The number of daily cases caused by the COVID-19 virus Omicron variant in Germany has set a new record. In the statement made by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which compiles data and information about the epidemic in the country, it was announced that 80 thousand 430 new cases were detected in the last 24 hours, thus exceeding the 80 thousand limit for the first time.
Just a week ago, the number of cases detected in 24 hours on January 3 was only 30 thousand. While the total number of cases detected since the beginning of the epidemic increased to 7 million 661 thousand 811, the total number of deaths became 114 thousand 735, with 384 deaths in the last 24 hours. The incidence value, which shows the number of new cases in the last seven days per 100 thousand people, increased once again and reached 407.5, the highest value to date.
Health experts state that all these numbers will rise even higher in the coming weeks due to the Omicron variant. Some experts set out that the number of daily cases in Germany may climb up to 400 thousand, by citing the numbers detected in the last days in the neighboring country France, as an example.
Experts point out that although the Omicron variant has a relatively mild course of infection, it is more contagious than other variants of the Corona virus.
In Germany, which has been seen as one of the exemplary countries in the fight against Corona virus in Europe for a long time, the rapid escalation of cases in recent weeks and the highest level since the beginning of the pandemic brings public debates.
Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach stated that new measures may come due to the rapid increase in the number of cases, while the focus of the discussions is the proposal to introduce a vaccination obligation. The postponement of the session in the Bundestag, which is normally expected to discuss the vaccination requirement across Germany this week, to the end of the month means that a concrete decision on the issue will be taken in April at the earliest. Prime Minister Olaf Scholz is also criticized for not taking a clear stance at this point. Scholz, who said, “The general vaccination requirement should be implemented at the beginning of February and the beginning of March,” during the election process before becoming the Prime Minister, announced that this would depend on the decision of the Bundestag, not the government. In the comments made, it is stated that Scholz hopes that the debate on the necessity of vaccination will end by itself, based on the improvement in the Corona epidemic towards the summer months.
Anti-vaccine demonstrations continue
On the other hand, the possibility of a general vaccination obligation is causing public reactions. In recent weeks, anti-vaccine protesters and critics of the government’s COVID-19 policy in various cities have organized unauthorized demonstrations online on Saturday and Monday evenings in the country.
While it was observed that extreme right-wingers participated in the demonstrations intensively, it was determined that at least 100 thousand people across the country participated in the demonstrations held on Monday. When the demonstrators wanted to break through the police barriers in some protests, the security forces used tear gas and batons against the demonstrators.
Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann stated that the demonstrations are now getting out of control and that they will no longer tolerate situations such as non-compliance with legal obligations such as wearing masks or maintaining distance. Buschmann said that if violence against the police and violations of rules continue, the demonstrations may be banned.