Visitors wearing face masks are seen at the entrance of Berlin Victory Column in Berlin, capital of Germany, Oct. 15, 2020. New COVID-19 infections in Germany increased by a new daily record of 6,638 to 341,223, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Thursday.Photo:Xinhua

New COVID-19 infections in Germany increased by a new daily record of 6,638 to 341,223, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Thursday.

The figure was a leap of more than 1,500 new cases from the previous day. According to the RKI, the historic high of infection numbers in Germany was reached at the end of March, with a daily record of more than 6,200.

"We must reduce the number of contacts where infection rates are high in order not to overburden our healthcare system," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during a news conference on Wednesday after a meeting with the minister presidents of Germany's federal states to discuss tougher COVID-19 measures.

In local COVID-19 hotspots in Germany, mostly larger cities, where the threshold of 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over seven days has been reached, contact restrictions in public places and private gatherings are to be introduced. In addition, a curfew for dining out after 11 p.m. will be put into effect.

Furthermore, measures such as supplementary mask obligations and stricter limitation of events could already apply at 35 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants, as "we have seen in some examples how quickly the number increases from 35 to 50," Merkel said.

Germany introduced a new COVID-19 test regulation on Thursday. Nursing homes and hospitals can make "generous use" of rapid antigen tests to regularly test staff and visitors, as well as patients and residents, according to the Ministry of Health (BMG).

Antigen testing will offer the "opportunity to test more and to detect infections faster" to protect old and sick citizens from COVID-19 infections, the BMG said.

Visitors are seen at Berlin Victory Column in Berlin, capital of Germany, Oct. 15, 2020. New COVID-19 infections in Germany increased by a new daily record of 6,638 to 341,223, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Thursday.Photo:Xinhua

 

Pedestrians walk in front of the Reichstag building in Berlin, capital of Germany, Oct. 15, 2020. New COVID-19 infections in Germany increased by a new daily record of 6,638 to 341,223, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Thursday. Photo:Xinhua

 

People ride electric scooters near Berlin Victory Column in Berlin, capital of Germany, Oct. 15, 2020. New COVID-19 infections in Germany increased by a new daily record of 6,638 to 341,223, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Thursday. Photo:Xinhua