BERLIN: The number of new COVID-19 infections in Germany exceeded 200,000 in a day for the first time on Thursday, hitting staffing at companies including Lufthansa Cargo.
The Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases reported 203,136 positive tests in the last 24 hours, 69,600 cases more than the same day a week ago.
The seven-day incidence per 100,000 people rose to 1,017 from 941 the previous day, while another 188 people died, bringing the death toll since the start of the pandemic in early 2020 to 117,314.
Uwe Janssens, a board member of the DIVI association of emergency and intensive care doctors, told Reuters that hospitals were not currently overloaded, but that could change in coming weeks.
He warned that if the number of daily infections rises above 300,000 then there could be problems for Germany's critical infrastructure. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has predicted daily cases could exceed 400,000 by mid-February.
Airline group Lufthansa's cargo arm said a staffing crunch at its hub in Frankfurt meant it was currently unable to handle sorting of loose freight from the United States, Canada and Europe.
"Despite comprehensive preventative measures, we are now clearly feeling the rising infection numbers," Lufthansa Cargo told Reuters on Thursday, adding that up to 15% of cargo at Frankfurt was affected by delays.
It said its flight schedule was unaffected, as was transportation of time-sensitive goods such as organs for transplants or temperature-controlled cargo.
Rival DHL said its operations in Frankfurt and Leipzig were still running smoothly.
The German Hospitals Federation had warned earlier this week that three-quarters of hospitals were reporting higher than usual numbers of staff out on sick leave.
German lawmakers debated on Wednesday whether to impose compulsory COVID-19 shots, while protesters gathered outside the parliament building.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz backs compulsory vaccines for over-18s but his coalition government is divided on the issue and he has told lawmakers to vote according to their conscience.
Many lawmakers, including some from the coalition's junior partner, the liberal Free Democrats, oppose mandatory vaccines, arguing this violates the second article of Germany's constitution that guarantees citizens control over their own bodies.
Reuters
Fri Jan 28 2022
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has predicted daily cases could exceed 400,000 by mid-February. - REUTERS/Filepic
PM Anwar ulas isu semasa sepanjang 17 bulan mentadbir Malaysia
Saksikan Program Soal Jawab bersama Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim di Saluran 501 dan semua platform media sosial Astro AWANI
Usah terlalu bergantung kepada beras import, Sabah perlu tingkat SSL - Hajiji
Pada 17 April lepas, Kabinet negeri bersetuju menghidupkan semula Lembaga Padi dan Beras Sabah bagi memacu usaha itu.
Lanno Valley diarah tutup bagi tujuan keselamatan - MDBG
Landskap kawasan dikelilingi aktiviti kuari yang aktif dalam radius kurang dari 600 meter itu memberi risiko keselamatan kepada pengunjung.
AWANI Ringkas: Bela nasib pekerja | Gaji penjawat awam bakal diperincikan
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
PM Anwar gesa segerakan penubuhan Suruhanjaya Pekerja Gig
Beliau berkata adalah penting untuk memberi perhatian dan keprihatinan yang lebih kepada pekerja bagi sektor berkenaan.
Kesuma percepat penubuhan Suruhanjaya Pekerja Gig, laporan interim Jun ini
Steven Sim berkata kajian sedang dilakukan dengan kerjasama Universiti Malaya (UM) sebelum laporan interim dijangka dibentangkan kepada Kabinet menjelang 1 Jun ini.
Malaysia tutup kempen Piala Uber dengan kemenangan 4-1 ke atas Australia
Malaysia mendahului dalam perlawanan pembukaan menerusi pemain perseorangan wanita profesional negara Goh Jin Wei yang menewaskan Tiffany Ho, 21-6, 21-12.
Impak gaji penjawat awam naik lebih 13 peratus
Ketua Ekonomi Buruh di Kementerian Sumber Manusia dan Emiratisasi, Emiriah Arab Bersatu (UAE), Dr Yusof Saari berkata kenaikan gaji penjawat awam bakal memberi impak positif kepada pemulihan ekonomi. #AWANInews
3 terbunuh serangan peluru berpandu Rusia
Serangan turut mengakibatkan kerosakan infrastruktur awam.
Rumah kosong di Jepun pecah rekod, 9 juta unit
Jumlah rumah kosong di Jepun meningkat kepada rekod baharu 9 juta setakat Oktober 2023, iaitu kenaikan sebanyak 510,000 daripada tinjauan sebelumnya yang dijalankan pada 2018.
Vaksin Pfizer tidak akan berada di pasaran dalam masa terdekat, ini sebabnya...
Kapasiti simpanan vaksin Pfizer Inc dan BioNTech SE yang sejuk melampau menjadikan vaksin itu jauh daripada boleh diperolehi seluruh dunia.
Dua bintang tidak pakai hitam ke Golden Globes beri penjelasan
Blanca Blanco dan Barbara Meier berkata pilihan warna gaun mereka tidak bermaksud mereka menentang kempen #MeToo dan #TimesUp.
Virus selesema burung ditemui di ladang ternakan Belanda, Britain
Pegawai kesihatan Belanda memusnahkan 150,000 ekor ternakan selepas penemuan virus selesema burung di negara itu.
Penduduk Kg Parit Jerman, gembira Jerman rangkul Piala Dunia
Jaringan kemenangan pemain Jerman, Mario Gotze pada minit ke-113 ke atas Argentina, disambut sorakan kegembiraan penduduk Kampung Parit Jerman semasa majlis tontonan perlawanan Piala Dunia 2014.
Bung minta maaf tetapi kata 'no way' untuk letak jawatan
Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin hari ini meminta maaf berhubung kenyataan "Hidup Hitler" yang dibuat oleh beliau selepas kemenangan Jerman di dalam separuh akhir Piala Dunia 2014.
Jerman bimbang skandal penipuan daging
Susulan skandal penemuan daging kuda yang dilabel sebagai daging lembu, peruncit di Jerman bertindak untuk menghentikan penjualan produk berasaskan daging.