Berlin (dpa) – According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germans should again follow the recommendations to avoid infection.
The background to this is an increase in incidences and an expected increase due to more widespread use of omicron sublines, according to RKI’s Covid 19 Weekly Report Thursday evening. It also mentions the changing developments in hospitals.
The authors say that the strain on healthcare capacity, particularly in the areas of hospital care and intensive care, has hardly diminished over the past week. “Based on the increase in incidence, an increase in occupancy is currently expected.” The number of Covid 19 cases in intensive care units has “further increased compared to previous weeks”. According to the Divi intensive care register, there were 681 on Thursday, while this month the number had at times fallen to around 610.
Omicron sublines dominate
According to the RKI, the omicron sub-sectors, which have been increasing proportionally for a few weeks, are already dominant in Germany. “The strong growth of BA.4 and especially BA.5, but also BA.2.12.1, suggests that these variants already constitute the majority of the evidence,” the report says. The RKI is based on evaluations of virus variants.
This data in the report always refers to the penultimate week: BA.5 represented approximately 24% of the positive samples in a random sample at the time, which again corresponds to approximately a doubling of the week’s value former. BA.4 and BA.2.12.1 were both about four percent.
In the evolution of the incidence over seven days, the RKI speaks of a significant increase of about a third for the past week compared to the previous week. All age groups are affected. Other outbreaks in retirement and nursing homes and in medical care facilities have also been recorded again. “With the further increase in the number of infections, a further increase in the infection pressure on vulnerable groups of people is to be expected.” An RKI map showing the course of the infection process shows many districts with an increased number of cases, especially in northwestern Germany.
In particular, risk groups and people over the age of 70 advise the RKI to carry out a second vaccination booster in accordance with the recommendation of the Standing Vaccination Committee (Stiko). So far, almost one in five people in the over 60 age group have received a second reminder (19%). Based on the total population, 6.4% have a second refresher course and nearly 60% have the first.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:220617-99-694993/2
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