BERLIN- COVID-19 cases are on the increase again in Germany as the summer draws to a close but the president of the German Medical Association has sought to calm health fears.
“The coronavirus is a virus with which we have developed certain coexistence,’’ Klaus Reinhardt told Deutschlandfunk radio on Friday.
Reintroducing mandatory mask-wearing measures is not currently necessary, he said.
For now, he said, people could still decide for themselves whether or not to wear a mask.
COVID-19 is not the only respiratory disease which typically sees an increase coming into the autumn and winter, as this applies for flu and RSV too, he said.
This slight surge in coronavirus cases is sure to put a strain on hospitals and clinics across Germany once again this year, said Reinhardt.
He advised to stay home and avoid mixing with people for several days if affected by an acute respiratory illness.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Germany had been on the rise again for about a month, albeit at a relatively low level.
This is according to Germany’s disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
About a quarter of people suffering from COVID-19 were hospitalised in the past weeks, according to the data.
The reported cases represented only a small part of actual COVID infections as many mild cases go unrecorded. (dpa/NAN)
