Germany's daily COVID-19 cases exceed 100,000 for 1st time

BERLIN - The number of daily COVID-19 infections registered in Germany exceeded 100,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases said on Wednesday.

The RKI registered 112,323 new cases in the past 24 hours, almost 32,000 more than a week ago. The country's 7-day COVID-19 incidence also rose to a new record high of 584.4 infections per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the RKI.

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach told broadcaster RTL on Tuesday that Germany would "likely reach the peak of the (COVID-19) wave in mid-February."

Lauterbach again called for mandatory vaccinations. This should come as soon as possible, he said, in April or May, so that there was still enough time to immunize the unvaccinated before a possible new wave in fall 2022.

As of Tuesday, 72.9 percent of Germany's population had been fully vaccinated, with at least 40.1 million booster shots administered, according to official figures.