German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and Health Minister, Jens Spahn, will on Tuesday visit the government’s agency for disease control and prevention, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
The visit became necessary as the rising COVID-19 cases threaten to overshadow the September election campaign.
The Berlin-based RKI said the index measuring the number of COVID-19 cases edged up to 6.5 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over the last seven days after increasing each day for the last week.
A week earlier, the index stood at 4.9 as the roll-out of vaccinations picked up, prompting moves to ease restrictions across the nation and paving the way for the annual summer vacation season.
Merkel plans to discuss with RKI officials their current tasks, plans and challenges as the Delta variant helps to drive up new cases and Germany’s European partners also report a rise in new infections.
The chancellor’s talks at the RKI will also focus on Germany’s vaccination campaign.
About 43 per cent of the nation’s population is now fully vaccinated.
Merkel’s government plans to focus more on the number of COVID-19 hospital admissions when assessing the nationwide state of the pandemic.
German health authorities also reported that the daily new coronavirus caseload count had risen to 646.
A week ago, the number stood at 440.
Nationwide, 26 deaths linked to the virus were recorded within 24 hours, according to the RKI’s Tuesday data. (dpa/NAN)