Germany records highest daily COVID-19 infections since April

BERLIN (AA) – Germany’s daily COVID-19 cases climbed to a six-month high on Wednesday, as the country braces for a potential surge in infections this winter.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 23,212 more coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours and 114 coronavirus-related fatalities.

The last time the institute recorded over 23,000 cases was on April 30.

Germany’s active cases climbed to 174,000 on Wednesday, marking a new high in the current fourth wave of the pandemic.

The institute warned that the infections are likely to rise in the coming weeks, as people spend more time indoors during the colder fall and winter months, and while a large number of people remain unvaccinated.

So far, 55.2 million people, or 66.4% of the population, in Germany have been fully vaccinated.

The government’s goal had been to fully vaccinate at least 70% of the population by the end of summer.