Germany’s coronavirus infection rate has reportedly edged up, prompting the head of the country’s infectious diseases institute to urge people to stay at home as much as possible amid a relaxation of lockdown measures.
Germany’s virus reproduction rate, called the “R” rate or value, is now at 1.0 in Germany, according to Lothar Wieler, the president of the Robert Koch Institute, having risen from 0.7 earlier this month.
The “R” rate means that, on average, every one person with the virus infects one other individual. Keeping this rate below 1.0 is an aim during the coronavirus pandemic.
“The number should stay below one, that is the big goal,” Wieler told a news conference Tuesday, Reuters reported.
“The further it is below one, the more secure we can feel, the more leeway we have, but there are other numbers that are also important,” he said, adding that these included the number of cases per day, and testing capacity.
Wieler urged Germans to maintain rigorous social distancing despite a slight easing of restrictions on public life.
“Against the background of the easing (of restrictions), let’s ensure we can continue to defend this success we have achieved together,” he said. “We don’t want the number of cases to rise again.”
