Germany reports over 32,000 COVID cases, 265 deaths in a day

BERLIN (AA) – Germany on Tuesday reported 32,048 new cases of COVID-19 and 265 virus-related deaths, as more federal states announced tougher restrictions for unvaccinated people.

For the first time in the coronavirus pandemic, Germany’s active cases have risen to a record high of 463,100 this week, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

The surge in new infections have started to overwhelm hospitals in many regions, as the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units rose to 3,280.

Authorities in the eastern state of Thuringia announced tougher measures on Tuesday to curb the spread of the coronavirus, bringing in new restrictions for unvaccinated people.

According to the 2G rule, only those who are vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 will be allowed to access restaurants, bars or cultural events. The rule will also apply to hairdressers, gyms and dance events.

Germany’s most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia also announced that it will impose the 2G rule for leisure facilities.

Hamburg and Baden-Wurttemberg are expected to bring in stricter restrictions for the unvaccinated in the coming days, according to local media.

The 2G rule is already in place in several other federal states, including Berlin and Saxony.

Germany’s central government and premiers of the federal states are scheduled to hold a videoconference on Thursday to discuss tougher restrictions and uniform rules in the coronavirus battle.

Experts continue to warn that coronavirus infections are likely to rise as people spend more time indoors during the colder months and a large number of people are still unvaccinated in Germany.

As of Tuesday, 56.2 million people, or 67.6% of the country’s population, have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The government’s goal has been to vaccinate at least 75% of the population to prevent an exponential rise in new infections during the fall and winter months.

Germany’s overall vaccination rate lags behind other EU member states like Portugal, Spain, Italy, Ireland, and Denmark.