Coronavirus: Germany faces second outbreak, leading doctors warn

Loosening lockdown restrictions could lead to surge in Covid-19 cases

Berlin Mayor Michael Mueller wears a protective face mask. Getty

Germany faces a second outbreak of Covid-19 as the country loosens lockdown rules, two leading doctors have warned.

The country has coped better with the coronavirus pandemic than its European neighbours, with more than 180,000 cases and 8,367 deaths. But as the country slowly eases restrictions, fears have been raised of an increase in the number of infections.

"If you walk alone on the beach, no matter where in the world, then, of course it doesn't matter," said researcher and doctor, Max Geraedts. "But when you go to a bar where there are lots of people, that can have unpleasant results."

Hajo Zeeb, from the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology, warned Germany lacked sufficient immunity to Covid-19.

"Considering that a very small portion of the population is likely to be immune so far, it is clear that the virus could spread quickly if the conditions are right," he told the German DPA news agency.

The country has seen a steady decline in the overall number of Covid-19 cases thanks to measures imposed 10 weeks ago to limit person-to-person contact.

Federal and state officials agreed earlier this month that restrictions would be reimposed if there were more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in a city or county within one week.

Jens Spahn, the Health Minister, has cautioned against giving the impression that the pandemic is over.

He told Bild that "on the one hand we are seeing whole regions where there are no new reported infections for days. And on the other hand local and regional outbreaks in which the virus is spreading quickly again and immediate intervention is required."