In the Corona summer wave, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) expects further challenges in the coming weeks.
The RKI weekly report on Covid-19 on Thursday evening shows that there are still cases and, especially in the older age groups, hospital admissions, an increase in intensive care treatments and deaths. The infection pressure remains high in all age groups. This also puts a strain on the health system.
The nationwide seven-day incidence fell only slightly last week compared to the previous week. The overall picture results from the already falling incidences in most western German federal states and Berlin - with slightly increasing incidences in the other eastern German federal states and Bavaria. "Furthermore, a sideways movement rather than a downward trend can be observed," it says. The incidence has continued to rise among people aged 80 and over who are particularly at risk. Outbreaks in nursing homes have increased.
Acute respiratory infection
In addition to the incidence, which incompletely reflects the infection process, the RKI also looks at a few other data sources in the report. Overall, it estimates that 800,000 to 1.5 million people had corona with symptoms of acute respiratory infection for the past week. When it comes to deaths related to the virus, the RKI speaks of a plateau of just over 400 a week. The number of hospital admissions of people who have a severe acute respiratory infection and a Covid 19 diagnosis has now increased after several weeks in June stabilized at an elevated level, writes the RKI. A number of 3,900 recordings were mentioned for the previous week, in which both criteria came together.
As can also be seen from the analyses, the omicron subline BA.5 has largely asserted itself in this country: According to the latest available data, the line has been found in almost nine out of ten positive samples. According to the RKI, the spread of the omicron subline BA.2.75, about whose mutations some researchers had recently expressed concern, is mainly observed in India and various other regions worldwide. A total of four proofs are known in this country. The authors also state that a growth advantage of BA.2.75 in an event dominated by BA.4 and BA.5 - as in Germany - is currently unknown.
The RKI also calls for "absolutely" complying with the recommendations for avoiding infection. The values for acute respiratory diseases in the general population, such as the number of doctor visits, are still higher than in previous years at this time.
