important to intensify the booster campaign. Due to the existing contact reductions and the prudent behavior of the citizens, the internationally observed steep increase in the number of infections in Germany was initially slowed down. However, the Expert Council expects a further increase. At the top, 7-day incidences “of several thousand could be reached regionally”.
“Accordingly, if the incidence continues to rise, a large number of hospital admissions are to be expected”
The extent of the hospital burden will depend crucially on the incidences in unvaccinated adults and those over 50 years of age. These are still comparatively low, but infections have been entered in the group of older people. The hospitalization rate is lower than expected for the Delta variant, but would have to be around 10 times lower than last winter in order to compensate for the expected high number of cases and not to overload the health system. Such a strong reduction is currently not to be expected despite vaccinations.
Corona vaccination rate in Germany (Source: Impfdashboard.de)
| 61.0 million people in Germany are fully vaccinated (73.3 percent). |
| 41.7 million people received a booster (50.1 percent). |
| Currently, 20.6 million people are not vaccinated (24.6 percent). Of these, no vaccine is available for 4 million people between the ages of 0 and 4 (4.8 percent). |
“Accordingly, a large number of hospital admissions can be expected if the incidence continues to rise,” writes the committee. With an increase in basic immunity in the population and a decrease in the number of new infections and hospitalization rates, the contact restrictions should be gradually reduced again. In the long term, it is urgently necessary “to close the remaining immunity gaps in society through vaccinations, as otherwise strong waves of infection and disease are to be expected cyclically.
Virologist Christian Drosten warns of dangerous mutations – a mixed form of delta and omicron variants could arise. (ml/dpa)*Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
