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Coronavirus in Germany: Steep rise in infections reported

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading quite fast in Germany. The novel virus has so far infected 108,202 people and killed at least 2,107.

A new report by the German disease and epidemic control center, Robert Koch Institute (RKI) shows that the incidence (cases per 100,000) of COVID-19 is highest in Bavaria (220), Baden-Wuerttemberg (195) Hamburg (180) and Saarland (171).

The report shows that most cases (70%) are between 15 and 59 years old. Previously the virus mainly infected men. That is no longer the case. Now 51% of the infected are men and 49% are women.

Among notified cases, 855 were children under 5 years of age, 2,130 children aged 5 to 14 years, 74,926 persons aged 15 to 59 years, 20,925 persons aged 60 to 79 years and 9,160 persons aged 80 years and older (see Figure 3). The age of 206 notified cases is unknown. The median age of cases is 50 years.

The virus continues to kill mainly older people in Germany. So far 86% of deaths occurred in persons aged 70 years or older.

Reports on COVID-19 related outbreaks in nursing homes and hospitals are also increasing. In some of these outbreaks, the number of deaths is relatively high.

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One of the measures imposed by German authorities is banning gatherings of more than 2 persons (with the exception of families and household members) in all German states. Restaurants and businesses concerned with body care have also closed.

The most common symptoms of coronavirus infections in Germany are cough (52%), fever (42%) and rhinorrhoea (22%). Pneumonia was reported in 1,880 cases (2%). Hospitalisation was reported for 12,268 (15%) of 82,152 COVID-19 cases with information on hospitalisation available.

Approximately 49,900 persons are estimated to have recovered from their COVID-19 infection.

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Distribution of the laboratory-confirmed COVID-19-cases per federal state in Germany as on 9/4/2020

Baden-Wuerttemberg 21,603

Bavaria 28,827

Berlin 4,202

Brandenburg 1,578

Bremen 445

Hamburg 3,320

Hesse 5,242

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania 572

Lower Saxony 6,804

North Rhine-Westphalia 21,961

Rhineland-Palatinate 4,336

Saarland 1,693

Saxony 3,261

Saxony-Anhalt 1,075

Schleswig-Holstein 1,932

Thuringia 1,351

Total 108,202