Germany reports over 3,500 new omicron cases

BERLIN (AA) – Germany on Monday reported 3,524 new cases of the omicron variant of coronavirus, bringing the nationwide total to 30,325.

The Robert Koch Institute, the country's disease control agency, registered six omicron-related fatalities so far, and confirmed that 314 people infected with omicron were admitted to hospitals.

It also cautioned that the figures may underestimate the true numbers due to lag in reporting during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach on Monday repeated his warning of a new COVID-19 wave due to the highly infectious variant, and said unvaccinated people are more at risk for severe disease.

“I appeal to all those who have not been vaccinated yet to get their first jab, because vaccination significantly reduces the risk of becoming seriously ill, or die from the disease,” he told public television ZDF.

He also said the central government and federal states will hold a meeting on Friday to discuss new coronavirus measures and quarantine rules in response to the omicron wave.

About 25% of people in Germany have not receive a single dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to official data. Some 71% of the population have been fully vaccinated and nearly 39% of them have received a booster shot.